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This is the best Sesame Chicken recipe with crispy chicken in sweet and savory sesame chicken sauce. It tastes just like Chinese restaurants and takes only 20 mins to make. Serve the chicken with steamed rice for an authentic homemade Chinese meal.
Table of Contents
Sesame Chicken Recipe
What is Sesame Chicken?
It’s one of the most popular Chinese recipes found in Chinese restaurants and takeouts in the United States.
Everyone loves this deep-fried and crispy chicken coated with a sweet and savory sesame sauce.
Garnished with white sesame seeds, the crispy chicken and sauce pairs perfectly with a bowl of steamed rice.
This is the BEST recipe you will find online! It’s easy, authentic and tastes the same, if not better than Chinese restaurants!
Other Recipes You Might Like
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Honey Chicken
- Lemon Chicken
- Orange Chicken
- General Tso’s Chicken
Sesame Chicken Sauce
The sweet and savory sesame sauce is the star of the dish. It calls for the following ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Water
How to Make Sesame Chicken?
It’s very easy to make the dish at home. First, prep the chicken, frying batter and the sauce.
Next, coat the chicken with the batter and deep fry. The final step is to make the sauce and coat the chicken with it.
This homemade recipe is very easy and fail-proof and takes less than 20 minutes to make.
Cooking Tips
For the best results that is the same as the best Chinese restaurants, please follow my cooking tips below:
- For the crispiest chicken, follow my batter recipe and coat the chicken evenly. The frying batter produces crispy, light and airy chicken. Shake off the excess batter before deep frying the chicken.
- Use chicken breast meat for the best flavor.
- Do not drown the chicken with too much sesame sauce. Too much sauce will make the chicken soggy and not crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sesame Chicken the Same As General Tso’s Chicken?
General Tso’s Chicken is a completely different dish with a spicy and dark sauce.
Sesame sauce is sweet and savory in taste but not spicy. Both dishes are equally delicious!
Can I Use Air Fryer for This Recipe?
For the best results, you should deep-fry the chicken. However, you can use an air fryer to air fry the chicken.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 304 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
This meal is best served with steamed rice or noodles. For a wholesome Chinese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Fried Rice
Garlic Bok Choy
Mongolian Beef
Chow Mein
How to Cook Sesame Chicken?
Please refer to the recipe card and video for detailed step-by-step method on how to make this recipe.
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Sesame Chicken
Easy, healthy and homemade Chinese Sesame Chicken recipe with sesame sauce. This is the BEST recipe you'll find online and tastes just like takeout restaurants.
4.62 from 307 votes
By Bee Yinn Low
Yield 4 people
Prep 10 minutes mins
Cook 10 minutes mins
Total 20 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 8 oz. (230g) boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
- oil (for deep-frying)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- white sesame seeds (for garnishing)
Frying Batter:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg white
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pinch salt
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients in the Sauce until well combined. Set aside.
Mix all the ingredients in Frying Batter in a bowl until well combined, stir a few times to make sure there are no lumps and the batter is smooth. Add the chicken into the batter, stir to evenly coat with the batter.
Heat 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) of the oil in a wok or a stockpot to 350°F (175°C) for deep-frying. Gently drop the chicken into the oil and loosen them up immediately with a spatula to prevent the chicken from clumping together.
Deep-fry the chicken to golden brown. Remove the chicken from the oil with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying the chicken on a dish lined with paper towels. Discard the oil.
Heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic before adding the Sauce.
As soon as the Sauce thickens, add the fried chicken into the wok or skillet. Stir continuously until all the ingredients are well coated with the sauce. Dish out, garnish with the white sesame, and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.
My batter is very thick because it will make the chicken extra crispy, even after adding the sauce. If it's too thick to work with, add 1-2 tablespoons water to loosen it up.
Course: Chicken Recipes
Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Sesame Chicken Recipe
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Sesame Chicken
Amount Per Serving (4 people)
Calories 304Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 595mg26%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 15g30%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
