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Steamed Chicken Breast with Leek-Salt Lemon Sauce
Serves 2 · About 20 min
Skinless chicken breast steamed on a bed of bean sprouts in a frying pan. No frying in oil, so it’s lower in calories. The leek, lemon and sesame oil sauce keeps it fresh but still satisfying.
① Make the leek-salt sauce→② Slice the chicken and season it→③ Steam on the bean sprouts→④ Plate and pour over the sauce
What to buy
Meat
Vegetables
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🥗 What makes this diet dish work
Just cutting calories can leave a dish small and unsatisfying, or the chicken dry. This dish works around that.
- Take off the skin: most of the fat in chicken breast is in the skin. Removing it saves about 70 kcal per breast (about 250 g)
- Steam instead of frying: the only oil is the 2 tsp of sesame oil in the sauce
- Bulk it up with bean sprouts: a whole bag is about 30 kcal. The plate looks full and it’s filling
- Keep it moist: thin slices coated in starch stay tender even when steamed
- The numbers: about 212 kcal and 31 g protein per person. Compared with this site’s fried chicken (karaage, about 506 kcal and 29 g protein per person), it’s less than half the calories with about the same protein
How to make it
1
Make the leek-salt sauce
- Chop the leek finely
- In a small bowl, mix the leek, 2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp chicken stock granules, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and a little black pepper
How to tell it's doneThe salt and stock granules have dissolved and the leek is coated in oil.
2
Slice the chicken and season it
- Holding the knife at a low angle, cut the chicken into 1 cm thick slices
- Put the chicken, a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp sake in a plastic bag and rub, then add 2 tsp potato starch and shake the bag to coat
- Wash your hands, knife and cutting board with dish soap after touching the raw chicken
How to tell it's doneThe chicken has a thin coat of starch all over.
Be carefulDon’t touch other food with hands or tools that touched the raw chicken.
3
Steam on the bean sprouts
- Spread the bean sprouts in a frying pan and lay the chicken on top without overlapping
- Pour 3 tbsp water around, cover and steam over medium heat for 6 minutes
- Take off the lid, cut the thickest piece in half with chopsticks and check
How to tell it's doneThe cut piece is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear.
Be carefulIf any part is pink, cover and steam 2 minutes more, then check again.
4
Plate and pour over the sauce
- Put the bean sprouts and chicken on plates and pour the leek-salt sauce over
- Taste it, and if it’s bland, add a pinch of salt
ReadyThe chicken and leek are glossy with the sauce. Eat while warm.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🥬 Ingredient guide
If it didn't work out
The chicken is tough or dryIt steamed too long in step 3. Next time, check at 6 minutes. Don’t skip the starch in step 2.
It’s pink insideCover and steam 2 minutes more, then check a cut piece again.
It tastes blandWhen you taste in step 4, add salt a pinch at a time. More black pepper also helps.
It’s wateryWater came out of the bean sprouts. Leave the liquid in the pan when you plate.
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