Sesame Chicken (original) (raw)

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Sticky, nutty Sesame Chicken is a 30-minute dinner that tastes even better than takeout! (That’s because it’s made with love.) Pair it with rice or veggies for an easy weeknight meal worth getting excited about.

A plate of sesame chicken with rice

Why You’ll Love This Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe

The Best Weeknight Dinner (and Lunch). Stir fry recipes have been a key to meal sanity in my house. From Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry to Sweet and Sour Chicken, the fact that stir fries are fast and the leftovers give us something quick and filling to reheat the next day for lunch means it’s easier to eat home-cooked meals more often.
Sweetened With Honey. Traditionally, sesame chicken sauce is sweetened with brown sugar, but I use honey instead. The sauce is still sticky and delicious, but I love the added depth that honey brings, which makes the sauce a little less cloying.
Family-Friendly. Of the different varieties of stir fries I cook (of which there are many), the one “genre” that never fails to hit the spot is anything involving juicy pieces of chicken coated in a thick, sticky, sweet-and-savory sauce. And unlike General Tso’s Chicken, sesame chicken isn’t spicy!

Easy sesame chicken and rice on a plate

5 Star Review

“I made this tonight and my only wish is that I doubled it so my husband and I could have even more leftovers this week!”

— Maggie —

How to Make Sesame Chicken

The Ingredients

Chicken. Both boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts will work for this recipe.
Sesame Oil. An essential ingredient, it adds delicious nuttiness and savoriness.
Scallions. For onion flavor, color, and bite.
Ginger + Garlic. The classic flavor building blocks of a stir fry dish. Using fresh is worth it here.
Red Pepper Flakes. While this dish isn’t spicy, red pepper flakes give it a little heat.
Sesame Seeds. For nuttiness and texture.
Fresh Basil. Fresh herbs are a scrumptious way to finish this dish. Cilantro would also work well here.
Sesame Chicken Sauce. Soy sauce adds umami, honey adds sweetness, rice wine vinegar brings acidity, and cornstarch helps make it thick. For a gluten-free sesame chicken recipe, use tamari sauce instead.

The Directions

Meat being coated in cornstarch

Season the Chicken. Stir the chicken, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Add the cornstarch.

Marinade being whisked in a glass measuring cup

Make the Sauce. Stir the sesame chicken sauce ingredients together.

Green onions, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a skillet

Start Cooking. Stir fry the green onions and aromatics.

Chicken being added to a pan of sauce

Add the Chicken and Sauce. Stir in more sesame oil and the chicken. Pour the sauce into the skillet. Let simmer.

Sesame seeds being added to a skillet of chicken

Finish. Stir in the sesame seeds and herbs. ENJOY!

Leftover Ideas

Wrap leftover sesame chicken in a lettuce leaf for a delicious spin on my reader-favorite Asian Lettuce Wraps. Or add it to fried rice for a short-cut take on Chicken Fried Rice.

A skillet of sesame chicken

What to Serve with Sesame Chicken

Grains. White rice is the classic, or try this Instant Pot Brown Rice. Quinoa is great too and adds a little extra protein to your dinner!
**Asian-Inspired Salads. Asian Cucumber Salad and Asian Cabbage Salad make light, refreshing sides with sesame chicken.
**Veggies. Up the veggie factor in your dinner by pairing this chicken with a side of Sautéed Green Beans.
**Fried Rice. You can’t go wrong with Easy Egg Fried Rice or Cauliflower Fried Rice.

Chopsticks holding up a piece of sesame chicken

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Cut the Chicken Into Even Pieces. When the chicken is all the same size, it will all finish cooking at the same time.
Have Your Ingredients Ready to Go. Stir fries move quickly! Prep all the ingredients for this sesame chicken recipe before you start cooking because you won’t have time to pause and prep or measure once you begin.
Double the Sauce If Needed. If you want extra sauce for rice or veggies, you can double it. Just remember that it will take a bit longer to thicken in the pan.

This sesame chicken recipe features juicy stir-fried chicken in a sweet, sticky honey sesame sauce. Better than takeout? Readers think so!

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For the Chicken:

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces (thighs will be more tender)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch

For the Stir Fry:

2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
1 tablespoon canola oil or grapeseed oil or another neutral cooking oil
1 bunch scallions about 5 or 6, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced garlic about 6 cloves
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
½ cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro
Cooked Instant Pot Brown Rice quinoa, or Cauliflower Fried Rice, for serving

For the Sauce:

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. With a large spoon, stir to coat. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the top, then stir once more, ensuring the pieces are evenly coated.
Stir together the sauce: in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, stir together the soy sauce, honey, water, vinegar, and cornstarch. Keep near the stove. Make sure your ginger and garlic are minced and ready to go and that you have all of the ingredients and measuring spoons you will need close to the stove (stir fries move fast).
Heat a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet (well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick both work well) or a wok over high heat, until it is very hot, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil and the canola oil and swirl to coat the pan. Let the oil heat for about 15 seconds, then add the green onions, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and the chicken, and cook, stirring periodically, 4 to 5 minutes. Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour into the skillet. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the chicken cooks through, 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame seeds and basil or cilantro. Taste and adjust for seasoning as desired. Serve warm with rice.
TO STORE: Refrigerate chicken in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Freeze chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving: 1(of 4), without riceCalories: 402kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 36gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 162mgPotassium: 557mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 297IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 3mg