Description
This quick and easy Sesame Chicken recipe features crispy, golden chicken pieces coated in a sticky, sweet, and tangy sauce with toasted sesame flavors. Ready in under 30 minutes, it delivers restaurant-quality taste with a crunchy texture and bold, savory-sweet notes — perfect for busy weeknights and loved by the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken & Coating
- 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil)
Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar / white wine vinegar)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Garnishes
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Set up a dredging station with beaten eggs in one bowl and a mix of cornstarch and flour in another to coat each piece thoroughly.
- Fry to Crispy Perfection: Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a separate pan, whisk together soy sauce, honey (or brown sugar), rice vinegar, minced garlic and ginger, and toasted sesame oil. Heat until slightly thickened and bubbling gently. To thicken more, add a cornstarch slurry as needed.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Add the crispy chicken pieces to the pan with the sauce, tossing quickly to coat every piece with the shiny, sticky, flavorful glaze.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top for added flavor and color. Serve immediately with your preferred sides.
Notes
- Pat chicken pieces dry before coating to help the batter stick better and stay crispy.
- Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature and avoid soggy chicken.
- Use fresh garlic and ginger for brighter, more vibrant flavors.
- Adjust honey or sugar in the sauce to suit your preferred sweetness level.
- Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan briefly to unlock their nuttier flavor before garnishing.
- To make gluten-free, substitute flour with rice flour or gluten-free flour blend.
- For a spicy version, add crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the sauce.
- Lighten the recipe by baking the coated chicken at 425°F on a greased rack instead of frying.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a skillet over medium heat to maintain crispiness instead of using a microwave.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg