🔥 Sesame Chicken Recipes – Easy to Make at Home

Sesame chicken is a top pick for a favorite Chinese takeout dish for many people. This crispy meal is loved by millions across the U.S. It’s a key item on menus everywhere. The best part? You can make this restaurant-style sesame chicken at home easily.

We’re going to show you a recipe. It’s simple and tasty. This recipe brings out the authentic flavors of sesame chicken. With it, you can have a healthy sesame chicken or save some money. Your homemade sesame chicken will impress anyone who tries it.

Key Takeaways

• Discover how to make crispy, restaurant-style sesame chicken at home
• Learn to create a healthier alternative to takeout sesame chicken
• Enjoy cost savings by making homemade sesame chicken
• Customize the recipe to your taste preferences with fresh, high-quality ingredients
• Impress your friends and family with your baking skills and authentic sesame chicken recipe

Introduction to Sesame Chicken

Sesame chicken is a much-loved Chinese-American dish. It has crispy fried chicken covered in a sweet and savory sauce. This sauce is made with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. People enjoy it for its mix of flavors and its crunchy texture.

What is Sesame Chicken?

This dish includes small pieces of chicken in a light batter. They are fried until they’re crispy and golden. Then, they are mixed in a sauce with soy sauce, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Finally, toasted sesame seeds are sprinkled on top, adding a nutty flavor.

Origins and Popularity

Sesame chicken started in Chinese-American eateries. Soon, it became a must-have item and a favorite dish. Its fame then went beyond the Chinese-American community. Now, people everywhere love it for its tasty mix of crispy chicken and the special sauce.

Why Make Sesame Chicken at Home?

Making sesame chicken at home is a great way to eat healthier. You control what goes into it, so it’s not as fatty or salty as takeout. When you make it yourself, you use less oil, cutting back on fat and calories.

Healthier Alternative to Takeout

When you cook sesame chicken at home, you make it more nutritious. You can lower the oil and salt levels. This means you enjoy tasty sesame chicken without worrying about health issues.

Cost Savings

Making sesame chicken at home saves money. The ingredients are cheap, and you can cook many meals at once. So, it’s a wallet-friendly choice.

Control Over Ingredients

Cooking sesame chicken at home lets you pick fresh, quality ingredients. You get to make it just how you like it. This way, your sesame chicken is made exactly to your taste.

Ingredients for Sesame Chicken

Sesame chicken’s star component is, naturally, chicken. You usually use boneless, skinless breasts or thighs. It’s best to have them in small pieces for quick cooking.

Chicken

The chicken takes a dip in a special mix. It has soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. This mix softens the meat and gives it that Asian kick.

Marinade Ingredients

To make it crispy, coat the chicken. Use a batter of flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. This step creates a delicate, fried texture.

Coating Ingredients

The sesame chicken gets its sauce next. Mix soy sauce, ketchup, chicken stock, and more. You end up with a sauce that’s sweet, salty, and a bit tangy.

3 Sesame Chicken Recipes: Easy, Simple & Fast

Sesame chicken is a beloved dish known for its sweet and savory flavors, crispy texture, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for that perfect crunch. Here are three easy, simple, and fast sesame chicken recipes that will satisfy your cravings.

1. Classic Sesame Chicken

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

Step 1: Marinate the chicken in 2 tbsp soy sauce and rice vinegar for 15 minutes.

Step 2: In a bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, egg, and 1/4 cup water to make a batter. Coat the marinated chicken pieces in the batter.

Step 3: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Step 4: In a saucepan, combine sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 1 tbsp cornstarch, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Step 5: Toss the fried chicken pieces in the sauce until evenly coated.

Step 6: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.

Tip: Serve with steamed rice and broccoli for a complete meal.

2. Honey Sesame Chicken

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

Step 1: Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, dip in beaten eggs, and coat with cornstarch.

Step 2: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces until crispy and cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Step 3: In a saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

Step 4: Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens.

Step 5: Toss the fried chicken in the sauce until well coated.

Step 6: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.

Tip: Add a pinch of chili flakes to the sauce for a spicy kick.

3. Baked Sesame Chicken

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Toss with olive oil.

Step 2: Arrange chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly crispy.

Step 3: In a small saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Step 4: Remove chicken from the oven and toss in the sauce until well coated.

Step 5: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.

Tip: For an extra crispy texture, broil the chicken for the last 2-3 minutes of baking.

Preparing the Chicken

Cutting the chicken into small, even pieces is crucial. This step ensures the chicken cooks evenly and gets a good, crispy outside. It makes the dish taste better.

Cutting the Chicken

The recipe wants you to cut 1 lb chicken into 1-inch pieces. Doing this makes sure the chicken cooks through evenly. It also gives the whole dish a similar texture.

Marinating the Chicken

Next, mix the chicken with tasty ingredients. This includes light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.

This marinating process adds classic Asian flavors to your chicken. It also makes the meat more tender.

Coating and Frying the Chicken

To make sesame chicken crispy, first, the chicken gets marinated. Then, it’s coated in a mix of seasoned flour and cornstarch. This mix adds a nice crunch when fried.

Next, the chicken is put into hot oil. It’s fried until it turns golden-brown. By frying it in batches, the cooking stays even and the texture is just right.

The chicken needs about 3 minutes on one side. Then, flip it and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F for perfectly crispy chicken.

To keep the skillet from being too wet, dry the chicken well first. Pan-frying offers a healthier option over deep-frying, yet both can make the chicken crispy.

Make sure the chicken pieces don’t touch in the skillet. This ensures they brown and crisp evenly. By paying attention to these small details, you’ll cook sesame chicken that’s just like what you get in a restaurant.

Making the Sesame Chicken Sauce

The sauce for sesame chicken mixes many flavors together. It has soy sauce, ketchup, chicken stock, and more. By whisking them, you get a sweet yet savory sauce. This sauce coats the crispy chicken legs just right.

Mixing the Sauce Ingredients

You can easily make the sauce by whisking some key ingredients. Mix ¼ cup each of soy sauce and ketchup. Add 2 tablespoons of honey and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Finally, throw in 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. This mix creates a delicious sauce that pairs well with the chicken.

Thickening the Sauce

The sauce needs to be thick, yet glossy, to stick to the chicken. This is when a cornstarch slurry comes in. Two teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with a little water is the key. Whisk this mixture into the sauce and cook it until it’s thick enough. Now, your sauce is ready to pour over the chicken.

Assembling the Sesame Chicken Dish

First, we fry the chicken until it’s crispy. Then, we add it to the sauce. We make sure every piece gets coated well.

The sauce is sweet and savory. It gives the chicken its special taste.

Garnishing with Sesame Seeds

Then, we sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds. They add a nutty flavor and make the dish look good as well.

Sesame chicken recipe Variations

Baked Sesame Chicken

Looking for a healthier choice than the usual fried sesame chicken? Try baking it. It comes out just as crunchy, but with less oil. First, heat your oven to 425°F. Then, bake the chicken in a skillet for 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll get a tasty, crispy sesame chicken with much lower fat.

Gluten-Free Sesame Chicken

Want to serve sesame chicken that’s gluten-free? It’s easy. Just swap the regular flour with a gluten-free blend. Also, make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari in your dressing and marinade. This way, everyone can savor the dish, no matter their diet.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

Serving with Rice

Sesame chicken is usually served over steamed white or brown rice. This combo is perfect because the rice soaks up the sauce. It also complements the chicken’s rich and sweet flavors well. The simple taste of the rice lets the chicken’s bold taste stand out.

Pairing with Vegetables

To make a balanced meal, serve sesame chicken with veggies like broccoli, snap peas, or carrots. The sauce’s sweet and savory goodness goes great with the crisp and fresh vegetables. It’s not only tasty but also a healthy choice.

Tips for Perfect Sesame Chicken

Getting sesame chicken just right means focusing on a few important steps. Below, we’ll cover key tips to make this dish your own.

Monitoring Oil Temperature

It’s key to keep the oil at 350°F when you fry. Make sure the oil stays hot enough. If it gets too cool, your chicken may end up soggy and oily.

Double Frying for Extra Crispiness

Two rounds of frying make the chicken super crispy. The first fry makes sure it’s cooked. The second one builds that beautiful, golden crunch we love.

Using Fresh Ingredients

Fresh, top-quality ingredients are a must. Go for boneless, skinless chicken and the best garlic and ginger. This step ensures a great taste and texture.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Leftover sesame chicken stays good in the fridge for up to 4 days when sealed tight. Then, when the time comes to enjoy them again, you have a few ways to reheat:

To crisp it back up, try using an air fryer or a 350°F oven. Let it reheat for 5-10 minutes. This should make the chicken hot and the coating crunchy like it was freshly made.

For those in a hurry, the microwave is an easy choice. Just know, it might not get as crisp. Put the chicken in a dish that’s okay for microwaves. Warm it up in 30-second turns until it’s ready.

Whichever way you choose to reheat, your sesame chicken can still be amazing. It will keep tasting good and be a quick, tasty meal. Thanks to the right storing and reheating, you get to enjoy it for days after you first made it.

Conclusion

We showed you how to make top-notch sesame chicken at home. This easy recipe lets you cook crunchy, tasty chicken with a great sauce. You save money and choose the best ingredients.

Miss Chinese takeout or want something healthier? This homemade dish fits the bill. You need 13 ingredients, a short marinade, and less than 6 minutes to cook each batch. It’s quick and delicious.

Don’t settle for boring takeout when you can make this in your own kitchen. Follow our recipe and tips to cook like a pro. You’ll wow your loved ones. Enjoy your meal!