Sticky Sesame Chicken Spelt Flatbread Recipe, Easy

Name: Toasted Spelt Flatbread with Sticky Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300 g spelt flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 200 g plain yogurt; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 water; 500 g chicken thighs, boneless skinless; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp fresh ginger; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp sesame seeds; 2 spring onions

Crisp spelt flatbread with glossy sesame chicken, made for weeknights

Golden toasted spelt flatbread topped with glossy sticky sesame chicken, scallions and sesame seeds on a dark wood board

Sticky sesame chicken on toasted spelt flatbread pairs a soy-honey glaze with a flatbread that stays crisp at the edges and soft in the middle. The chicken cooks in a hot skillet until it hits 165 F / 74 C, then gets tossed in a sauce that thickens in under two minutes.

Spelt flour gives the flatbread a nutty base and a slightly firmer chew than all-purpose dough. The dough rests for 15 minutes, just long enough to relax the gluten so it rolls out thin without snapping back.

You can make the dough ahead and keep the sauce ingredients measured on the counter, so the meal comes together in about 45 minutes of active work. The steps stay clear even if you have not worked with spelt before.

One thing to watch: if the sauce reduces too fast, it turns from sticky to hard within a minute. Pull it off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Sauce thickens in under two minutes, no guesswork
Spelt flatbread stays soft with crisp toasted edges
One skillet handles both the chicken and the sauce
Dough and sauce can be prepped hours ahead

Diced chicken thigh caramelizing in a skillet with a glossy soy-honey sesame sauce being stirred with tongs

Ingredient Notes

spelt flour: Light spelt flour gives a softer flatbread. Whole spelt works too but makes a denser, nuttier dough.
plain yogurt: Adds tang and softness to the dough. Swap in a plain dairy-free yogurt of similar thickness if needed.
chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy at high heat. Chicken breast works but dries out faster.
honey: Gives the sauce its sticky texture as it reduces. Maple syrup works but the glaze sets a little softer.
soy sauce: Use a regular soy sauce, not the thick sweet kind, or the sauce will taste too heavy.
sesame oil: Add it off the heat at the end so the toasted aroma does not cook off.
spring onions: Sliced thin for garnish, they add a fresh bite against the sweet glaze.

Two plates of sesame chicken flatbread on a linen-covered table with chopsticks and a glass of iced tea nearby

Print Recipe

Comfort Food

Toasted Spelt Flatbread with Sticky Sesame Chicken

Difficulty: Medium Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 25 mins Rest Time 15 mins Total Time 1 hr

Cooking Temp: 180 C Servings: 4 Estimated Cost: £ 3.20 Calories: 625

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary:

C Contains Dairy C Contains gluten (spelt) H High Protein

Description

This dish pairs crisp toasted spelt flatbread with pan-seared chicken glazed in a sticky soy-honey-sesame sauce, finished with scallions and sesame seeds.

Instructions

Make the Spelt Flatbread Dough

In a mixing bowl, whisk the spelt flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Add the yogurt and olive oil. Mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, adding water 1 tbsp at a time if it's too dry.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a round about 4 mm thick.

Toast the Flatbreads

Heat a dry 26 cm / 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Toast each flatbread 1 to 2 minutes per side until blistered and golden with soft puffed spots. Stack and cover with a towel to keep soft.

Cook the Sticky Sesame Chicken

Toss the diced chicken thigh with the cornstarch until evenly coated.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.
Wipe out the skillet, add the vegetable oil, and heat over medium-high. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and it reaches 165 F / 74 C in the thickest piece.
Pour the sauce over the chicken. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat right away so it doesn't harden.
Sprinkle in the sesame seeds and toss to coat.

Assemble

Lay a toasted flatbread on each plate. Top with the sticky sesame chicken, scatter with sliced spring onion and extra sesame seeds, and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 625kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 21g33%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 110mg37%
Sodium 700mg30%
Potassium 450mg13%
Total Carbohydrate 67g23%
Dietary Fiber 6g24%
Sugars 10g
Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 60 IU
Vitamin C 2 mg
Calcium 120 mg
Iron 3 mg
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 3 mcg
Thiamin 0.15 mg
Riboflavin 0.2 mg
Niacin 6 mg
Vitamin B6 0.4 mg
Folate 30 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.3 mcg
Phosphorus 220 mg
Magnesium 40 mg
Zinc 2 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Dice chicken thighs evenly, about 2 cm, so they cook at the same rate.
Mix the sauce before the skillet heats up, since reduction happens fast.
Rest flatbread dough a full 15 minutes or it resists rolling.
Keep flatbreads covered with a towel while the chicken cooks so they stay soft.

Keywords: sticky sesame chicken, spelt flatbread, toasted flatbread recipe, sesame chicken flatbread, spelt flatbread recipe

Equipment

mixing bowl
rolling pin
26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet
small saucepan or bowl for sauce
instant-read thermometer
tongs

Tips

Pat the chicken dry before searing so it browns instead of steaming in the skillet.
Whisk the sauce ingredients together before the pan gets hot, so you can pour and toss quickly.
Roll the flatbread dough thin, about 4 mm, so it crisps at the edges while staying soft in the center.
Toast the flatbreads in a dry skillet with no oil, so the surface blisters instead of frying.
Pull the sauce off the heat the moment it coats a spoon, since it thickens fast once reduced.

Variations

Swap chicken thighs for firm tofu cubes, pressed and pan-fried, for a vegetarian version of the same glaze.
Add a spoon of gochujang to the sauce for a spicier, deeper colored glaze on the chicken.
Use whole spelt flour instead of light spelt for a denser, more rustic flatbread with a nuttier taste.

Storage and Reheating

Store the chicken and flatbread separately in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keeping them apart stops the bread from turning soft under the sauce.

Reheat the chicken in a 26 cm / 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until it's hot through and the sauce loosens again. Warm the flatbread in a dry skillet or a 180 C / 350 F oven for 2 to 3 minutes, just until soft and warm.

The chicken freezes well for up to 2 months in a sealed container. The flatbread does not freeze cleanly, since spelt dough turns dense once thawed, so bake it fresh instead.

Serving Suggestions

Sticky sesame chicken on toasted spelt flatbread works as a full plate on its own, but a side of quick-pickled cucumber cuts through the sweetness of the glaze.

Add a small bowl of steamed jasmine rice if you want to stretch the sauce further, or scatter extra spring onion and chili over the top for color.

For a casual gathering, cut the flatbreads into wedges and let people build their own portions from a shared plate of chicken.

File under sesame chicken flatbread spelt flatbread spelt flatbread recipe sticky sesame chicken toasted flatbread recipe

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All:

Why is my sticky sesame chicken sauce turning hard instead of staying glossy?

This happens when the honey-soy sauce reduces past the syrup stage over high heat. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as the sauce coats the back of a spoon, usually 1 to 2 minutes after it starts bubbling. If it seizes up, stir in a splash of water over low heat to loosen it again.

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs for this sesame chicken flatbread?

Yes, chicken breast works, but it cooks faster and dries out more easily than thigh meat. Cut it into slightly larger pieces and check for 165 F / 74 C with a thermometer a minute or two earlier than the thigh timing in the recipe. Thigh meat stays juicier if you have a choice.

Can I make the spelt flatbread dough the night before?

Yes, wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before rolling. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before you roll it out, since cold dough is stiffer and springs back. This step also saves time on a busy weeknight.

What goes well with sticky sesame chicken on toasted spelt flatbread?

Quick-pickled cucumber or a simple slaw cuts through the sweetness of the glaze and adds crunch. Steamed jasmine rice on the side stretches the sauce further if you're feeding a bigger table. A cold glass of iced tea also works well with the sesame flavor.

Is sticky sesame chicken on toasted spelt flatbread dairy free?

No, the flatbread dough contains plain yogurt, so this recipe is not dairy free as written. Swap in a plain dairy-free yogurt of similar thickness and the dough behaves about the same. The chicken and sauce themselves contain no dairy at all.

What's the difference between this sesame chicken and takeout-style sesame chicken?

This version skips the deep-fried batter used in most takeout sesame chicken, so the texture stays lighter and less sweet overall. The chicken is pan-seared, then finished in a thinner soy-honey glaze instead of a thick, cornstarch-heavy sauce. It's served on flatbread instead of rice.

Toasted Spelt Flatbread with Sticky Sesame Chicken

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Toasted Spelt Flatbread with Sticky Sesame Chicken

Description

Ingredients

Spelt Flatbread