This is the best Sesame Chicken recipe with crispy chicken in sweet and savory sesame chicken sauce. It tastes just like Chinese restaurants and takes only 20 mins to make. Serve the chicken with steamed rice for an authentic homemade Chinese meal.

Sesame Chicken Recipe

What is Sesame Chicken?

It’s one of the most popular Chinese recipes found in Chinese restaurants and takeouts in the United States.

Everyone loves this deep-fried and crispy chicken coated with a sweet and savory sesame sauce.

Garnished with white sesame seeds, the crispy chicken and sauce pairs perfectly with a bowl of steamed rice.

This is the BEST recipe you will find online! It’s easy, authentic and tastes the same, if not better than Chinese restaurants!

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Sesame Chicken Sauce

The sweet and savory sesame sauce is the star of the dish. It calls for the following ingredients:

Soy sauce
Rice vinegar
Sugar
Cornstarch
Water

How to Make Sesame Chicken?

It’s very easy to make the dish at home. First, prep the chicken, frying batter and the sauce.

Next, coat the chicken with the batter and deep fry. The final step is to make the sauce and coat the chicken with it.

This homemade recipe is very easy and fail-proof and takes less than 20 minutes to make.

Cook’s Tips

For the best results that is the same as the best Chinese restaurants, please follow my cooking tips below:

For the crispiest chicken, follow my batter recipe and coat the chicken evenly. The frying batter produces crispy, light and airy chicken. Shake off the excess batter before deep frying the chicken.
Use chicken breast meat for the best flavor.
Do not drown the chicken with too much sesame sauce. Too much sauce will make the chicken soggy and not crispy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sesame Chicken the Same as General Tso’s Chicken?

General Tso’s Chicken is a completely different dish with a spicy and dark sauce.

Sesame sauce is sweet and savory in taste but not spicy. Both dishes are equally delicious!

Can I use Air Fryer for this Recipe?

For the best results, you should deep-fry the chicken. However, you can use an air fryer to air fry the chicken.

How Many Calories Per Serving?

This recipe is only 304 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?

This meal is best served with steamed rice or noodles. For a wholesome Chinese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

How to Cook Sesame Chicken?

Please refer to the recipe card and video for detailed step-by-step method on how to make this recipe.

Yield: 4 people

Sesame Chicken

Name: Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: chinese
Ingredients: 8 oz. (250 g) boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into strips; oil, for deep-frying; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 clove garlic, minced; white sesame seeds, for garnishing; 1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour, sifted; 1/4 cup cornstarch; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 egg white; 1/3 cup (80 ml) cold water; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 pinch salt; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar; 4 tablespoons sugar; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1/3 cup (80 ml) water

Sesame Chicken - easy, healthy and homemade Chinese Sesame Chicken recipe with sesame sauce. This is the BEST recipe you'll find online and tastes just like takeout restaurants.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients:

8 oz. (250 g) boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
oil, for deep-frying
2 tablespoons oil
1 clove garlic, minced
white sesame seeds, for garnishing

Frying Batter:

1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg white
1/3 cup (80 ml) cold water
1 tablespoon oil
1 pinch salt

Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup (80 ml) water

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients in the Sauce until well combined. Set aside.
Mix all the ingredients in Frying Batter in a bowl until well combined, stir a few times to make sure there are no lumps and the batter is smooth. Add the chicken into the batter, stir to evenly coat with the batter.
Heat 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) of the oil in a wok or a stockpot to 350°F (175°C) for deep-frying. Gently drop the chicken into the oil and loosen them up immediately with a spatula to prevent the chicken from clumping together. Deep-fry the chicken to golden brown. Remove the chicken from the oil with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying the chicken on a dish lined with paper towels. Discard the oil.
Heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic before adding the Sauce.
As soon as the Sauce thickens, add the fried chicken into the wok or skillet. Stir continuously until all the ingredients are well coated with the sauce. Dish out, garnish with the white sesame, and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.

My batter is very thick because it will make the chicken extra crispy, even after adding the sauce. If it's too thick to work with, add 1-2 tablespoons water to loosen it up.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size

4 people
Amount Per Serving Calories 304Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 36mgSodium 595mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 1gSugar 12gProtein 15g

Comments

Sandra

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Loved this recipe!
I live in the Holland, Europe and I remember eating sesame chicken in the States. I was craving this dish and saw your recipe and decided to give it a try.
I made a batch for my family and a batch for my in-laws who tested positive for corona. Glad they weren’t sick too bad.
Anyways they also loved it and asked me for the recipe so they could make it themselves.
Thank you for this most tasty recipe!!!

- Admin
  
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  Thanks, Sandra.
  
Chrystal

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What kind of oil do you use for frying? Also, do you use sesame oil for cooking the garlic?

Thanks
Chrystal

- Rasa Malaysia
  
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  Vegetable oil for both.
  
  - Kirsten
    
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    Here you say vegetable oil and in the next comment from Stephanie you say sesame oil. I’m confused. I would think that sesame oil would be best for the ingredients and vegetable or peanut oil for the frying.
    
Stephanie

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HI what type of oil are you referring to in the recipe?

- Rasa Malaysia
  
  at
  
  Sesame oil.
  
Jacob

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Best batter EVER! Thank you!!!

- Deb
  
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  I while heartedly agree ! I added a few dashes of sesame oil to the sauce ! So delicious
  
Yohna Goodwin

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I would love to take this dish for our Christmas party but will the chicken be soggy before I get to the party thanks Yohna Goodwin

- Rasa Malaysia
  
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  Yes it might.
  
Peg Cooper

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Soooo delicious. My whole family loved this. Better than any restaurant sesame chicken I have ever had. Can’t wait to make it again!

- Rasa Malaysia
  
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  Awesome thanks for trying and please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
  
Amanda

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This really is a delicious recipe, I’m so glad I stumbled across it. It has become a family go for Chinese food, my very picky husband thinks it’s better than take out and my kids love it and request in! Win win!!

- Rasa Malaysia
  
  at
  
  Thanks Amanda, I am so glad you love my recipe. Please try more!
  
Jenn

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Hi
Your sesame chicken recipe looks delicous. Just curious for the chinese rice vinegar. I looked it up at Walmart. They have the Nakano Original Seasoned Rice Vinegar or The Nakano Natural Rice VInegar. Would these work if so which one would you get? I’m suprised the recipe does not have sesame oil this is the only one I found that doesn’t have sesame oil. I’m glad because I have tried sesame oil in a recipe before and it was really strong tasting. I cant remember if I tried the toasted sesame oil or the regular sesame oil. Any of your other recipes do you ever use sesame oil if so what type do you prefer?

Thank you
Jennifer

- Rasa Malaysia
  
  at
  
  Hi Jenn, both rice vinegars are fine. This is sesame chicken, not sesame oil chicken (which is a completely different recipe). I like toasted sesame oil.