This honey sesame chicken is a crowd-favorite takeout dish that tastes so much better when it is homemade. It is easy to prepare and comes together in less than 30 minutes, so you can easily enjoy it any night of the week. It'll be on the table faster than you could have gotten it from the restaurant!
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Homemade Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe
If you're looking for a delicious and flavorful chicken recipe, try this honey sesame chicken! The combination of sweet honey and savory sesame makes this dish perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
It's actually shocking how simple it is to prepare; you'll wonder why you didn't make it sooner! Serve it over some rice or with some noodles for a complete dinner!
🥘 Ingredients
In addition to some chicken, you'll need the ingredients for both the batter and the sauce. Don't worry; they are all common household items!
Honey Sesame Chicken
- Chicken Breast - 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite-sized pieces.
- Garlic - 2 teaspoons (or 2 cloves) of garlic, minced.
- Sesame Seeds - 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds for garnish.
- Green Onions (optional) - 1 tablespoon of chopped green onions for garnish.
- Olive Oil - Enough olive oil to fill your skillet about 2 inches (for frying).
Batter For Frying
- Egg White - 1 large egg white.
- Flour - ½ cup of all-purpose flour, sifted.
- Water - ½ cup of ice-cold water.
- Cornstarch - ¼ cup of cornstarch.
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Baking Powder - ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
- Salt - A pinch of salt.
Honey Sesame Sauce
- Water - ½ cup of water.
- Honey - ⅓ cup of pure honey.
- Ketchup - ½ tablespoon of ketchup.
- Cornstarch - 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (or you can try an apple cider vinegar substitute).
- Sesame Oil - 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
- Salt - 1 teaspoon of salt.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Honey Sesame Chicken
Making your own honey sesame chicken is not only quick, but it is super simple as well. You don't even need a deep fryer, as a shallow fry in a skillet will do the trick! Grab a couple of mixing bowls, a sharp knife, your cutting board, a whisk, and a skillet or wok to get started.
This recipe is ideal for 4 people, especially when served with some rice or noodles.
Prepare the Batter & Sauce
- Mix the batter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your batter ingredients (1 large egg white, ½ cup of both all-purpose flour and water, ¼ cup of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt) until smooth.
- Coat the chicken. Add 1 pound of cubed chicken breast into the batter and mix until all of the chicken is well-coated. Then, set it aside.
- Mix the sauce. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the honey sesame sauce (½ cup of water, ⅓ cup of honey, ½ tablespoon of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon each of apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and salt). Set it aside.
Fry the Chicken
- Heat the oil. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about 2 inches of oil.
- Fry the chicken. Once hot, carefully drop the coated chicken cubes into the oil one at a time, making sure to leave some space in between them. Fry until the chicken turns golden brown, and then transfer the pieces to a wire rack that is placed over a paper towel-lined plate or tray.
Combine & Serve
- Saute the garlic. Discard the oil, keeping only about 2 tablespoons in the skillet (or transferring 2 tablespoons of oil to a wok if preferred). Place the skillet over medium heat and saute 2 teaspoons of minced garlic for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Thicken the sauce. Add the honey sesame sauce to the skillet and bring it to a simmer, cooking until it has thickened.
- Toss and serve. Once the sauce has thickened, add the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and toss until well-coated and heated up. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and serve immediately, garnished with the optional 1 tablespoon of green onions.
Serve over a bed of white rice or basmati rice. Some hibachi noodles would be fantastic as well. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- For an extra burst of flavor, add some grated ginger to the sauce.
- Use a non-stick skillet or wok to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water or chicken broth to thin it out.
- You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- To make the dish spicier, add some red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce to the sauce.
- For vegetarians, substitute the chicken with tofu or vegetables such as broccoli or mushrooms.
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Keep your leftover honey sesame chicken stored in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Small portions can be reheated in the microwave. Or, for the best results, reheat your honey sesame chicken in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until hot.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Both of these dishes feature chicken that has been battered and fried. However, honey sesame chicken uses both honey and sesame seeds while orange chicken includes orange juice and the zest from an orange. Both are totally delicious!
For this recipe, I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. However, chicken thighs would also be incredibly tasty! You can't go wrong either way!
Yep! Just let it cool completely and then place it into a freezer-safe container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready, move it to the fridge to defrost and then reheat it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until hot!
😋 More Chinese-Inspired Recipes
- Chinese Beef Meatballs - Sweet and tangy meatballs that are coated in a hoisin ginger sauce.
- Moo Shu Pork - Strips of pork and vegetables are wok-fried in a super tasty savory sauce.
- Teriyaki Chicken - Homemade teriyaki sauce is spooned over tender pieces of chicken.
- Lo Mein - A 15-minute dish that can be vegetarian or customized with your preferred protein!.
- General Tso's Shrimp - Perfectly cooked shrimp is coated in a popular sweet and salty sauce.
- Sweet and Sour Chicken - Fried chunks of chicken are tossed with veggies and pineapple.
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📖 Recipe Card
Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
Honey Sesame Chicken
- 1 lbs chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, cut into small chunks)
- 2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon green onions (chopped for garnish, optional)
- olive oil (for frying)
Batter For Frying
- 1 large egg white
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
- ½ cup water (ice cold)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Honey Sesame Sauce
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your batter ingredients (egg white, all-purpose flour, water, cornstarch, olive oil, baking powder, and salt) until smooth.
- Pat the chicken dry, then cut into cubes. Add your cubes of chicken breast into the batter and mix until all of the chicken is well-coated. Then, set it aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the honey sesame sauce (water, honey, ketchup, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and salt). Set it aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about 2 inches of oil.
- Once hot, carefully drop the coated chicken cubes into the oil one at a time, making sure to leave some space in between them. Fry until the chicken turns golden brown and then transfer the pieces to a wire rack that is placed over a paper towel lined plate or tray.
- Discard the oil, keeping only about 2 tablespoons in the skillet (or transferring 2 tablespoons of oil to a wok if preferred). Place the skillet over medium heat and saute the minced garlic for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add the honey sesame sauce to the skillet and bring it to a simmer, cooking until it has thickened.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and toss until well-coated and heated up. Add the sesame seeds and serve immediately garnished with the optional green onions.
Notes
- For an extra burst of flavor, add some grated ginger to the sauce.
- Use a non-stick skillet or wok to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water or chicken broth to thin it out.
- You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- To make the dish spicier, add some red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce to the sauce.
- For vegetarians, substitute the chicken with tofu or vegetables such as broccoli or mushrooms.
- To store: Keep your leftover honey sesame chicken stored in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Small portions can be reheated in the microwave. Or, for the best results, reheat your honey sesame chicken in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until hot.
Holly says
I made this for dinner tonight for my family. It was delicious! I didn't change a thing and was very pleased with the results. Everyone said that it was so much better than take-out. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Anonymous says
I made this tonight for my wife and I. It was delicious !!!