Sesame Chicken

Learn how to make sweet and savory Sesame Chicken with the most flavorful sauce! Crispy fried boneless chicken is tossed in a silky sesame sauce, making it a perfect dish for lunch or dinner. Serve it with your favorite rice, soup, or salad for an easy Chinese takeout-style meal right at home!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Resting Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 602

Author Sangeetha Vel

Ingredients

For Marination

2 lb Boneless Chicken Breast or thighs
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Black Pepper
Salt to taste
2 Eggs beaten

For Flour Coating

1 cup All-Purpose Flour
½ cup Cornstarch
Salt to taste

For Sesame Sauce

6-7 cloves Garlic minced
2 tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
3 tbsp Ketchup
2 tbsp Honey

Other Ingredients

Oil for frying
Sesame Seeds for garnish
Spring Onions for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Marinating the Chicken

Start by adding the boneless chicken pieces and all the ingredients listed for marination into a bowl. I used chicken breast, but boneless thighs work great too if you prefer them.
Mix everything well until the chicken is fully coated. Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop.

Making the Sesame Sauce

While the chicken marinates, combine all the ingredients for the sesame sauce in a separate bowl. Use a whisk or spoon to mix everything evenly. Once done, set the sauce aside for later.

Flour Coating the Chicken

In a shallow tray, mix together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt to create the coating for the chicken.
Add the marinated chicken pieces to the flour mixture, pressing gently to coat each piece evenly. Make sure all sides are well-coated, then shake off any excess flour before frying.

Frying the Chicken

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the flour-coated chicken pieces. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can lower the oil temperature and affect the crispiness of the chicken. For best results, fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady.
Fry the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, or until it turns golden brown and crispy.
After frying, use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken and place it on a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack. This helps drain any excess oil, keeping the chicken from becoming greasy. Now your crispy chicken is ready to be tossed in the sesame sauce!

Making Sesame Chicken

In a wide pan over medium heat, pour in the prepared sesame sauce. Let it come to a boil for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Once the sauce has thickened, add the fried chicken to the pan and toss well to coat each piece evenly. This helps the flavors blend perfectly with the crispy chicken.
Garnish the chicken with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions, then remove from heat. Your crispy and flavorful sesame chicken is ready to enjoy!

Serving

Serve this sesame chicken with your favorite rice dishes, soups, or salads for a delicious and satisfying meal. For more pairing ideas, check out our Serving Suggestions below!

Notes

Here are some simple and essential tips to make perfect sesame chicken every time:

Bite-Sized Chicken: Cut your chicken into evenly sized pieces, whether using boneless breast or thighs. This helps the pieces cook evenly, avoiding undercooked or overcooked pieces during frying.
Temperature for Frying: Heat the oil to around 350°F (175°C) before frying. This temperature is key to getting golden, crispy chicken without it soaking up too much oil. Avoid overheating the oil, as it can burn the outside while leaving the inside undercooked.
Temperature Check Tip: To confirm the oil is hot enough, use a kitchen thermometer to check if it’s reached 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of bread into the oil—if it browns quickly in about 30-40 seconds, you’re good to go
Use Flour Mix Diligently: After preparing the flour mix, use a small amount at a time. If you don’t plan to reuse it immediately, any flour that has touched raw chicken will need to be discarded, so using smaller quantities helps avoid waste. If you have leftover flour mix that hasn’t come into contact with the chicken, you can store it in an airtight container and save it for future use—whether for another batch of sesame chicken or other recipes.
Internal Temperature: Even though the chicken will likely cook within the recommended time, double-check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F, as advised by the FDA. This makes sure your chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat.
Make the Sauce Ahead: You can prepare the sesame sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. This can be a time-saver when you’re making the recipe later.
Double Fry for Extra Crispiness: For extra crunch, you can double-fry the chicken, like in my Korean fried chicken recipe. First, fry until golden brown and let it rest on a paper towel. Then, fry it again for about a minute. This second fry boosts the crispiness, giving you that perfect crunch.
Thickening the Sauce: The sauce in this recipe is already quite thick, so I didn’t need to use cornstarch. But if you prefer a thicker sauce, dissolve a teaspoon of cornstarch in water and stir it into the sauce while simmering. This will give the sauce a glossy finish and a slightly thicker texture, perfect for coating the chicken.

Nutrition

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