This crispy sesame chicken recipe is better than takeout! Tender chicken chunks coated in a crispy crust and tossed in a sticky, sweet and savory Asian sauce. Ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for a sticky sesame chicken bowl over rice.
Love easy chicken dinners? Try my creamy spinach chicken for a one-pan skillet meal that's just as quick and delicious.
This crispy chicken is best served alongside a bowl of healthy egg fried rice with vegetables for a complete restaurant-style experience at home.
📷 Recipe Snapshot
Quick Look: Crispy Sesame Chicken with Sticky Asian Sauce
⏱ Ready in 30 minutes
🍗 Chicken + 🥚 egg + 🌽 cornflour for that crispy coating
🥢 Sticky sauce with soy, garlic, honey, and chili sauce
🔥 Golden, crunchy, and coated in a glossy sauce
🍚 Perfect over rice or with quick veggie sides
💡 Pro Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan when frying-cook in batches so the chicken stays crispy, not soggy.
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Kim Beaulieu says
"This recipe turned out amazing. We love sesame chicken, and this version is stellar."
💗 Why You'll Love This
- Quick to Make: Done in under an hour, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Customizable: Adjust the sweetness or spice level to your liking.
- Crowd-Pleasing: It's a hit with kids and adults alike.
- Budget-Friendly: Skip the takeout; this is cheaper and tastier.
- Better than takeout - sticky, sweet, and savory Asian sauce made at home in minutes.
🥘 Ingredients
- Chicken: For the juiciest results, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Chicken breasts work too - just be careful not to overcook.
♻️ Substitutions
- Chicken: Swap for turkey breast or tofu for a vegetarian option.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Use sriracha for a spicier kick.
- Soy Sauce: Opt for tamari for the gluten-free option.
📋 Variations
- Spicy: Add a pinch of chilli flakes to the sauce for extra heat.
- Nutty: Top with crushed peanuts for extra crunch.
- Vegetarian: Replace chicken with cauliflower florets.
👩🍳 How To Make Crispy Sesame Chicken
Step 1: Prep the Meat: Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss them in a bowl with seasonings. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Lightly beat an egg in another bowl and pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle in the cornflour and mix it up. You want it coated, not swimming in cornflour.
Step 3: Coat the Chicken: In a separate bowl, mix flour with a touch of paprika. Now, dredge your meat pieces in this mixture, shaking off the excess flour.
Step 4: Fry the Chicken: Heat oil in a pan and test with a small piece of chicken. Fry in batches for 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Step 5: Make the Sesame Sauce: Mix sesame oil, garlic, vinegar, honey, chilli sauce, ketchup, sugar, and soy sauce in a pan. Heat for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Step 6: Toss and Serve: Toss the crispy chicken in the sauce, coating it well. Serve over rice or your favourite carbs, and top with sesame seeds and spring onions.
*See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
Pro Tip: The cornflour (cornstarch) is the secret to extra crispy chicken - it creates a lighter, crunchier coating than flour alone. For even more crunch, double-coat by dipping back in egg and cornflour. Use a nonstick pan to make frying easier!
🥗 Serving Suggestions
Pair with fluffy steamed rice or even some sautéed green beans with garlic and olive oil for a balanced meal. For a well-rounded meal, you can also serve it with steamed broccoli, noodles, or crispy wontons.
For another quick chicken dinner, try my cornflake chicken nuggets - ready in 30 minutes and kid-approved.
Love chicken soup? My 30-minute creamy chicken soup is another comforting bowl that's ready in no time.
❓Crispy Sesame Chicken with Sticky Asian Sauce FAQs
Crispy sesame chicken is perfect over steamed rice in a bowl. Pair with sautéed green beans, steamed broccoli, or noodles for a complete meal. For a restaurant-style experience, serve with healthy egg fried rice.
Yes! Chicken thighs work beautifully - they're juicier and more forgiving than breasts. Just cut them into similar-sized pieces and follow the same recipe. Adjust cooking time as needed.
Yes! Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Arrange coated chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway. This method uses less oil than deep frying while keeping the chicken crispy.
Let the fried chicken cool slightly on a wire rack before tossing in the sauce. Don't let the chicken sit in the sauce - toss just before serving. For leftovers, reheat in an oven or air fryer, not a microwave, to restore crispiness.
Yes! Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the chicken and sauce separately. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to maintain crispiness. In the fridge, leftovers will keep for 3-4 days.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
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📖 Recipe
Asian-Style Crispy Sesame Chicken
Video
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoon cornflour cornstarch
- 4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic granules
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 3 chicken breast fillets or 4 turkey breast steaks (around 500 gr/1.1 pounds) chopped into bite-size pieces
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 3 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce
To fry
- vegetable oil I used sunflower oil
To Serve
- Steamed rice or rice pilaf with short vermicelli
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Small bunch of spring onions chopped
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Cut 3 chicken breast fillets (or 4 turkey breast steaks) into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl and add 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic granules, and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Toss to coat the meat evenly and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, lightly beat an egg in a separate bowl. Pour the beaten egg over the chicken, mixing until well coated. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons cornflour, ensuring all pieces are evenly covered.
- Coat the Chicken: In another bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon paprika. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, making sure to shake off any excess.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat enough sunflower oil (or any vegetable oil) in a wok or deep pan over medium-high heat, ensuring the oil depth is about an inch. Once hot, fry the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Make the Sticky Sesame Sauce: In a clean wok or large pan, combine all the sauce ingredients: 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, 3 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 4 tablespoons soy sauce. Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the mixture is well combined. Let the sauce cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly. The honey and brown sugar create that signature sticky glaze - don't skip them!
- Toss and Serve: Add the crispy chicken to the sauce, gently tossing to ensure every piece is evenly coated. Serve over steamed rice or rice pilaf and garnish with 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.
Notes
- Adjust spice level: Add more sweet chili sauce for heat, or reduce for milder taste.
- Coat evenly: Make sure each piece is fully coated in flour before frying - this ensures a crispy, golden crust.
- Rest after frying: Let chicken rest on a paper towel-lined plate for a few minutes to drain excess oil and stay crispy.
- Soy sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce to control saltiness. Tamari works for gluten-free.
- Rice variations: Serve with steamed rice, rice pilaf, noodles, or a fresh salad.
- Storage: Keep crispy chicken and sauce separate in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat chicken in the oven or air fryer to restore crispiness. Freeze separately for up to 3 months.
- Air fryer option: Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway - less oil, still crispy.
Nita says
So easy! And tasted just like take out. I was so pleased. So much healthier but still feels decadant.
Lora says
The sauce is so easy to put together. No need for takeout when you can make this flavorful and easy recipe at home!
Katie says
I'm obsessed with this sesame chicken recipe. It was so great!
Ana says
Since I had all the ingredients and gave this recipe a try and it was better than take-out, I didn't know it was so easy to make this at home. Wonderful share!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
My family loved this!
Swathi says
Asian style cripsy seasme chicken looks delicious I have tried and I enjoyed making it.
Sonja says
I adore crispy chicken, but never made it at home as it felt so complicated. Thanks to your recipe this sesame version came out perfect! Kitchen wizard feeling included.
Elizabeth says
The perfect weeknight dinner! So flavorful and easy to make. Adding this to our dinner rotation for sure!
Nisha says
This turned out awesome even better than the take-out we order , so nice to have this recipe handy to make the perfect crispy chicken. The sauce that goes with this chicken is also yummy.
Elizabeth says
So easy and delicious!!! It was the perfect recipe to shake up our dinner menu.
Swathi says
This sesame chicken is so crispy outside and juicy inside. My kids loved it. Goes well with rice.
Kim Beaulieu says
This recipe turned out amazing. We love sesame chicken and this version is stellar.
Juyali says
Tried this recipe last night, and it delivered! The chicken was crispy, and the sesame sauce was spot on. Loved the savory flavors.
Ashley says
This is the dish I always order when we go to a Chinese restaurant. I'm so glad to have a recipe for it to make at home! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Liz says
SO yummy!!! Both the crispy chicken pieces and sauce were delicious. We didn't have any leftovers!!!