The Best Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe - fried coated chicken glazed with a sweet and savoury sticky Asian sauce. This is our better than takeout recipe, which you can easily at home with simple ingredients.
Origin of this dish
You can find Chinese-style crispy chicken with sesame seeds in almost all Chinese restaurants and takeout in the US and UK. Originated in Chinese-American restaurants like the popular General Tso's Chicken and Orange chicken.
Also known as Sticky Honey Sesame Chicken because the crispy chicken is tossed in sweet, glossy, and sticky honey sauce. It's usually served over a stir fry noodle or steamed rice.
Every family and restaurant has its own version of it. Even American restaurant chain TGI Fridays has its version of TGI sesame chicken strips and Panda Express's one is very popular too.
With our easy recipe, you can create restaurant-quality at home with minimum effort. Super delicious and incredibly easy to make at home.
What makes this dish so special:
- A perfect crowd-pleasing dish for any party or gathering. Serve as a starter or pair it with other dishes and make it the main meal.
- The coating is super light and crispy, but the meat inside is moist and tender.
- Super addictive and satisfying dish all kids and adults love. Unstoppable to take another bite!
Ingredients you can swap or add extra:
As this is a versatile dish, you can adjust or swap the ingredients according to your preference.
Protein: We usually make it with boneless chicken breast but you can also make it with boneless chicken thigh, fish fillets, or tofu. If you wish you make it with beef, use tender beef steak like ribeye, rump, sirloin, flank steak, and cut into thin strips.
Vegetables: I love to make without many veggies. But for veggies lovers, you can add extra onions, bell peppers, snow peas, or any of your favourite stir fry vegetables.
Honey Sesame Sauce: To achieve the perfectly balanced sweet and sticky honey sauce, you will need honey, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and water. If you prefer less sweet in the sauce, omit sugar or substitute sugar with honey.
Sesame Seeds: Use toasted sesame seeds to bring more nutty flavour and crunch texture to the dish.
What goes with this dish?
These crispy chicken bites are fantastic as a savoury snack. You can also serve with steamed rice, simple egg fried rice, noodles, potato chips, or wedges. Especially great with a Chinese tea or a can of cold drink.
Simple Cooking Process
First of all, cut chicken breast into medium bite-size pieces. Marinate with sesame oil, light soy sauce, garlic paste, baking soda, sugar and black pepper for 10-15 minutes.
Gather all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside for later use.
Break one egg white into the marinated chicken and mix it well.
Coat the chicken pieces with corn/potato starch and toss the excess flour out before frying. Make sure to coat each chicken pieces and separate each pieces.
Fry with pre-heated oil about 350Ā° F. Add the chicken pieces and deep fry 2-3 mins until crispy golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside.
Pour the sauce mixture into the wok/pan and bring it to boil with medium-high heat.
Add the fried chicken pieces. Stir well with medium-high heat for few seconds.
Add the toasted sesame seeds and spring onions and stir well.
Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onions. Serve immediately!
More delicious takeout favourite crispy chicken recipes on our website:
- General Tsoās Chicken ( Crispy chicken in a spicy, sweet, and savoury sauce. )
- Crispy Orange Chicken ( Finger licking good tangy, sticky orange sauce! )
- Mongolian Chicken ( Our viewer's favourite! )
- Chinese Salt and Chilli Chicken ( Most popular recipe on our website! )
If you enjoy our recipe, please leave a comment and give us a rating! If youāve tried this recipe, tag me on social media, I would love to see your creations! Follow me on social media Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest updates.
š Recipe
Easy Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 0.70 lb BonelessĀ chickenĀ thigh/breast ( about 300 gram )
- 1 cup Potato /Corn Starch
- 2 tbsp ToastedĀ sesameĀ seeds
- 2-3 Spring Onions
- 1 Egg white
- Oil for frying
Ā Marinate forĀ Chicken
- 1 tsp SesameĀ Oil
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Garlic pasteĀ
- Ā¼ tsp Baking sodaĀ
- Ā½ tsp Sugar
- Ā¼ tsp Black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauceĀ
- 2 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Ā SesameĀ Oil
- 1 tbsp Brown/white sugar
- 1 tbsp VinegarĀ
- 3 tbsp Water
Instructions
- CutĀ chickenĀ into small medium bite size pieces. Add all the ingredients from theĀ chickenĀ marinate list, mix well and marinate for 15 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl add all the ingredients from the sauce mix and mix well. Set aside.
- Add one egg white into the marinatedĀ chickenĀ and mix well. Coat theĀ chickenĀ pieces with Corn/potato flour and toss the excess flour out before frying.
- Heat the oil into high heat about 350Ā° F.Ā Add the coatedĀ chickenĀ pieces and deep fry for 2-3 mins tillĀ chickenĀ turn into light golden brown.Ā Remove from oil and set aside.
- Heat the wok, add the sauce mixture and bring it to boil with medium high heat.
- Add the friedĀ chickenĀ pieces. Stir well with medium high heat for few seconds.
- Add the tostedĀ sesameĀ seeds and spring onions and stir well.
- Garnish with extraĀ sesameĀ seeds and cut spring onions.
- CrispyĀ SesameĀ ChickenĀ is ready! Serve immediately.
- Perfect with a bowl of steamed rice or a stir-fry noodle. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Which oil is best for deep frying?Ā Ā Use neutral flavour oil like sunflower, canola, grapeseed, peanut, or vegetable oil for deep frying.
- Baked Sesame Chicken? Can you air fry the chicken pieces? Deep frying tastes best but you can spray or brush cooking oil on the coated chicken pieces generously. Fry it in an air fryer or bake in the oven until crispy golden brown.Ā
- Making for a crowd?Ā You can simply double or triple ingredients.Ā
- Corn/Potato Starch - Use corn starch or potato starch instead of regular plain flour to achieve a crispy coating texture.Ā
Grace Renner says
i love this, can wait to make it. how can i heat it up again once gone cold? š
Khin says
Hi Grace, you can heat it in a microwave but it won't be as crispy as freshly cooked.
Lorraine Oliver says
Delicious as usual š
Khin says
Thank you Lorraine š
Tara says
This recipe was soo good!! I added a little jack Daniels to the sauce and it basically tasted like Tgi seasame strips. My family loved it so much
Khin says
This sounds so interesting Tara. Such a great idea. Thank you so much for sharing with us š
Marilyn H says
The absolute best!
Khin says
Happy to hear that you enjoyed it Marilyn š
Amber says
Made this and what an absolute hit with the family. So easy and delicious!
Khin says
So glad that you enjoyed it, Amber! Thanks for trying out and sharing feedback.
Gina Chalus says
Delicious sesame chicken and easy to make. Budget friendly!
Khin says
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Gina. Thanks for taking time and sharing feedback. ā„
Nicola J says
This worked out so good! Used my air fryer, so thank you for adding instructions on using that. So tasty!!
Amanda says
I have tried sooo many recipes for sesame chicken and this is the one! It is absolutely perfect.
Khin says
Thank you so much for your feedback Amanda. I am so happy that you enjoyed my recipe.
Rose says
If you put it in the air fryer what temp and how long do You cook it for ?
Khin says
Hi Rose, place the coated chicken pieces on the baking sheet, spray cooking oil, and air-fry with pre-heated 200'C ( 400'F ) for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy golden brown. Flip halfway through.
Anna says
Very tasty, whole family loved it, great recipe, thank you ! š
Khin says
You are most welcome Anna. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback.
Jamie Witt says
Tried taste great !
Khin says
Glad you like Jamie! Thank you so much for sharing feedback.
Jessica F says
My son said the house smells good. Heās quite picky but he like and kept sneaking a piece when I was cooking the chicken.
Villamor miranda says
I like the cooking for my family at look good
Louisa says
Perfect š
Caits says
Looks delicious, could you bake the chicken instead first?
Khin says
Yes, you can bake or air fry it. Spray or brush a bit of cooking oil before you bake in oven.