Weeknights are chaos, right? Believe me, I know that feeling. When you need dinner on the table fast but you’re sick of boring chicken, I have the absolute answer for you: my incredibly simple **Sesame Chicken**. This isn’t some complicated takeout copycat recipe; it’s the real deal. It hits that perfect sweet and savory note every single time.
Honestly, this became our go-to after I completely forgot I needed to defrost anything one Tuesday night. I threw this together in about 20 minutes, tops, and suddenly, the whole family was raving! This dish proves you don’t need hours of prep to get that amazing sticky glaze everyone loves. It’s speedy, satisfying, and honestly, the best Asian rescue mission in my kitchen.
Why This Simple Sesame Chicken Recipe Works (EEAT)
This recipe cuts right to the chase, and honestly, that’s why it’s so reliable. You don’t need a dozen obscure ingredients or thirty minutes just to prep the sauce. It’s designed for real life, not just for fancy food blogs! If you want intense flavor without the fuss, I suggest checking out my guide on unlocking flavor in chicken dishes right here.
- It’s lightning fast—we’re talking under 25 minutes total time, which is insane.
- The flavor balance of sweet honey and tangy vinegar is spot on.
- Cleanup is a breeze since you mostly use one skillet.
My absolute best tip for getting that amazing sticky coat is crucial: make sure you cook the chicken almost entirely first, *then* you add back the thickened sauce. If you dump the chicken into the raw sauce mixture, it steams instead of getting that perfect glaze. Trust me on this one; it’s the secret to non-soggy bites!
Ingredients for the Perfect Sesame Chicken
Look at this ingredient list—it’s short, sweet, and powerful! You don’t need a trip to a specialty store for this one. Quality matters, though, especially with the soy sauce; I use a regular, not low-sodium kind, because we need that foundational salty punch.
Here is what you need to gather before you even turn on the stove. It’s best to have everything measured out since the cooking goes so fast!
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces (If you’re feeling lazy, thighs work great too!)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey (the richer the color, the better the flavor!)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (Please use fresh! The powdered stuff just doesn’t sing here.)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Vegetable oil for cooking (use a high smoke point oil!)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (I usually toast mine while the oil heats up.)
- Cooked rice, for serving (We usually do jasmine rice.)
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Sesame Chicken
Okay, time to put on our aprons! Once you have everything measured out—and trust me, organization is everything when things move this fast—the actual cooking part is super straightforward. If you want to see how to make a similar, slightly tangier version, check out my Honey Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry post!
Preparing the Sauce and Slurry
First things first, let’s get our liquid components ready so we aren’t scrambling later. You only need two small bowls for this part. Grab one bowl and whisk together your soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Give that a good swirl and then set it aside to let those flavors start hanging out together.
In the second small bowl, you’re making the slurry—this equals thick, glossy sauce! Just mix that 1/4 cup of water and the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch together until it’s totally smooth. Keep whisking until you can’t see any dry white clumps hiding at the bottom. If you’re using chicken thighs instead of breast, this method still works perfectly, just be prepared for them to take an extra minute or two to cook through.
Cooking the Chicken and Thickening the Sesame Chicken Sauce
Next up, heat about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in your biggest skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Hot pan equals good browning here! When the oil shimmers, dump in all your bite-sized chicken pieces. And I mean all of them; don’t overcrowd the pan, or they won’t sear right! Cook them until they look beautifully browned and cooked all the way through—that usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Once they are done, scoop that chicken out onto a clean plate and set it aside. We need that pan empty!
Now, pour the reserved sauce mixture right back into that hot skillet. Bring it up to a quick simmer. Remember that slurry you mixed? Whisk it one more time just to be sure it’s smooth, and then slowly, slowly pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring non-stop. Watch the magic happen! It will thicken up almost instantly into that gorgeous, cohesive **Sesame Chicken** sauce. Once it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, return all your cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss everything gently so every single piece gets coated in that sweet, sticky glaze. Once it’s coated, take it off the heat, give it a big sprinkle of those toasted sesame seeds, and serve it right over hot rice!
Expert Tips for Restaurant-Quality Sesame Chicken
While this **Sesame Chicken** is already fast, sometimes you just want that extra crackle you get at your favorite takeout spot, even in a quick stir-fry. I’ve played around with this recipe until I got it right, and I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve that step it up.
If you want serious crispiness without deep frying, try giving your chicken pieces a super light dusting of cornstarch *before* you brown them in the oil. Just a thin veil is all you need. This helps create a little crust that stands up better to the sticky sauce when you toss it all back together.
For that perfect sweet and savory balance, taste the sauce right before you return the chicken. If it tastes a little too sharp from the vinegar, whisk in half a teaspoon more honey. If it’s too sweet, a tiny splash more soy sauce or rice vinegar nudges it back into amazing territory. For even more flavor depth, check out how I build flavor in a similar stir-fry over in this post!
Serving Suggestions for Your Sesame Chicken
This sweet and savory **Sesame Chicken** is so rich and saucy that honestly, it’s just begging to be served over something that can soak up all that glaze! The recipe calls for cooked rice, and I highly recommend sticking with a fluffy white rice like Jasmine. It’s the perfect neutral base that lets the chicken shine.
If you want to elevate the meal slightly without adding major cooking time, try stepping up your rice game. Maybe you make my favorite simple egg fried rice—it sounds fancy, but it’s actually super quick and tastes like you picked it up from a great local spot. You can grab the steps for that when you have a second!
For adding some crunch and color, you don’t need a complicated vegetable dish. Steamed or lightly sautéed broccoli florets tossed with just a tiny bit of salt and pepper are wonderful alongside it. You can also serve it with some crisp cucumber salad if you want something cool and refreshing to cut through the sweetness of the sauce. Keep it simple; the chicken is the star here!
Storing and Reheating Leftover Sesame Chicken
I always hope there are leftovers because, truthfully, this **Sesame Chicken** might taste even better the next day once the flavors have really settled into the coating! But how you treat those leftovers is key to preventing that disappointing slick of soggy chicken when you reheat it.
The absolute best way to store it is in a shallow, airtight container in the fridge. Don’t leave it sitting on the counter; those delicious sugars in the sauce can spoil quickly. It should last happily for about three to four days. If you’re making a huge batch for meal prep, you can even freeze individual portions, but I find the texture of the sauce changes slightly.
Now, when it comes time to eat those heavenly leftovers, please, for the love of great food, avoid the microwave if you can! The microwave is the enemy of crispy coatings and tends to make the sticky sauce gummy or burn it in spots. I really recommend the stovetop method.
Here is my go-to method for leftovers:
- Put a tiny splash—maybe a teaspoon—of water or broth in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the cold chicken and sauce mixture to the pan.
- Stir it gently and frequently until it’s heated all the way through. The little bit of added liquid keeps it from sticking while it warms up, and it restores that wonderful coating without making the chicken rubbery.
If you absolutely *have* to use the microwave, use low power in short 30-second bursts and stir vigorously between each burst. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nuking it for a full minute straight!
Variations on Classic Sesame Chicken
While this recipe is perfect as is, because it’s so simple and reliant on that amazing sauce, it’s also a fantastic base for experimenting! You don’t have to stick strictly to chicken breast if you don’t want to. Remember I mentioned chicken thighs? They add amazing flavor and stay super moist.
If you want to turn this into a full dinner plate without much extra effort, you absolutely need to toss in some veggies when you return the chicken to the pan. Broccoli florets are my number one choice; they soak up the sauce beautifully. If you’re looking for a little fire, try adding some red pepper flakes to the initial sauce mix for a spicy kick. For even more ideas on kicking up the heat, check out my recipe for Spicy Honey Ginger Chicken Bowls!
Frequently Asked Questions About Sesame Chicken
I know you might have a few burning questions, especially if you’re trying to make this the ultimate easy chicken recipe for a new weeknight rotation. It’s the most common thing I hear! Here are the sticking points I always run into when testing this dish.
Can I make this ahead of time? And if so, how?
That’s a great question, and yes, you can definitely reduce your cooking time! I usually prep everything the night before. That means cutting the chicken, mixing the sauce base (without the cornstarch slurry!), and having the sesame seeds toasted and ready to go. Keep them refrigerated separately. Then, when dinner time rolls around, you just cook the chicken, make the slurry, and bring the sauce together—it will take you seriously under 15 minutes that way. This helps keep that sweet and savory dressing perfectly separated until the very last minute.
What if I want crispy chicken instead of coated chicken?
This recipe is built around the glaze, which naturally coats the chicken nicely. If you truly want that fried crunch, you need to treat the chicken differently! After you cut the chicken into pieces, toss them lightly in cornstarch (just a tablespoon or two) and then pan-fry them in a little more oil until they are deeply golden brown and crunchy. Once they are done, remove them from the pan. Then, proceed with steps 5 through 8 in the instructions, tossing the crispy chicken into the thickened sauce right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy too fast. It’s an amazing variation!
Why do I need to use both sesame oil and vegetable oil?
This is such a smart query! Remember, we’re making an easy chicken recipe here, but we need to be precise with flavor. Vegetable oil—or canola oil, or another neutral oil—is your friend in the pan because it has a high smoke point. It allows the chicken to brown nicely without burning. Sesame oil, on the other hand, has a very low smoke point and its flavor is super intense. We add that tiny bit right into the sauce mixture primarily for that nutty, distinct flavor that makes it taste like proper Chinese takeout. You absolutely cannot skip the sesame oil in the sauce, but you do need the neutral oil for cooking the meat!
Can I double this recipe easily?
You certainly can double it! However, here’s a crucial piece of advice: If you double the chicken quantity, you must cook the chicken in batches. Don’t try to crowd one large skillet, even if you’re using a massive wok. Crowding drops the temperature instantly, and instead of searing and browning your chicken, you’ll end up steaming it until it’s pale and rubbery; nobody wants that! Do the cooking in two separate, quick batches, and then combine the cooked chicken with the doubled sauce mixture at the end. For more ideas on making easy chicken recipes for a crowd, why not check out my guide here?
Nutritional Estimates for This Sesame Chicken
Now, I always get asked about the numbers, and I want to be upfront: this is a homemade dish, so these figures are just estimates to give you a general idea. I calculate these based on the ingredients I use, but if you swap out the honey for agave, or use chicken thighs instead of breast, those totals will shift! Keep that in mind when you’re looking at the breakdown.
I try to focus on the quality of the macros we’re getting here—lots of protein for staying full, and certainly worth the energy it took to get it on the table!
Here is the general breakdown per serving size (this recipe yields about 3 servings):
- Calories: Approximately 350
- Protein: A fantastic 35 grams! Chicken is a superstar here.
- Carbohydrates: Around 25 grams, mostly from the honey and the sauce thickener.
- Total Fat: About 12 grams. Most of that is the healthy unsaturated fat from the sesame oil and the cooking oil.
- Sugar: We are clocking in around 15 grams of sugar, mostly coming from that honey component that makes the sauce so delicious!
- Sodium: Be aware, this is on the higher side at about 750mg, mainly coming straight from the soy sauce. I always recommend using regular soy sauce instead of low-sodium if you want the authentic flavor, but if you’re watching salt intake, swap it for low-sodium for a noticeable difference in the final result.
Since we aren’t deep-frying anything, the fat content stays wonderfully reasonable for a takeout-style dinner. Enjoy knowing what you’re eating!
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Simple Sesame Chicken
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
A straightforward recipe for sweet and savory sesame chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Vegetable oil for cooking
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the water and cornstarch until smooth to create a slurry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Pour the reserved sauce mixture into the skillet. Bring to a simmer.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry again and slowly pour it into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat the chicken evenly with the sauce.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately over cooked rice.
Notes
- Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breast if you prefer.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 90
Keywords: sesame chicken, sweet and savory, easy chicken recipe, Asian chicken