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Chinese crispy honey sesame chicken over white rice and broccoli in a bowl.
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5 from 6 votes

Sesame Chicken

Honey Sesame Chicken recipe at home! Better than Chinese takeout, these crispy chicken bites are coated in a sticky sweet and tangy sauce and topped with sesame seeds.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 412kcal
Author: Rachel

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 lb Chicken breast or boneless thighs
  • 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 2 tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 3 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • 6-8 tablespoon Vegetable Oil for pan frying
  • ¾ cup Cornstarch
  • ½ cup All Purpose Flour

Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Grated Ginger
  • ¼ cup Mirin or Rice Wine Not rice wine vinegar, you can substitute a sweet white wine in a pinch.
  • ¼ cup Hoisin Sauce
  • 2 teaspoon Ketchup or 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoon Honey
  • cup Soy Sauce
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoon sweet chili sauce if you like a little spiy kick

Serving Ideas

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 3 cups Cooked White or Brown Rice
  • 3 cups Steamed Vegetables Broccoli, Sliced Carrots, Snow Peas are some of our favorites.

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

  • Pat the chicken dry and cut into 1-inch pieces.
  • In a medium bowl, combine sesame oil, sugar, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, and pepper. Coat the chicken and put in the refrigerator while preparing the next steps. Cold chicken makes crispier fried chicken.

Pan Fry the Chicken

  • In a dish or large bag, mix the cornstarch and flour together. Dredge the chicken pieces in the cornstarch, shaking off any excess and place in oil.
  • Add just enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet. Heat oil to 375 degrees (medium-medium high heat) in a skillet. This is not a deep fry, so the oil does not have to cover the chicken pieces.
  • Working in 2-3 batches, cook 3-5 minutes while stirring occasionally to brown evenly. The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Make Sauce

  • Pour the excess oil out of the pan, reserving about 1 Tbsp. Adjust to medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the rice wine, hoisin, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey; bring to a simmer.
  • In a measuring cup, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoon sauce from pan and whisk until smooth. Add back into the skillet and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Serve

  • Add in the chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds. Serve with rice and steamed vegetables of your choice.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal