Recipe

Classic Sesame Chicken Recipe

Crispy chicken in a glossy sesame sauce that hits sweet, tangy, and garlicky all at once. Weeknight-friendly, takeout level, and totally doable at home.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A bowl of crispy sesame chicken coated in glossy sauce with sesame seeds and sliced green onions

Jump to Recipe

If sesame chicken has ever let you down at home, it is usually for one reason: the sauce tastes flat, or the chicken goes soft the second it hits the pan. We are fixing both.

This version leans classic Chinese-American takeout style: a velveting-inspired marinade for a tender bite, a light cornstarch coating for crisp edges, then a fast toss in a tangy-sweet sauce that actually tastes like something. Think toasted sesame, garlic, ginger, and that bright little zip that keeps you going back for one more piece.

Why It Works

Crisp chicken, not soggy. Cornstarch plus a hot pan gives you that crunchy edge that survives the sauce toss.
Balanced sauce. Honey for sweetness, rice vinegar for tang, soy for depth, and a little toasted sesame oil stirred in off heat so it stays fragrant.
Fast flavor build. Ginger, garlic, and scallions bloom in the pan for a restaurant-style base without turning this into a 2-hour project.
Flexible cooking options. Shallow-fry for peak crunch or air-fry for lower mess, then sauce in a skillet.

Pairs Well With

Steamed Jasmine Rice
Garlic Green Beans
Sesame Cucumber Salad
Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

Storage Tips

Heads up: crispy chicken is living on borrowed time once it is sauced. Still delicious, just softer the next day.

Fridge

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
If you can, store sauce and chicken separately to keep more crunch.

Reheat

Best: Re-crisp chicken in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 6 to 10 minutes, then warm sauce in a small pan and toss.
Quick: Microwave in short bursts. The texture will be softer, but the flavor holds up.

Freezing

Freeze the cooked, unsauced chicken on a sheet pan, then bag it for up to 2 months.
Freeze sauce separately in a small container. Thaw overnight, reheat, and toss.

Common Questions

Is sesame chicken the same as General Tso’s?

They are cousins, not twins. General Tso’s usually leans spicier and deeper with more chili and often more vinegar bite. Sesame chicken is typically sweeter, nuttier, and more straightforward, with toasted sesame playing the lead role.

How do I keep the chicken crispy after adding sauce?

Two moves: keep your sauce thick and glossy (not watery), and toss the chicken for just 30 to 60 seconds right before serving. If it sits in sauce too long, it will soften.

Can I bake or air-fry instead of frying?

Yes. Air-fry gets you closest. Air-fry the coated chicken at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking or flipping halfway through, until browned and crisp (check that the thickest pieces hit 165°F). Then toss in sauce in a skillet. Baking works too: use a 425°F oven for 18 to 22 minutes on a lightly oiled rack, flipping once.

What if I do not have rice vinegar?

Use apple cider vinegar in a pinch. Start with a little less, taste, and adjust. Rice vinegar is softer and cleaner, so the swap may taste slightly sharper.

Is this gluten-free?

It can be. Use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce, and confirm your hoisin and ketchup (if used) are gluten-free.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large skillet or wok (12-inch is perfect)
Mixing bowls (1 for chicken, 1 for sauce)
Whisk for smoothing the cornstarch slurry
Tongs or a slotted spoon
Instant-read thermometer (optional but clutch for perfect chicken)
Paper towels and a plate for draining

Sesame chicken is one of those comfort orders that never feels flashy, but it always delivers. The first time I tried making it at home, I did what every optimistic cook does: I poured the sauce over the chicken and called it a day. Tasted fine. Texture was, respectfully, sad.

Now I treat it like a team sport. Crisp the chicken hard, build the sauce fast, and only introduce them at the very end. It is a little chaotic, a little sticky, and absolutely worth it when you take that first bite and get crunch, tang, sweetness, and toasted sesame all at once.

Classic Sesame Chicken Recipe

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Chicken

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large egg white
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 to 2 tsp cornstarch (for a velveting-inspired marinade)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus more as needed (for coating)
Neutral oil for shallow-frying (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, depending on pan), such as canola or avocado

Tangy Sweet Sesame Sauce

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp ketchup (optional, but adds that classic takeout tang and color)
1 tbsp hoisin sauce (optional, adds depth)
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, divided (2 tsp in sauce, 1 tsp to finish)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup water

Aromatics and Finish

2 tbsp neutral oil (use some of your frying oil if it is strained and not burnt)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
3 scallions, sliced (whites and greens separated)
2 to 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili crisp

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, mix egg white, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and toss until coated. Let it sit 10 minutes while you mix the sauce.
Whisk the sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup (if using), hoisin (if using), 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, cornstarch, and water until smooth. Set near the stove.
Coat for crisp edges. If the chicken released a lot of liquid, drain off any excess so the coating does not turn pasty. Sprinkle cornstarch over the marinated chicken and toss until each piece looks lightly coated and a little shaggy. If it looks wet, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons cornstarch.
Shallow-fry the chicken. Heat about 1/4 inch of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high. (In a 12-inch skillet, that is usually about 1/2 to 3/4 cup.) When the oil is shimmering and a piece of chicken sizzles immediately on contact (around 350°F if you want to temp it), add chicken in a single layer. Cook 2 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through (165°F). Work in batches so you do not crowd the pan. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Bloom the aromatics. Carefully pour off excess oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Lower heat to medium. Add garlic, ginger, and the scallion whites. Stir 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant.
Thicken the sauce. Whisk the sauce again (cornstarch settles fast), then pour it into the pan. Stir constantly as it bubbles and turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Toss, fast. Add crispy chicken to the sauce and toss for 30 to 60 seconds, just until coated.
Finish like you mean it. Off heat, stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, then add sesame seeds and scallion greens. Taste and adjust. More vinegar for tang, more honey for sweetness, or a splash more soy sauce (or a pinch of salt) if it needs a lift.
Serve immediately. Best over rice, with a simple veggie on the side. If you want extra crunch, sprinkle a few more sesame seeds right on top.

Sesame chicken being tossed in a skillet with glossy sauce and sesame seeds

Nutrition information is estimated.

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