My easy sesame chicken recipe delivers restaurant-quality satisfaction right at home!
Perfectly crispy chicken is glazed with a sticky sauce full of sweet and savory flavors. Every bite captures the essence of classic Chinese-American cuisine.
Trust me, this dish is even better than takeout! I always serve it over a bed of fluffy white rice to soak up every drop of glossy sauce.
Oh, and make extra! Leftovers are even better the next day.
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Why You’ll Love This Sesame Chicken
Quick and Easy: You can transform ordinary chicken into a restaurant-worthy dish in just 30 minutes. This recipe is my go-to for busy weeknights.
Budget-Friendly: This sesame chicken recipe uses common pantry staples and basic ingredients. It delivers takeout flavor at much lower cost.
Tangy and Sweet: The sticky, slightly tangy, and sweet sesame sauce is simply irresistible. It’s perfect for coating each chicken bite or drizzling over rice.
Sesame Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: The juicy, tender interior beneath the crispy coating. Cut it into bite-sized pieces for even cooking. Sometimes, I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead for more flavor.
- Eggs: Create a protective layer that helps the flour mixture adhere to the chicken.
- Cornstarch: For an extra crispy coating and to thicken the sauce.
- All-Purpose Flour: Makes it light and crispy for that signature Chinese takeout texture.
- Seasonings: I add salt and pepper to taste and mix in some garlic powder for savory flavor. If you like heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes!
- Sauces: Low-sodium soy sauce adds extra goodness without being too salty. Hoisin sauce is sweet and savory.
- Honey & Brown Sugar: Natural sweeteners balance the savory elements.
- Rice Vinegar: Balances the sesame chicken sauce. It also provides a subtle tang that brightens the overall flavor.
- Sesame Oil: I add just a little for nuttiness.
- Garlic & Ginger: These fresh aromatics create the sauce’s flavorful base.
- Garnishes: Sesame seeds provide nuttiness and crunch. Green onions add a fresh flavor and pop of green color.
How to Make Sesame Chicken
Believe it or not, there are only five simple steps to this delicious Chinese-inspired recipe! I love how easy it is to whip up.
1. PREPARE CHICKEN. Whisk the eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic in a large bowl. Use another small bowl to combine flour with the cornstarch. Dip each chicken piece into the egg mixture, then the flour mixture. Press gently to coat.
2. FRY CHICKEN. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the chicken to the pan. Fry the chicken in 2 inches of hot oil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking in batches for 4 to 5 minutes each until crispy and golden brown. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
3. MAKE SAUCE. To make the sauce, whisk together the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger in a medium saucepan. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens.
4. COMBINE CHICKEN. Place the drained chicken in a large mixing bowl and add the sauce. Toss well until evenly coated.
5. GARNISH & SERVE. I love serving this chicken over cooked rice, noodles, or stir-fry veggies. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, or fresh ginger if desired. I always add a little kosher salt and black pepper to taste as well. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Sesame Chicken
This recipe is pretty easy to follow, but for extra delicious, crunchy chicken, here are some of my top tips for the cooking process.
- Keep things uniform. Dice the chicken breasts into uniformly sized pieces. (I aim for 1-inch pieces.) The closer in size they are, the more evenly they’ll cook and crisp. Also, remember to pat the pieces dry with paper towels before adding the coating.
- Amp up the flavor. There are a few different ways to do this. My favorite two include marinating and jazzing up the flour mixture. For marinated chicken, I use salt, white pepper, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. You can also add paprika or onion powder to the flour mixture.
- Give it a rest. Let the dredged chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before frying. This helps the batter stick better and creates a crispier exterior.
- Thin it out. If the sauce seems a little too thick, I add in a splash or two of chicken stock. This will help thin it out while also adding flavor.
- Get toasty. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. This will boost their nutty flavor before garnishing.
- Make it extra crispy. If you want the chicken extra crispy, don’t drain it on paper towels. While paper towel-lined plates work fine, they can make the pieces’ bottoms soggy. Instead, drain the chicken pieces on a wire rack, letting the grease drip onto a baking sheet below.
Serving Suggestions
Whenever I make sesame chicken, I turn it into an absolutely delicious, takeout-reminiscent feast by pairing it with these sides:
- Steamed rice
- Fried rice
- Noodles
- Veggies like sugar snap peas, bell peppers, and broccoli
- Cucumber salad
- Chinese soups
- Dumplings or wontons
- Spring or egg rolls
How to Store
You can easily store or freeze sesame chicken for later. The trick is to store it separately from any sides, like fried rice or noodles. Just follow my easy steps.
To Store: Place cooled cooked chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Let the chicken cool completely to room temperature before storing to prevent condensation.
To Freeze: Place the cooked and cooled chicken in a shallow container and freeze for up to 3 months. For the best results, freeze the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet first until solid.
To Reheat: For best results, reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Or use the oven at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat in a skillet over medium heat. (Add a splash of broth to prevent sticking.)
More Chinese Chicken Recipes You'll Love
Panda Express Sweet Fire Chicken
Recipe FAQs
Yes, just be sure to choose an oil with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, and canola oil are all good options. Avoid olive oil, as the smoke point isn't high enough for deep frying.
I typically use light soy sauce so it doesn't overpower the dish. But if you want a deeper flavor, feel free to use dark.
Sesame Chicken
4
servings20
minutes25
minutes536
kcalThis delicious sesame chicken is even better than takeout! The sweet, savory, sticky sauce and crispy chicken are just to die for.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
vegetable oil (for frying)
- For the Sauce
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- For Garnish
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In another bowl, mix the cornstarch and flour. Dip each chicken piece into the egg mixture, then dredge it in the flour mixture, pressing to coat.
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pan or skillet over medium-high heat. (350 degrees Fahrenheit) Fry the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Add the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss until evenly coated.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve hot over steamed rice or with stir-fried vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cut the chicken into uniformly sized pieces for even cooking. For more flavor, marinate it for 1 hour (to overnight).
- For a lighter coating, only gently dredge the chicken in the two mixtures. For extra crunchy chicken, dredge the chicken in each mixture twice.
- Let the dredged chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes before frying to help the coating adhere.
- Use a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature. Fry in batches to prevent lowering it.
Nutrition
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 536kcal
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 201mg
- Sodium: 1360mg
- Potassium: 825mg
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 27g
- Protein: 43g
- Vitamin A: 247IU
- Vitamin C: 3mg
- Calcium: 70mg
- Iron: 2mg
- Vitamin D: .67mg
- Vitamin E: 1mg
- Vitamin K: 18mg
- Vitamin B6: 1mg
- Vitamin B12: .56mg
- Folate: 64mg
- Magnesium: 77mg
- Zinc: 1mg
- Selenium: 69mg
- Copper: .22mg
- Manganese: .4mg
