Sesame Hoisin Ground Chicken (Printable)

Ground chicken with hoisin, sesame, crisp vegetables, and linguine for a quick, flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz linguine

→ Meats

02 - 1 lb ground chicken

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup snap peas, halved
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced, reserve some for garnish
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

→ Sauce

08 - 5 tbsp hoisin sauce
09 - 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
10 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
11 - 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional)
13 - 1 tbsp honey

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
15 - Fresh cilantro or scallions (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, chili garlic sauce if using, and honey. Set aside.
03 - Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat with a splash of neutral oil. Add ground chicken and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until no longer pink, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced green onions to the skillet. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in red bell pepper and snap peas. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
06 - Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Toss well to coat evenly.
07 - Add the cooked linguine to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding the reserved pasta water gradually as needed, until the sauce uniformly coats the pasta.
08 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and garnish with additional green onions or fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like takeout but comes together faster than delivery would arrive.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta with just enough sesame richness to make it feel special.
  • Ground chicken keeps it lighter than heavier proteins, but the hoisin makes it feel deeply satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—that starchy liquid is what transforms separate cooked ingredients into something cohesive and silky.
  • Taste the sauce before the pasta goes in; it should be balanced and confident, because you can't fix it once everything's mixed.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for thirty seconds before serving if you have time—the flavor difference between raw and freshly toasted is remarkable.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, you can brown the chicken and chop vegetables hours ahead, then finish the dish in minutes when people are ready to eat.
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