This easy Sesame Chicken Recipe combines pieces of battered, crispy fried chicken with an eight-ingredient sesame sauce, which has sweet and salty flavors and just a hint of spice. It is so simple to prepare and tastes so much better than takeout.
Enjoy it garnished with thinly sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds. Serve this tasty protein-filled dish over quinoa or brown rice.
Sesame chicken is tender pieces of chicken dipped in eggs and cornstarch and fried crispy, then tossed in a sweet and salty sauce. Indulge in this mouthwatering homemade sesame chicken, which is easy to make and flavorful. Your taste buds will thank you.
Do you like Chinese? We love it. Most Asian dishes are easy to prepare once you learn just a few tricks to the trade. This Easy Sesame Chicken Recipe is one of my favorites and has incredible flavor. If you like this recipe, try my shrimp fried rice, chicken chow mein, and sweet and sour pork.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Vegetable oil: or any oil that is good for frying with a neutral taste and a high smoking point, like canola oil or peanut oil
- Rice vinegar: apple cider vinegar and white wine vinegar are fairly good substitutes
- Sesame seeds: store them in the fridge for up to a year
- Sesame oil: also a key ingredient, will last in a cool, dark place for 8 months or in the fridge for up to 2 years
- Chili sauce: I use sambal oelek, which is ground fresh chili paste. You can find it in the Asian food section of most grocery stores. Store in a fridge for up to 2 months and use it in bang bang shrimp and chicken lettuce wraps.
Preparation Tips
- This Sesame Chicken Recipe has a hint of spice, but the honey makes it very mellow. If in doubt, add the chili sauce very slowly and taste. Your taste buds will tell you when to stop.
- Take a few minutes and toast the sesame seeds. It is well worth the effort.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. They are just as delicious.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sambal oelek is a fresh ground chili paste found in the Asian food section of your local grocery store. It is pretty spicy, but when paired with other ingredients like soy sauce, honey, and brown sugar, it tames it, and the overall taste is very flavorful and satisfying. Store in the refrigerator for up to two months or freeze in small containers for up to six months.
To freeze, cool it completely, store it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power. Again, the chicken will not stay crispy, but it will still have fantastic flavor.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this sesame chicken with brown or white rice or Chinese noodles like ramen. Sometimes, I include an appetizer like crab rangoon or Japanese dumplings or something lighter like Asian cucumber salad or Asian chopped salad.
Sesame Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite size pieces
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce sambal oelek
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 green onions sliced thin
Instructions
- Beat the eggs, cornstarch, salt, and pepper together. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a heavy pot or Dutch Oven. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees, fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and crispy. Move to paper to towels to drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, add the sesame seeds and cook until lightly toasted, shaking the skillet several times. Remove the sesame seeds into a small bowl.
- In the same skillet, heat a little olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili sauce, honey, ketchup, and brown sugar. Mix the cornstarch with the water and whisk into the sauce mixture and cook until thickened.
- Add the cooked chicken to the skillet. Stir to combine with the sauce and garnish with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve promptly over rice or Chinese noodles.
Video
Notes
- Sambal oelek is a fresh ground chili paste found in the Asian food section of your local grocery store. It is pretty spicy, but when paired with other ingredients like soy sauce, honey, and brown sugar, it tames it, and the overall taste is very flavorful and satisfying. Store in the refrigerator for up to two months or freeze in small containers for up to six months.
- To freeze, cool it completely, store it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power. Again, the chicken will not stay crispy, but it will still have fantastic flavor.
- I like to serve this sesame chicken with brown or white rice or Chinese noodles like ramen. Sometimes, I include an appetizer like crab rangoon or Japanese dumplings or something lighter like Asian cucumber salad or Asian chopped salad.
Nutrition
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Kimberley
This recipe got me so excited. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to add this to my meal plan of next week and give it a try.
nish
I love sesame on anything, Just a little bit can change the taste so much. I will be sure to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Nish! Enjoy!
Prajakta
My kids love sesame chicken and we order it almost every time we eat outside. This time I made it at home following your recipe and it turned out just perfect. My kids loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! It is always great to hear that the kids loved it!
MELANIE E
This is a dish my mum really loves but I’ve not yet had a chance to try it. It does sound delicious. I need to get the ingredients in. I know I have at least half of the items needed which helps. I can’t wait to try this!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Melanie! Enjoy!
Rosey
This Sesame Chicken is always a hit on the dinner table. My family always enjoys this!
Amber
I try to stick with chicken over read meat due to healthy options. I always love trying a new chicken recipe and surprising the kids.
Marysa
This sounds like it could be a household favorite. Such a great dish to know how to make! I’ll have to try your recipe.
Nyxie
This looks amazing and the sauce really makes it for me! I would love something like this right now but we’re on the last legs of our shop and won’t be able to get to do groceries for a while!
Luna S
This is one of my favorite meals to make! I love it when we do an at-home Chinese night. We make this, and some stir-fried beef, potstickers, cream puffs, and sometimes egg rolls along with rice/noodles.
Beth Pierce
Sounds like a great meal. I would love that!
Christian Foremost
This is something I definitely got to try. I always thought recipes like these were so hard, but they’re easier than I thought. Thanks for the guide!
abzstylz
One of my favorite Chinese dish, and such an easy recipe to follow. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome!
Monidipa
Made this tonight. It was delicious and easy! Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie
Yum! This sesame chicken recipe is amazing. The perfect combination of tastes and textures.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie!
Whitney Stewart
If I didn’t have a recipe for sesame chicken, I certainly do now! It was delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
SONIA SEIVWRIGHT
I love how golden and crispy this chicken and the sauce was drool-worthy!
Julie
This Easy Sesame Chicken Recipe is amazing! It’s such a clever combination of flavors that evoke the deliciousness of take-out without all the fuss. The perfect balance between sweet, salty, and just a hint of spice make this recipe really stand out. It’s clear from the instructions that you put a lot of thought and care into creating this dish – it looks like an instant classic!
Beth Pierce
Thank you so much, Julie. I am so glad that you like the sesame chicken. I do my best to provide good instructions without going too far. It is a work in progress! Thanks again!