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Egg roll in a bowl with halal chicken, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, scallions, and sesame

Egg Roll in a Bowl

A crisp, savory skillet meal with ground chicken, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, and water chestnuts in a sesame-lime sauce. Ready in about 55 minutes and great for meal prep.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian-inspired
Calories: 335
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sesame-Lime Sauce
  • 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil reserved for finishing
Chicken and Vegetables
  • 800 g about 1¾ lbs ground chicken, thigh and breast blend
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt divided
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil divided
  • 300 g about 10 oz cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1½ tablespoons fresh ginger finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 200 g about 7 oz carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
  • 700 g about 1½ lbs green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 can 225g / 8 oz sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
  • 4 scallions thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Equipment

  • 12-inch skillet or wide wok
  • Thin-edged spatula
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Whisk together the tamari, lime juice, honey, cornstarch, white pepper, and water. Set aside the sesame oil separately. Heat the skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon oil and cook the chicken in two batches, pressing into a thin layer. Leave undisturbed for the first 2 minutes, then break into bite-size clusters. Season with ½ teaspoon salt total across both batches. Cook to 165°F (74°C) and transfer to a plate.
  3. Add the mushrooms in a broad layer and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their liquid evaporates and edges brown. Add the onion and scallion whites; cook 3–4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic; stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add the carrots and cook 2 minutes. Add half the cabbage, toss until it loses some volume, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining cabbage and the last ½ teaspoon salt. Cook 4–6 minutes over medium-high, tossing from the bottom, until thick ribbons bend but still resist slightly when bitten.
  5. Return the chicken and plate juices. Add the water chestnuts. Re-whisk the sauce, pour it around the hot edge of the skillet, and toss 2–3 minutes until the sauce is glossy and no puddle remains when food is pushed aside.
  6. Turn off the heat. Drizzle in the sesame oil and fold in half the scallion greens and half the sesame seeds. Rest 3 minutes, then taste and adjust with a small squeeze of lime or a teaspoon of tamari if needed. Top with the remaining scallions and sesame seeds.

Notes

  • Storage: Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours. Keeps 3–4 days. Reheat in a wide skillet over medium-high heat to 165°F (74°C). Keep scallion greens, sesame seeds, and lime separate until serving.
  • Make-ahead: Slice vegetables and mix the sauce up to 1 day ahead. For meal prep, cook the cabbage slightly firmer than preferred so it holds up after reheating.
  • Watery skillet fix: If liquid collects, push food aside and let it boil away 2–4 minutes before adding the sauce. Dry all vegetables thoroughly before cooking and cook in batches to avoid crowding.