This Easy Sesame Chicken inspired-recipe lets you make one of your takeout favorites right at home and in under 30 minutes! No frying in this recipe so it's healthier than the traditional version and it's all made in one pan. The sweet and sticky sesame sauce uses pantry staple ingredients and pairs perfectly with the battered chicken.
Looking for other takeout-inspired recipes? I also love this Healthy Orange Chicken and 15 Minute Korean Ground Beef!
Sesame Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs - you can substitute chicken breasts
- Batter - Eggs and Cornstarch
- Canola Oil - for sautéing the chicken. You can substitute another cooking oil.
- Sesame Sauce: Soy Sauce, Water, Sesame Oil, Brown Sugar, Rice Vinegar, Fresh Ginger, Sesame Seeds, Cornstarch
- Sliced Green Onions - for garnish
How to make the recipe?
Traditional sesame chicken involves battering and frying the chicken. For this recipe, we’re keeping things simpler (and healthier) by sautéing in oil instead.
After battering and sautéing the chicken, the sweet sesame sauce is added and brought to a simmer. The combination of the cornstarch in the sauce and the simmer lets the sauce thicken and get nice and sticky.
What is Sesame Chicken sauce made of?
Sesame sauce typically has both sesame oil and sesame seeds (hence the name). It is a sweeter sauce thanks to brown sugar. There is also soy sauce, fresh ginger, and rice vinegar.
To offset the sweetness, you can add some red pepper flakes to add a little bit of heat.
How do you make Sesame Chicken from scratch?
Making it from scratch isn’t as difficult as it sounds. After chopping up the chicken it is tossed in a batter (we use eggs and cornstarch) then it is sautéed in oil before the sauce is added to thicken and coat the chicken pieces.
What's the difference between Sesame Chicken and General Tso's Chicken?
Sesame Chicken is sweeter while General Tso's usually has a little more heat.
Serving Ideas:
I love serving it with Fried Rice, these Sesame Noodles (they can be made with regular linguini or spaghetti noodles), or this Garlic Sesame Ramen.
Storage and Reheating:
Storage: Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.
Reheating: Leftover chicken can be reheated in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. Note that the chicken will not be as crisp as the sauce soaks into the batter.
Recipe Tips:
- If you’d like, you can substitute chopped chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. The recipe will remain the same.
- The sesame sauce can be mixed up a day in advance to cut down on prep at dinner time.
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PrintEasy Sesame Chicken
This Easy Sesame Chicken recipe lets you make one of your takeout favorites right at home and in under 30 minutes! No frying in this recipe and all made in one pan. The sweet and sticky sesame sauce uses pantry staple ingredients and pairs perfectly with the battered chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
- 1.5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Canola Oil, or other cooking oil
- Thinly sliced Green Onions, optional for garnish
Sesame Sauce
- ⅓ cup Soy Sauce, I used Low Sodium
- 3 tablespoons Water
- 1.5 tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar, light or dark
- 1.5 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons grated Fresh Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes, optional to offset sweetness
Instructions
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Prepare the chicken. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, cornstarch, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Use a fork or whisk to git rid of clumps. Add the chicken thigh pieces to the cornstarch-egg mixture and toss to coat.
- Cook the Chicken. Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Swirl the oil around the skillet to coat the bottom. When the oil is very hot (shimmering, but not smoking), add the batter coated chicken pieces into a single layer. Do not just dump the bowl into the skillet because you don't want the excess egg-mixture. Allow the chicken to cook, without moving, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip the chicken. Breaking up the clumps as needed. Cook until golden brown on all sides and cooked through. Avoid stirring the chicken too much or the coating will break off the chicken.
- Cook the Sauce. Once the chicken pieces are cooked, add in the sauce. Gently toss the chicken to coat and bring sauce to a simmer. The sauce will start to thicken. Allow to simmer for a few minutes until thickened to your desired consistency. Gently toss chicken again to coat.
- Serve and Enjoy. Serve with rice and sprinkle sliced green onions or extra sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Keywords: Easy Sesame Chicken, Sesame Chicken Recipe, Healthier Sesame Chicken, Lighter Sesame Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!