Description
Crispy Sesame Chicken is a quick 30-minute, 5-ingredient dish that delivers crispy bite-sized chicken tossed in a glossy sesame sauce for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil for frying
For the sesame sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 3 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (for thickening)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Dip each piece into cornstarch, then into the beaten eggs to coat.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken pieces in batches until golden and crispy, about 4–5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, ketchup, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Toss crispy chicken pieces in the sauce until evenly coated.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions on top before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- For gluten-free option, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce throughout the recipe.
- To keep the chicken extra crisp, allow the fried pieces to drain on a rack instead of paper towels.
- Adjust sweetness or tang by adding more honey or rice vinegar to suit your taste.
- Leftovers store in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet to regain crispiness.
- For a lighter version, bake the coated chicken on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 425°F (220°C) for 15–20 minutes until cooked through and crispy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 1 plate)
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 40 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: Crispy Sesame Chicken, 5-ingredient dinner, quick weeknight meal, Chinese-American, sesame glaze