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This sesame chicken recipe is quick and easy to make, and the combination of tender, crisp-coated chicken bites and a sweet, savory, honey sesame sauce is completely irresistible! It’s all done in about 25 minutes and pairs beautifully with rice or noodles and your favorite cooked veggies.
A Note from Monica
Why you’ll love this sesame chicken!
The sweet, savory, sticky glaze on this sesame chicken is the kind of sauce that might make you marvel. How can something so delicious come together so easily—and from everyday ingredients, most of which you probably already had? The glaze is kismet for coating tender bites of chicken, and it adds up to another irresistible, lightened-up version of a takeout favorite that’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
Many sesame chicken recipes involve either a multi-ingredient batter, deep-frying the chicken, or both. We’re skipping all that, mainly in the name of convenience, and using a simple but generous dusting of cornstarch to replicate the crisp, golden exterior. Ginger and garlic perk up the sauce, which of course includes a heavy pour of toasted sesame oil for that signature smooth, nutty flavor.
Pair this with steamed rice or noodles and a generous helping of your favorite stir fry veggies, and dinner is not just done, but won, for another evening. Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the foundation. You’ll cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch cubed, so don’t start with thin-sliced, because they’ll be too slim. I usually estimate one whole chicken breast per adult I hope to feed. We all have protein goals, after all!
- Cornstarch is the quick, easy, not-so-secret shortcut to replicating a crisp battered exterior with no mess or deep-frying. It’s the exact same technique used in my bourbon chicken and reliable chicken and broccoli stir fry.
- Fresh ginger and garlic. Fresh adds pretty flecks to the sauce, but I’ve tested the recipe with garlic powder and ground ginger, as well, and it’s still delish.
- Sauce staples. You will need low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, apple cider or rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. If you don’t already keep toasted sesame oil on hand, I believe that you should! It’s a flavor booster as opposed to a cooking oil, and has a deep brown color, nutty aroma, and smooth taste that richly enhances many Asian-inspired sauces and meals.
Sesame Chicken Step-by-Step
Like most of my Asian-inspired dinners, this comes together in no time. Gather all the ingredients before you fire up the skillet!
Step 1: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, about 1″ cubed, and add to a large prep bowl. Dust generously with cornstarch and a pinch of kosher salt.
Step 2: Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
Step 3: Warm cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait for it to shimmer to show that it’s hot enough, then add chicken in batches. It does take a few extra minutes to work in multiple batches, but the payoff is considerable: chicken that crisps up on the edges while the inside is still tender and juicy! Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
Step 4: Once all the chicken is cooked and removed, give the sauce a final whisk and pour it directly into the now-empty skillet. It will bubble up quickly, and this is the perfect opportunity to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned bits—fond—left behind by the chicken. More flavor in your sauce, easier clean-up.
Step 5: Let the sauce simmer for a couple minutes to thicken—it will happen fast because it includes additional cornstarch—then add cooked chicken back to the pan, together with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Toss to coat.
Step 6: Garnish and serve! You could add green onions directly to the skillet, but I have children, so I do not. 🙂 More for my plate, I say!
Recipe Tips
Remove chicken pieces as they finish cooking through. If some pieces are on the small side and finish cooking more quickly, go ahead and pull those off the heat first, giving thicker pieces more time. This ensures every bite stays tender and juicy!
Use a splatter screen to reduce clean-up. Pan-frying chicken in even a bit of oil can generate a bit of mess, but a splatter screen reduces this a huge amount. They’re usually less than $15 and will make a huge difference in the amount of grease you’re wiping off the countertops and edge of the stove.
Serving Suggestions
Noodles or steamed rice—I recommend Jasmine or brown—make the perfect base for this sesame chicken. Add a generous side of steamed broccoli, broccolini, snow peas, garlic green beans, or a stir fry vegetable mix. Drizzles of the extra honey sesame sauce are all I find necessary to make lots of veggies extremely appealing!
More Asian-Inspired Dinners
- Ground Beef and Broccoli
- Easy Orange Chicken
- Kid-Friendly Ground Chicken Stir Fry
- Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables
- Sweet Chili Lime Salmon
Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, see note
- 4 Tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons honey, (40 grams, see note)
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, can swap rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- canola or another cooking oil
- rice, green onions, and sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 3 Tablespoons of the cornstarch and a pinch of kosher salt. Toss until evenly coated, then set aside.2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
- In a separate bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sauce ingredients: water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and the remaining 1 Tablespoon cornstarch. Set aside.1/2 cup water, 3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons honey, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about 2 Tablespoons of canola or other cooking oil. When it’s hot enough to shimmer, add half the chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning once or twice, until the pieces are golden and crisp on the outside and just cooked through in the middle. Remove to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the chicken, adding another small drizzle of oil only if needed.canola or another cooking oil
- After removing all of the chicken, give the sauce one more quick whisk and pour into the skillet. Scrape the bottom of the pan as it bubbles and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until noticeably thickens.
- Once the sauce has the consistency that you like, stir the chicken back in. Try to serve right away, but if you need to leave it for a few minutes, reduce the heat to its lowest setting or turn off and cover, so the sauce doesn’t get too sticky.
- Serve over rice or noodles and with sprinkles of green onions and sesame seeds, as desired. Enjoy!rice, green onions, and sesame seeds
Notes
- Chicken: I usually estimate one whole chicken breast per adult serving, and even my growing kids can usually split one. The sauce is pretty flexible and can stretch, so I’d only double the sauce if making 4 or 5+ really large chicken breasts.
- Honey: I’m starting to include gram measurements for honey and other “sticky” ingredients, because if you have a kitchen scale, it’s kind of nice to just add these by weight rather than deal with scraping multiple spoons. Let me know if you find this useful!
- Storage/Reheating: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Warm in the microwave on 50% power or over low heat on the stovetop. The chicken might lose a bit of its crispiness but will still be super tasty.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
