Sesame chicken is the ultimate combination of crispy chicken in a sweet and tangy sesame sauce! Serve with rice for an easy home made takeout style dinner!
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!
More Takeout Recipes!
What is in Sesame Chicken?
- 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 - regular soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce. Do not use dark sweet soy sauce or dark soy sauce.
- Garlic - we recommend fresh garlic for the best flavor but you can use garlic powder.
- Ginger - we recommend fresh ginger for the best flavor but you can use dried ginger.
- Cornstarch - used to coat the chicken. This is a great alternative to flour as it gets extra crispy and also helps thicken the sauce.
- Sesame Chicken Sauce
- Chicken Broth - store bought chicken broth or bouillon powder can be used.
- Honey - gives the sauce a glossy finish and makes it sweet and sticky!
- Sesame Oil - this is the key ingredient to the sauce. You can find this in most grocery stores and all Asian grocery stores.
- Ginger - fresh is recommended, but you can use dried.
- Garlic - fresh is recommended but you can use garlic powder.
- Soy Sauce - regular soy sauce or low sodium can be used. Do not use dark sweet soy sauce or dark soy sauce.
- Rice Vinegar - gives the sauce its signature tang. Can swap for regular white vinegar or white wine vinegar.
How to Make Sesame Chicken
Full printable recipe below
- 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.
- PAN FRIED COOKING METHOD
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.
AIR FRIED COOKING METHOD
Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Working in batches, shake of excess cornstarch from pieces of chicken and add in a single layer to the air fryer. Spray with cooking spray. Cook for 3 minutes then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.
- 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!
Tips for the Best Stir Fry
- Chicken - we recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. They are the most tender and moist option to use. For a healthier recipe you can use boneless skinless chicken breast instead.
- Vegetarian Version - sesame chicken is a classic dish but if you prefer to make this recipe vegetarian you can swap the chicken for cauliflower florets, cubed tofu, or mushrooms.
- Stir Fry - when making any stir fry things move quick! You want to have all of the ingredients prepped before you start cooking. That way once the chicken is cooked you can quickly simmer the sauce together and add in the chicken right away.
FAQ
How to reheat?
Microwave the stir fry in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until warm or reheat in a non-stick pan on medium heat until warmed through.
How to store?
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, you can meal prep this and keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze this recipe?
Place the cooked and cooled stir fry in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze individual servings of the stir fry with a serving of rice or noodles in a freezer safe container. Then simply reheat in the microwave for 3-4 minutes or until warmed through.
Is this recipe gluten free?
This recipe is gluten free but be sure to check your soy sauce to make sure it is certified gluten free.
How to make this dairy free?
This recipe is dairy free.
Can I make this vegetarian?
To make this recipe vegetarian you can use cauliflower florets, or cubed tofu instead of chicken. For the sauce use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Looking for More Easy Dinner Ideas?
Try some of my favorite easy dinners:
- Chicken Milanese
- Turkey Meatball Orzo Soup
- Street Corn Chicken Tacos
- Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
- Louisiana Chicken Pasta
Enjoy!
- Sab
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.
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Servings:
Calories: 444kcal
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (increase to 2 tablespoon for a stronger sesame flavor or as desired)
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic (finely minced or grated)
- 2 teaspoon ginger (finely minced or grated, or 1 teaspoon dried ginger)
Chicken
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite sized pieces)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon ginger (finely minced or grated, or 1 teaspoon 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.
- PAN FRIED COOKING METHODIn 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.AIR FRIED COOKING METHODPreheat air fryer to 400°F. Working in batches, shake of excess cornstarch from pieces of chicken and add in a single layer to the air fryer. Spray with cooking spray. Cook for 3 minutes then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.
- 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 cooked 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
Notes
Nutrition information is estimated based on air fried cooking method.
Nutrition
Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1271mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclosure
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