Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken
This Honey Sesame Chicken recipe tastes just like your favorite Chinese carryout, but much more affordable! Crispy chicken pieces in a sticky honey sesame sauce.
I don’t know about you, but we’re ordering carryout a lot less this year! Things have gotten super expensive in our area, even Chinese food, which has traditionally been pretty affordable. Making your own Chinese takeout at home is easier than you think when you have easy recipes like this honey sesame chicken breast.
I love this easy chicken recipe because it almost entirely uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. And it’s so delish that the whole family will ask for it over and over again!
It’s important that delicious honey sesame chicken is made with crispy fried chicken, so I do recommend deep frying your chicken pieces as I detail in the recipe card below.
You can also try air frying the chicken breast, but if you do, make sure to spray the battered pieces of chicken with oil to help them crisp up! Also, if you are deep frying, you can always add a second fry to make the juicy chicken even crispier.
The Honey Sesame Sauce
I think of the savory honey sesame sauce in this recipe as a more complex version of the savory sauce you normally find in sweet and sour sauce or General Tso’s Chicken.
This sesame chicken sauce recipe is just a bit sweet, a bit tangy, and a bit savory. It’s a nice, sticky sauce and is good and balanced!
To save time, the sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days, then reheated gently before tossing with the freshly fried chicken breast.
To keep it simple, I did not add vegetables to this honey sesame chicken recipe. But you could absolutely toss in some broccoli, carrots or snow peas to make this Chinese sesame chicken a complete meal!
Easy Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Additions
This recipe has become a family favorite for us! There are plenty of ingredient substitutions you can make. I think it’s always better to use what you already have at home! Here are a few suggestions:
- You can use cubed boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- If you don’t have rice wine vinegar, you can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in the sesame chicken sauce.
- Substitute maple syrup for the honey.
- Toasted sesame oil adds the nutty flavors to this recipe! But, if you don’t have sesame oil, use any neutral oil in its place like avocado oil.
- Use rice flour, potato starch or arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch.
- I love adding sesame oil to the sauce because of its amazing sesame flavor! But, if you don’t have it, you can substitute any neutral cooking oil.
- Substitute garlic powder for the fresh cloves of garlic.
- I like to use low sodium soy sauce for the sauce. You can substitute coconut aminos.
- As I mentioned above, you’re welcome to add in veggies of your choice. Just sauté them for a few minutes in the skillet before adding the sauce, then finally, the chicken.
Add extra heat to the sauce with a heaping spoonful of this Garlic Chili Oil recipe.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this crispy sesame chicken with white rice, brown rice or Asian spaghetti squash and some simple sauteed bell peppers or green beans.
It’s also delicious with sweet and sour cabbage soup, garlic chili oil noodles and these spicy wontons.
If you love this recipe, I think you’ll also enjoy: Sesame Sautéed Asparagus | Hibachi Steak and Shrimp | Kung Pao Beef
Storing Leftover Honey Sesame Chicken Breast
I doubt that you’ll have any leftovers of this easy sesame chicken recipe left!
But, if you do, store your leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I recommend reheating in the oven on a sheet pan, which helps the chicken crisp back up just a bit. You can also reheat in the air fryer or microwave for 2-3 minutes.
If you plan on storing this chicken in the freezer, I do not recommend saucing the chicken. Freeze the sauce and the cooled fried chicken pieces separately.
I hope that you enjoy this honey sesame chicken recipe! If you make it, be sure to let me know how it went in the comments below.
Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts , or chicken breast tenderloins
- vegetable oil , for frying
For the batter:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sauce ingredients:
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup light soy sauce
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
For topping (optional):
- sesame seeds
- green onions, diced
Equipment
Instructions
- Prepare your chicken by cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, make the batter by whisking together the eggs, cornstarch and salt.
- Add the chicken to the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. You can also do this by adding the batter and chicken pieces to a large, sealed Ziploc bag, and shaking to coat.
- In a large pan over medium high heat up about an inch of oil.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken in a single layer. Make sure there is free space around each piece of chicken and it isn't crowded.
- Fry until golden brown on each side and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This usually takes me 4-5 minutes total per batch.
- Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and allow to drain.
- Fry the rest of the chicken in batches.
- In a small bowl, make the sauce. Combine the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, corn starch and red pepper flakes. Whisk vigorously to combine.
- Add the sauce to a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk until the sauce comes up to a simmer and begins to thicken, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and toss your freshly fried chicken in with the sauce.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve warm!
