This sesame chicken is crispy chicken pieces tossed in a sweet and savory honey sesame sauce. This version is even better than what you would get at a restaurant!
We have Asian food at least once a week, some of our favorites include lemon chicken, sweet and sour chicken, and lettuce wraps. Sesame chicken is another one I make regularly, that delicious sauce just can’t be beat!
This is one of those copycat recipes for honey sesame chicken – you know, the battered crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce that’s found at places like P.F. Changs and Panda Express? I have to say, I think this homemade version is even better than what I’ve had in restaurants. My kids most definitely agree.
How do you make sesame chicken?
This recipe starts with pieces of chicken breast that are coated in eggs, flour and cornstarch. The chicken is fried to golden brown crispy perfection, then tossed in a delectable sesame sauce.
What is sesame chicken made out of?
While I typically use chicken breasts for this recipe, I’ve also made it with chicken thighs which also works well. The sauce is a combination of honey, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil and takes just minutes to put together. Sometimes I even make the sauce a day or two in advance, then store it in the fridge until we’re ready to eat.
This chicken is fried in a few inches of oil which makes for a crispy outer crust. It’s best to use a thermometer to makes sure that your frying oil is around 350 degrees F. If the oil is too hot, the outside may get overly browned before the chicken is cooked through. If the temperature is to cool, the chicken will absorb more oil and be overly greasy.
If you’re looking for a healthier version of sesame chicken, you can skip the coating and frying and simply saute chicken breast pieces in a bit of oil, then proceed with the sauce as directed.
After your chicken is done, the last step is to toss it in the sauce. You’ll want to serve your sesame chicken immediately as the crispy coating will start to soften when it hits the sauce.
I typically serve my sesame chicken over steamed rice. Other great options are quinoa, chow mein noodles, or zucchini noodles.
Can I just tell you how good this sesame chicken is? My kids request it all the time. No need to call for take out when you can make your own at home!
More Asian food recipes
Sesame Chicken Video
Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 eggs beaten
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- oil for frying
For the sauce
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium if possible)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
Instructions
- Place the eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine
- Place the flour and 1/2 cup of cornstarch in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Stir to combine.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the flour. Repeat the process with all of the chicken.
- Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pan to 350 degrees F
- Add 7-8 pieces of chicken to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken
- Drain the chicken on paper towels
- While the chicken is cooking, combine the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in a bowl.
- Heat the teaspoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the honey sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until just thickened.
- Add the crispy chicken to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, then serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on April 14, 2015 and was updated on September 26, 2018 with new content.
Bob Lohman says
LOVED IT. PERHAPS A LITTLE LESS VINEGAR MORE GARLIC , HONEY. BROWN SUGAR NEXT TIME. TJS Y’ALL
Ryan says
Pat down the chicken with a paper towel prior to adding the egg and flour. Removing the extra juice will make these ingredients stick to the chicken better.
Lindsey says
I love this recipe so much! I found it a couple months ago & since then I’ve made it a few times already. Only thing i tweeked is the amount of ketchup & honey it takes. The ketchup taste was to strong for me so I only put about 1/4 cup of ketchup & I use 1/2 cup of honey & it turns out so good. I also double it so I have a bunch of sauce.
Emily says
Doubled the sauce, added red pepper flakes and ginger… and then tossed with frozen popcorn chicken that I baked in the oven! Cheater!!! It was very good and I’m not sad about the leftovers, but the sauce was a tiny bit vinegar-y for my taste. I’ll cut back a bit next time. Thank you!
angela mancino says
I made this tonight and it was so delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe. This will be one of my go to dishes from now on.
Steph says
I literally just made this… my empty plate is still sitting on the table in front of me. Soooo good! And I agree with others – I pretty much followed the recipe exactly and it came out amazing. Much easier than I would have ever thought. Now I can start satisfying my Asian food cravings at home!
Deniece Gomez says
This recipe was super yummy, and I didn’t change a thing about it! (I’m so proud of my self, because I never follow recipes exactly. I always think I have better ideas) It’s perfect as is! My whole family, including my toddler ate it all up. This is definitely going to be a recipe that goes in our family dinner rotation.
Tiphany Reid says
I tried this. It was delicious I didn’t use the sesame oil.I substitute apple cider vinegar for rice vinegar. 😋😋
Meagan says
really tasty recipe! ended up using fried tofu instead to make the recipe vegan, i’d say the only changes i’d make are less vinegar and some more honey and brown sugar, otherwise amazing job!