Sesame Chicken

By Krista Teigen

Updated Apr 21, 2025

I love Chinese takeout, but it doesn’t love me! I always end up feeling bloated and heavy afterward. But with this homemade sesame chicken recipe, I feel much better knowing every ingredient that goes into it. It’s still fried but much less heavy than my favorite takeout dish, and the sauce is still so sticky, sweet, and just the right amount of spicy.

overhead view of sesame chicken over white rice in a bowl. - 5

It’s so much easier than I thought to make restaurant-style sesame chicken right at home. Sure, frying can be intimidating, but with the simple batter method, it’s not too messy, and it only takes a few minutes. The sauce is even easier—just mix, heat, and go! I love how flavorful this recipe is and that I know every ingredient that goes into it. I feel so much better serving this homemade sesame chicken to my family.

Tips for Beginners

Fry the chicken in batches so you don’t overload the oil and reduce the oil temperature. If the oil gets too cold, the chicken will turn out soggy and greasy.
After dredging, let the chicken pieces rest for about 10 minutes to help the batter bind to the chicken better.

Ingredients1x2x3x

For the Chicken

▢ ⅔ cup cornstarch
▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 1 pinch ground black pepper
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
▢ 1-2 cups vegetable oil for frying

For the Sauce

▢ ½ cup honey
▢ ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
▢ 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
▢ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
▢ 2 teaspoons sriracha
▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch
▢ 2 tablespoons minced onion
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ 1 (1-inch piece) fresh ginger minced
▢ Chopped green onion for serving

Video

Instructions

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper. ⅔ cup cornstarch, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs together. 2 large eggs
Dredge the chicken pieces in the dry mixture. Then, add the pieces to the eggs. Let the excess egg drip off the chicken before dredging once again in flour mixture. Transfer the pieces to a large plate or sheet pan. 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. 1-2 cups vegetable oil
Once heated, use a tongs to transfer the chicken to the skillet. Turn off heat.
Working in batches, fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan lined with paper towel.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, sesame seeds, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and cornstarch. ½ cup honey, ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons sriracha, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Drain or wipe the excess oil from the skillet, leaving 1 tablespoon over medium heat.
Add in the onion, garlic, and ginger, and stir, cooking for about 1 minute. 2 tablespoons minced onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 (1-inch piece) fresh ginger
Stir in the sauce and let it sizzle for a minute until thickened.
Turn off the heat, stir in the chicken pieces, and toss to coat them in the sauce.
Serve the chicken over rice and sprinkled with chopped green onion, and sesame seeds. Chopped green onion

Becky’s Tips

I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but thighs will also work.
I like to fry in vegetable oil since it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point .

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Sesame Chicken Step-by-Step

Dredge the Chicken: In a large shallow bowl, whisk together ⅔ cup of cornstarch, ½ cup of all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1 pinch of ground black pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk 2 large eggs together. Dredge 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces in the dry mixture. Then, add the pieces to the eggs. Let the excess egg drip off the chicken before dredging once again in the flour mixture. Transfer the pieces to a large plate or sheet pan.

dredged chicken pieces in a glass bowl. - 6

Fry the Chicken: Heat 1-2 cups of vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Once heated, use tongs to transfer the chicken to the skillet. Turn off the heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan lined with paper towel.

Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of honey, ⅓ cup of low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of sriracha, and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch.

Sauce the Chicken: Drain or wipe the excess oil from the skillet, leaving 1 tablespoon over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of minced onion, 2 minced cloves of garlic, and 1 (1-inch piece) of minced fresh ginger, and stir, cooking for about 1 minute. Stir in the sauce and let it sizzle for a minute until thickened. Turn off the heat, stir in the chicken pieces, and toss to coat them in the sauce. Serve the chicken over rice and sprinkled with chopped green onion, and sesame seeds.

fried chicken pieces tossed in sauce in a pot with a wooden spoon. - 9

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover sesame chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave until warmed through. Note that the chicken will not be as crisp this way.

overhead view of sesame chicken over white rice in bowls. - 10

Serving Suggestions

This crispy sesame chicken is perfect served simply with some white rice, vegetable fried rice , or vegetable lo mein for that takeout at-home feel. I like to make some egg rolls when I have the extra time!

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