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Sesame Chicken – Easy 30 Minute Dinner!

Sesame chicken is the ultimate combination of crispy chicken in a sweet and tangy sesame sauce! Serve with fried rice for an easy home made takeout style dinner!

sesame chicken and fried rice on a blue plate

Sesame Chicken Recipe

Sesame chicken is one of my favorite take out dishes. My homemade version is perfect for a weeknight dinner and it so easy to make. You can have this sesame chicken on the table in 30 minutes!

The chicken is tender and moist but crispy on the outside from the cornstarch coating. The sauce is sweet and tangy featuring lots of garlic and sesame!

This dish is a must try. Skip take out and try making this easy restaurant quality dish at home, you won’t be disappointed!

What is in Sesame Chicken?

  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs are the perfect tender and moist cut of meat for this dish, however, you can use boneless skinless chicken breast as well. The chicken is cubed into bite sized pieces, then marinated with soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Once marinated, the chicken is then coated in cornstarch which gives it an extra light and crispy coating. However, flour can be substituted.

  • A quick sweet and tangy sesame sauce is made with simple ingredients – chicken broth, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar (can be substituted for white vinegar).

  • With just a few simple ingredients you can create a delicious restaurant quality dish.

How to Make Sesame Chicken

Full printable recipe below

1 Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir until evenly combined and set aside.

2 Marinate the chicken with the garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Marinate 5 – 15 minutes.

3 In a deep bowl add the cornstarch. Add the chicken and toss until evenly coated.

4 In a large frying pan or deep pot, heat enough oil to shallow fry the chicken. You only need enough oil to come about 2”-3” inches up the sides of the pan so the chicken is submerged. Place a paper towel on a plate to drain the chicken once fried.

5 Shake off the excess cornstarch from the chicken pieces and fry in batches until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.

6 In another large frying pan (or use the same pan but remove oil and clean pan) bring the sauce to a simmer. Once simmering add in the fried chicken.

7 Toss the chicken in the sauce until evenly coated. The sauce will thicken as the chicken is tossed in the sauce.

Serve with the optional garnishes and enjoy!

Spicy Variation

If you like spicy food try my Spicy Crispy Chicken recipe!

Crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and spicy garlic chili sauce!

Check out the full recipe here

spicy crispy chicken in bowls with rice on a wood board

Looking for More Easy Dinner Ideas?

Try some of my favorite easy dinners:

  • Chicken Milanese – crispy chicken cutlets served with an lemony arugula salad topped with parmesan shavings! The perfect easy weeknight dinner
  • Turkey Meatball Orzo Soup – what’s better than a hearty bowl of soup? The family will love this simple delicious recipe
  • Street Corn Chicken Tacos – these unique tacos are loaded with a street corn salsa, flavor packed chicken, avocado and a chipotle crema!

Enjoy!

– Sab

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission.

sesame chicken and fried rice on a blue plate

Sesame Chicken

Sesame chicken is one of my favorite take out dishes. My homemade version is perfect for a weeknight dinner and it so easy to make. You can have this sesame chicken dinner on the table in 30minutes. The chicken is tender and moist but crispy on the outside from the cornstarch coating. The sauce is sweet and tangy featuring lots of garlic and sesame! This dish is a must try. Skip take out and try making this easy restaurant quality dish at home, you won’t be disappointed.
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4
Calories 444 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Sauce

  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil, increase to 2 tbsp for a stronger sesame flavor or as desired
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar, or white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
  • 2 tsp ginger, finely minced or grated, or 1 tsp dried ginger

Chicken

  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp ginger, finely minced or grated, or 1 tsp dried ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
  • 1 cup cornstarch, or flour
  • 1 – 2 cups oil, of choice for frying (ex. canola oil, vegetable, or other light oil of choice)

Garnish (Optional)

  • green onion, finely diced
  • sesame seeds

Accompaniments

  • rice, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir until evenly combined and set aside.
  • Marinate the chicken with the garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Marinate 5 – 15 minutes.
  • In a deep bowl add the cornstarch. Add the chicken and toss until evenly coated.
  • In a large frying pan or deep pot, heat enough oil to shallow fry the chicken. You only need enough oil to come about 2”-3” inches up the sides of the pan so the chicken is submerged. Place a paper towel on a plate to drain the chicken once fried.
  • Shake off the excess cornstarch from the chicken pieces and fry in batches until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
  • In another large frying pan (or use the same pan but remove oil and clean pan) bring the sauce to a simmer. Once simmering add in the fried chicken.
  • Toss the chicken in the sauce until evenly coated. The sauce will thicken as the chicken is tossed in the sauce.
  • Serve with the optional garnishes and enjoy!

Video

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NUTRITION

Calories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 35gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 1270mgPotassium: 523mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 42IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
This nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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