Easy Sesame Chicken

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 This easy sesame chicken tastes just like, if not better than takeout! The chicken is crispy and the sauce is sweet with a slight tang. It's actually very easy to make and takes only 30 minutes! Now you can make one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes right in your home kitchen.

Are you team sesame chicken or team General Tso's chicken? Kyong absolutely LOVES sesame chicken. His favorite way to enjoy it is mixing a bite of sesame chicken with some fried rice for a savory sweet combo. It's pretty darn good.

So if you're looking for a solid but easy sesame chicken recipe, ours will guide you to make this popular Chinese takeout dish at home with ease. Chicken thigh pieces are lightly battered and deep fried so the sesame chicken is extra crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside.

What to eat with sesame chicken

Here are some popular sides to enjoy with sesame chicken:
  • Fried rice or white rice. Kyong loves to eat his sesame chicken over egg fried rice and shrimp fried rice.
  • Any kind of veggies, but personally my favorite is steamed broccoli. Although some quick garlic green beans are great too!
  • Appetizers like crab rangoons or egg rolls.
  • Any noodle dishes, like our shrimp lo mein and shrimp yaki udon.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs - Chicken thighs will always give you the juiciest and most flavorful chicken dishes.
  • Water - Water is mixed with the chicken so that the chicken pieces stays extra juicy even after frying.
  • Baking soda - Only a small amount of baking soda is needed. This is to slightly tenderize the chicken and help the chicken absorb and retain moisture better.
  • Salt - For marinating/ seasoning the chicken. We used kosher salt, but you can use fine salt as well. Just use a little less if using fine salt.
  • Egg - This makes up part of the batter for the chicken. Not only will bind the batter, it also makes the fried batter taste better and give it a nice color.
  • Cornstarch - This will make the chicken extra crispy. Plus, the fried chicken pieces will be gluten free! If you are allergic to cornstarch you can substitute with potato starch.
  • Oil - Just a small amount of oil is needed. This is to help separate the chicken pieces and create a thin layer of protection to prevent your fried chicken pieces from being greasy.

For the sesame chicken sauce:

  • Ketchup - This is the base of General Tso's sauce to give it that beautiful red color and the sweet and tangy flavor.
  • Water - For diluting the flavor a little.
  • Sugar - For sweetening. You can use a little more or less depending on your preference, but it's definitely recommended or the sauce will be too tangy.
  • White vinegar - To give the sauce extra tanginess. If you prefer, you could use a little less white vinegar if you don't like the sauce as tangy.
  • Soy sauce - This adds a bit more savoriness to the sauce and some color. We used low sodium soy sauce.
  • Dark soy sauce - This is to give the sauce a deeper color, which gives sesame chicken that beautiful deep red color. You can omit the dark soy sauce if the color isn't your concern.
  • Cornstarch - For thickening the sauce. Besides thickening, cornstarch will also give the sauce a beautiful glossiness.
  • Green onion - The whites of the green onion will be stir fried to add more flavor to the sauce, and the green parts can be used for garnish.
  • Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
How to make sesame chicken
For the chicken:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared chicken thighs, water, baking soda, and salt. Vigorously mix until the water is mostly absorbed by the chicken.

2. Once the chicken has mostly absorbed the water, add the eggs and mix until well combined. Following, add the cornstarch and mix until evenly combined and no more dry cornstarch is visible. Finish by adding the oil and mixing until evenly combined.

3. In a wok or tall pan, add about 2 to 3 inches of oil. Heat and try your best to maintain the temperature of the the oil around 375°F.

4. With your hand or your gloved hand, gently place the marinated chicken pieces into the hot oil, one at a time until the there's an even layer. Don't overcrowd the pan and fry in batches if needed!

5. Fry the chicken pieces for about 4 to 5 minutes, then remove the chicken out of the oil and let drain for about 2 to 3 minutes. While frying, occasionally stir the chicken pieces and try to break up any pieces that are stuck together.

6. For the second fry, make sure the oil is back at 375°F. Add the fried chicken pieces into the oil and fry for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and let the fried chicken drain on paper towels or a rack. Again, fry in batches if necessary.

For the sesame chicken sauce:

1. Combine the ketchup, water, sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Mix well.

2. In a wok or large pan over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the white parts of the sliced green onions and stir fry for 10 to 15 seconds or until fragrant.

3. Give the prepared sauce a mix and pour it into the wok. Increase the heat to medium high and let the sauce heat until hot and bubbles. Make sure to stir the sauce frequently, especially when the sauce is getting hot so the cornstarch can thicken the sauce evenly.

4. Once the sauce has thickened and looks glossy, add the fried chicken pieces and stir and toss until the chicken is evenly and well coated.

5. Serve immediately with white rice or fried rice and garnish the sesame chicken with sesame seeds and the green part of the sliced green onion if you wish. Enjoy!

How to make this recipe gluten free

You can easily make this sesame chicken gluten free by substituting the soy sauce and dark soy sauce for a generous pinch of salt. You could even omit both of the soy sauces altogether if you wish. The soy sauce is for adding a bit more savoriness to the sauce and to give sesame chicken that beautiful deep red color.

Recipe tips

  • Marinate the chicken overnight or for a few hours if you have the time. This will ensure the chicken is well seasoned and that the batter stays intact on the chicken.
  • Try your best to cut the chicken thighs into same size pieces to ensure even cooking.
  • Keep the oil temperature around 375°F so that the chicken is fried properly. If the oil temperature is too low, the chicken will be greasy. Too hot, and the chicken may overcook and become dry.
  • Break up any chicken pieces that may have become stuck together during the initial frying.

Storage

Sesame chicken is best enjoyed soon after making. If you have any leftover, let the chicken cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. It'll stay good in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

If you plan on making extra, fry the chicken pieces for a couple extra minutes during the first fry. Let them cool completely and skip the second fry. Freezing them on a tray or plate, and once frozen, you can store them in freezer bags or airtight containers. They will be good for up to 2 to 3 months.

Reheating

Leftover sesame chicken that's already coated with sauce is best reheated in the microwave until hot. Do note that it will not be crispy like when it was just made.

If you made extra fried chicken pieces that are not coated in sauce and froze it, you can defrost it completely to fry or air fry. Frozen chicken pieces can be air fried as well.

To fry, defrosted chicken pieces can be fried at 375°F for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. We DO NOT recommend deep frying frozen chicken pieces.

For air frying, both defrosted and frozen ones can be air fried at 400°F. Defrosted chicken takes about 5 to 10 minutes and frozen ones take about 15 to 20 minutes.

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