WW-Friendly Sticky Sesame Chicken with Fried Rice & Broccoli

Servings: 4 generous servings
Estimated WW Points: 5 Points per serving
Exact Points can vary depending on the rice, sweetener, soy sauce, and your current WW plan.

Ingredients

For the Crispy Chicken

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Nonstick cooking spray

For the Sticky Sesame Sauce

• ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons zero-calorie brown sugar substitute
• 1 tablespoon sugar-free honey or maple-style syrup
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• ½ teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup water

For the Light Fried Rice

• 1½ cups cooked jasmine or brown rice, chilled
• 2 cups cauliflower rice
• 2 cups small broccoli florets
• ½ small onion, diced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Black pepper, to taste
• Nonstick cooking spray

For Finishing

• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• Extra sliced green onion, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
2. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. This helps the light coating stick and gives the finished chicken a much better texture.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg.
4. Add the chicken and toss until every piece is lightly coated.
5. Sprinkle in the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and salt.
6. Toss until the chicken pieces have a thin, slightly tacky coating.
7. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
8. Arrange the chicken in a single layer. Don’t crowd the basket; cook in two batches if necessary.
9. Spray the tops lightly and air fry for 10–12 minutes, shaking or turning halfway through, until the outside is golden and the chicken is cooked through.
10. While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. Add the soy sauce, sugar-free ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar substitute, sugar-free syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sriracha, cornstarch, and water to a small saucepan.
11. Whisk thoroughly before turning on the heat.
12. Cook over medium heat for about 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce becomes thick, shiny, and sticky.
13. Turn the heat to low and keep the sauce warm.
14. For the fried rice, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat it with cooking spray.
15. Add the onion and broccoli and cook for about 3–4 minutes.
16. Add the cauliflower rice and continue cooking until most of its moisture has evaporated.
17. Push everything to one side of the skillet and crack the egg into the empty area.
18. Scramble the egg, then mix it through the vegetables.
19. Add the chilled cooked rice, soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper.
20. Stir-fry for another 3–4 minutes, letting some of the rice develop lightly browned edges.
21. Add the green onions and remove from the heat.
22. Once the chicken is finished, place it in a large bowl.
23. Pour the warm sticky sauce over it and toss gently until every piece is completely coated and glossy.
24. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
25. Divide the fried rice among four plates or takeout-style containers.
26. Add the sticky sesame chicken generously over the top and tuck some of the broccoli and rice around the edges.
27. Finish with a few more sesame seeds and green onions.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving, approximately:

• Calories: 360
• Protein: 39g
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5g
• Fiber: 6g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 780mg

Estimated WW Points: 5 per serving

The biggest thing I’ve learned with lighter takeout-style chicken is that you really don’t need a thick breading to get that sticky, saucy texture. What matters more is getting the chicken dry before coating it and letting the air fryer do its job without crowding the basket. When I used to pile everything in at once, the chicken would cook but the coating stayed pale and soft. Cooking it in batches is a little more annoying, but the difference is worth it because the outside actually has enough texture to hold onto the sauce.

I also make the sauce separately instead of pouring everything over the chicken in the skillet and cooking it together for a long time. If the chicken sits in sauce over heat for too long, even a crispy coating turns soft almost immediately. I wait until the chicken is completely cooked, thicken the sauce separately, and toss everything together right before serving. That way it stays glossy and sticky instead of watery.

For the fried rice, chilled rice works much better than freshly cooked rice. Fresh hot rice is soft and steamy, so it tends to clump together. If I know I’m making this for dinner, I’ll cook the rice earlier in the day or even the night before. Mixing it with cauliflower rice is also one of those swaps I actually like because you still get enough real rice texture to make it feel like takeout, but the portion can be much bigger for fewer Points.

If you’re making leftovers, store the chicken and rice separately if possible. I reheat the chicken in the air fryer for a few minutes and then toss it with a spoonful of extra sauce afterward. The microwave works, but it makes the coating much softer. The rice reheats really well in a skillet with a splash of water or soy sauce.