Sesame Chicken

Name: Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch pieces); 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 egg (beaten); ¾ cup cornstarch; 4 cups neutral oil (for frying); 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 3 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; ½ cup chicken stock or water; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp cold water); 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 scallions (sliced)

By The Chowmi Test KitchenUpdated June 6, 2026↓ Jump to Recipe

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Quick answer

Sesame chicken is an American-Chinese takeout favorite of crispy battered chicken tossed in a glossy, sweet-savory sauce and finished with plenty of toasted sesame seeds. It's a close cousin of General Tso's chicken but milder and sweeter — there's no chili heat, and the flavor leans on honey, soy and toasted sesame oil for a warm, nutty sweetness. The sesame seeds, toasted until golden and stirred in at the end, are what define it. Made at home it's crispier and less gloopy than delivery: use a light cornstarch coating, fry the chicken twice (once to cook, once hotter to crisp), and toss it in the sauce at the last moment so the crust stays crunchy. Balance the honey and sugar with a splash of rice vinegar so it's glossy and rounded rather than just sweet. It's a reliable family pleaser, ready in about 35 minutes.

Sesame chicken — crispy chicken in a glossy brown sauce coated with toasted sesame seeds over rice

Why you'll love this sesame chicken

Crispy chicken in a sweet, nutty, sesame-rich glaze — a milder, kid-friendly takeout classic with no heat.
Loaded with toasted sesame for deep, warm flavor.
The double-fry trick keeps it crisp under the glossy sauce.
Less sweet and far fresher than the delivery version, in about 35 minutes.

Ingredients

Chicken & coating

1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup cornstarch
4 cups neutral oil, for frying

Sesame sauce

3 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp hoisin saucesubstitutes →
1 tbsp rice vinegarsubstitutes →
1 tbsp toasted sesame oilsubstitutes →
½ cup chicken stock or water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Finish

3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, sliced

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Equipment

Wok or deep pot for frying — Deep enough to fry the chicken in batches.(shop →)
Spider or slotted spoon — For lifting the chicken from the oil.(shop →)

Instructions

Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and beaten egg, then dredge in cornstarch until well coated. Stir the sauce ingredients (except the slurry) together; mix the slurry separately. If your sesame seeds aren't toasted, toast them in a dry pan until golden.
Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden and cooked through, then remove and drain.
Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken a second time for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
💡 The double fry is the secret to crispy sesame chicken that doesn't go soft once it's sauced.
Pour off all but 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic and stir for 20 seconds, then pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until glossy and thickened, about a minute. Stir in most of the toasted sesame seeds.
Add the crispy chicken and toss quickly to coat. Scatter the remaining sesame seeds and the scallions over the top and serve immediately over rice.
💡 Save some sesame seeds to sprinkle on at the end — it looks great and reinforces the toasty flavor.

Tips & notes

Toasted sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil are what make this taste like sesame chicken — toast raw seeds yourself for the deepest flavor.
Double-fry (350°F then 375°F) for a crust that stays crisp, and toss in the sauce at the last moment.
Balance the honey and sugar with the rice vinegar so the glaze is rounded and glossy, not cloying.
Sesame chicken has no chili — if you'd like a little heat, add a pinch of chili flakes, which nudges it toward General Tso's.
Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast; cut into even 1-inch pieces for uniform frying.

Recipe wording too vague?

Paste any fuzzy step (少许, 火候正好, 焯水) and get exact amounts, temps and times.

Recipe

Sesame Chicken

New recipe

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Serves: 4
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Chicken & coating

1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup cornstarch
4 cups neutral oil, for frying

Sesame sauce

3 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
½ cup chicken stock or water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Finish

3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, sliced

Instructions

Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and beaten egg, then dredge in cornstarch until well coated. Stir the sauce ingredients (except the slurry) together; mix the slurry separately. If your sesame seeds aren't toasted, toast them in a dry pan until golden.
Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden and cooked through, then remove and drain.
Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken a second time for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
Pour off all but 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic and stir for 20 seconds, then pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until glossy and thickened, about a minute. Stir in most of the toasted sesame seeds.
Add the crispy chicken and toss quickly to coat. Scatter the remaining sesame seeds and the scallions over the top and serve immediately over rice.

Nutrition (est., per serving): 490 cal · 32 g protein · 36 g carbs · 24 g fat

Sesame Chicken FAQ

What's the difference between sesame chicken and General Tso's chicken?

They share the same crispy fried-chicken base, but sesame chicken is milder, sweeter and nutty, finished with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil and no chili. General Tso's is sweet-savory and spicy, with dried chilies. If you want a kid-friendly, no-heat version, sesame chicken is the one; for a spicy kick, choose General Tso's.

How do you get a strong sesame flavor?

Two things: toasted sesame oil in the sauce and plenty of toasted sesame seeds stirred in at the end and sprinkled on top. Toasting the seeds yourself in a dry pan until golden deepens their nutty aroma far more than using raw seeds. The combination is what makes the dish taste distinctly of sesame.

How do you keep sesame chicken crispy?

Coat the chicken in cornstarch, fry it twice (once at 350°F to cook, once at 375°F to crisp), and toss it in the sauce only right before serving. The double fry sets a sturdy crust, and saucing at the last second keeps it from going soggy in the glaze.

Is sesame chicken the same as honey sesame chicken?

They're essentially the same dish — honey is a common sweetener in sesame chicken sauce, so “honey sesame chicken” just emphasizes that. This recipe uses honey for a rounded, glossy sweetness along with the toasted sesame, so it covers both names.

Can I make sesame chicken without deep-frying?

Yes. Air-fry the coated chicken at around 400°F until crisp, or shallow-fry it in about an inch of oil, then toss with the sauce and sesame seeds. It's a bit lighter and slightly less uniformly crisp than deep-fried, but still very good.