Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken

Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken that’s better than take out and so easy to make! You’re going to love these crispy chicken pieces coated in a sweet and garlicky sauce and topped with sesame seeds.

Easy Homemade Sesame Chicken

I love takeout Chinese food! But, it can be a hassle to place an order and pick it up on a busy weeknight. So, I decided to start making my favorite takeout recipes at home. It took some experimenting because for the longest time I felt like I just could never get the sauce or texture of the fried chicken pieces just right. 

Well I’ve got it right now and I’m sharing it with you. No need to thank me, knowing your family is enjoying this as much as mine is thanks enough. My kids ask for this all the time and I find myself ordering takeout less and less.

So join me as we toss our takeout menus for good!? Ok, for now. 😉

Recipe Ingredients

For this meal, we’ll first make crispy breaded chicken bites. For these chicken bites, you’ll need:

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Eggs
• Flour
• cornstarch
• Oil

Once you’ve fried your crispy chicken bites, it’s time to make the sweet and tangy sauce you’ll be coating them in. Here is everything you’ll need for the Honey Sesame sauce:

• honey
• low sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce
• sesame oil
• rice wine vinegar
• brown sugar
• garlic, minced
• sesame seeds

How to Make Sesame Chicken

Prep: Crack your eggs into a bowl and stir them with a fork until they’re blended.

Combine flour and cornstarch on a plate and stir them together until they’re incorporated. 

Dredge: Heat about 3-inches of oil in a deep frying pan. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and then dip it into the flour mixture. Add chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Allow the grease from the chicken to drain on paper towels.

Mix: In the meantime, prepare the honey sauce. Set a pan over medium heat and add in the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic. Whisk everything together to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it begins to slightly thicken. 

Serve: Remove the sauce from the heat and pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish the chicken with sesame seeds and serve. 

Tips for the Best Sesame Chicken

These tips will take your crispy honey sesame chicken from average to better than takeout!

• If you want a thicker sauce, combine ½ tablespoon cornstarch with ½ tablespoon cold water; whisk to combine and then whisk into the sauce. Cook for a minute, or until heated through. 
• For even more flavor, you can add scallions or chopped fresh parsley before serving. 
• You can use chicken thighs, cut into cubes, in place of the chicken breast. Just add a minute longer for frying. 
• If you want to make it a little spicy, add in a bit of sweet chili sauce!

Serving Ideas

I think it’s obvious to say that I love to serve this over long grain white rice, like Basmati or Jasmine, and a side of steamed veggies. I like to toss the steamed veggies right in the sauce with the chicken, too!

Here are a few less traditional options:

• Serve with rice noodle and steamed veggies
• Serve with quinoa and veggies
• Serve over zoodles
• Sub the rice for cauliflower rice
• Serve over or next to a veggie fried rice dish
• Plate and insert a toothpick into each chicken bite. Then, serve them as an appetizer.
• Serve over an Asian inspired salad mix. 

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

One of the very best things about this crispy honey sesame chicken is how quickly and easily it comes together. This makes it perfect for meal prepping. Whenever I make this, I’ll double the recipe and save half for another night. Simply allow it to come to room temperature, and then store in an airtight, freezer safe container for about 3 months. Just don’t forget to label your container! Then, take it out and defrost when you’re ready to eat it.

If you end up with any leftovers, all you need to do is refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3-5 days. 

When you’re ready to reheat, you may need to thin your sauce a bit. Simply add a splash of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Allow it to simmer until the chicken bites are cooked through.