This honey sesame chicken is easy to make with crispy chicken pieces coated in a sweet and savory sauce made with honey, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Better than takeout!
Easy Takeout Copycat Recipe
Honey sesame chicken is a sticky, sweet, and savory delight! It’s an easy chicken dish made with crispy shallow-fried chicken chunks of chicken breast, smothered in a glossy and mouth-watering honey sesame sauce.
It’s ready in 30 minutes which is great for busy weeknights. When paired with fried rice and steamed vegetables it’s a satisfying meal for anyone who loves Chinese takeout!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Chicken breast: I tend to use skinless boneless chicken breasts but you can use chicken thighs if preferred. Cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Coating: Cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic salt. This mixture will be used to dredge the chicken.
- Egg: Seals the coating.
- Oil: I prefer a neutral oil like canola oil or avocado oil for pan frying.
- Honey sesame sauce: Honey, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, cornstarch, and water are combined to make a thick sweet, and sticky chicken sauce.
How to Make Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe
- Combine the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce until well combined. Set it aside.
- Coat the meat. Trim any excess fat off the skinless chicken breasts or thighs and cut them into evenly bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large zip-top bag with cornstarch, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Shake until each piece is evenly coated.
- Dredge in egg and pan fry. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. While the oil is heating up, prepare a shallow bowl with the whisked egg. Use a fork to dip the coated chicken pieces into the egg mixture. Then transfer them to the pan of hot oil and fry for 6-8 minutes. Work in batches so you’re not overcrowding the pan and add fresh oil as needed. Remove chicken as it gets done to a paper towel lined plate.
- Heat the sauce and combine. Drain the oil and add the sauce to the pan. Simmer until it starts to thicken then add back the meat. Toss evenly to coat everything in the sauce. Serve with white rice or brown rice, and garnish with green onions and extra sesame seeds if desired.
Tips and Variations
- For a darker color and added sweetness, you can also use ketchup and brown sugar in your sauce like I do in sesame chicken.
- For a bit of spice, sprinkle in red pepper flakes.
- To elevate the sesame flavor even more, use toasted sesame oil rather than regular sesame oil.
- Substitute the rice vinegar in the sauce with white vinegar or apple cider. Vinegar cuts through the sweetness to give the sauce a nice tangy balance.
- Wait until the oil is hot. To test the oil, splash a little water in the oil. If it pops, it’s ready. If you add the meat too early, it will start to absorb way too much oil as it sits and waits for it to heat up.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. Doing so will lower the temperature of the oil and prevent all pieces from crisping up evenly.
- Simmer sauce. Simmer sauce until it is thick and glossy before adding your chicken back to the pan. This allows the water to evaporate a bit and helps the sauce stick to the chicken better.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re interested in making some Asian-inspired appetizers, you’re going to want to make another Panda Express copycat recipe, these cream cheese wontons. A side of egg rolls is always a must-have on our table.
Honey sesame chicken is great on its own, but to make it a complete meal like my chicken broccoli stir fry, we’ll usually have it with rice and steamed vegetables.
Storing
- Store: Keep honey sesame chicken leftovers stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: In the microwave or the stovetop. You won’t crisp it back up again because of the sauce, but the flavors will have only gotten better!
Recipe FAQs
You can! You can do it by skipping the egg mixture too. Once coated in seasoning and cornstarch, add the pieces to the air fryer basket (again, work in batches if necessary), then spray with cooking oil. Air fry at 400°F until golden and crispy and in the meantime simmer the sauce. Once cooked, combine the nuggets with the sauce.
Absolutely! Very similar to General Tso’s chicken, which is spicy and without sesame seeds, once the chicken is coated in the egg, we coat it once more in cornstarch and then brown the chicken in oil. Place the browned pieces on a baking sheet, pour the combined sauce overtop and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 45 minutes.
Yes, if you like them softer, you may need to saute first in a separate pan otherwise feel free to add bell peppers, snow peas, snap peas or green beans.
Other Asian recipes we love to make at home include sweet and sour chicken, copycat Kung Pao chicken and this PF Chang’s lettuce wraps recipe.
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Honey Sesame Chicken
Video
Ingredients
Honey Sesame Sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ½ Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons regular soy sauce (not light)
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar (distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work too)
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ cups water
Chicken
- 1 ¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs , cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ cup canola oil , divided (avocado oil will work too)
- 2 large eggs , whisked
For serving: Cooked rice, Broccoli and/or carrots, Sliced green onions
Instructions
Honey Sesame Sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 Tablespoon sugar, 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons sesame oil, 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and 3/4 cups water until well combined.
Chicken
- In a large zip-top bag, add 1 1/4 pounds bite sized chicken pieces, 3/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and shake until evenly coated.
- In a large wok or nonstick frying pan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. In a shallow bowl, add the 2 whisked eggs. Using a fork, dip the chicken in the egg and place in the pan, working in batches. Fry chicken 6 to 8 minutes, or until cooked through and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Dispose of the burnt oil. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil before frying the remaining chicken. Dispose of oil.
- Add the sauce to the wok and simmer until it starts to thicken. Stir in the fried chicken and toss to evenly coat each piece in sauce.
- Serve with steamed rice and vegetables. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Asian, Chicken, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Stovetop
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Super good!!! A little bit of work-but well worth it. Don’t change a thing on the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed the honey sesame chicken!
this is a really tasty and easy way to make some Asian style chicken that will hold some sauce. thank you.
Thanks Nathan! Glad you liked the chicken!
Thin out the egg wash with water. Knock off most of the corn starch in a sieve for best results.
Yummy!
This recipe was a hit for my entire family! It’s one I would make again on a weekend for a fancier homemade meal.
So glad the sesame chicken was a hit! Thanks for your review Morgan :)
I just made this for dinner tonight. Very good, it was a huge hit with my family. This will be in the rotation for sure!
this chicken dish is one of my favorite asian recipes and I cannot thank you enough for sharing this amazing recipe
We just moved to a small town and it doesn’t have a Chinese restaurant so I was so glad to find this recipe. It turned out amazing!! Thank you!
I love love LOVE Asian inspired cuisine. This came together so quickly, tasted great and was super filling! Will definitely be making again!
So glad you enjoyed the honey sesame chicken!