Sesame Chicken – Better Than Takeout! (VIDEO)

Ingredients for Sesame Chicken Chicken

Making Sesame Chicken at home is simpler than you would think – the list of ingredients required may look long but most of the items are ones you already have in your pantry.

Chicken

• chicken breast – I like to use 1″ pieces of chicken breast for Sesame Chicken. You want to cut them into similar sized pieces so the chicken can cook evenly.
  • You can substitute with chicken thigh if you prefer.
• kosher salt
• white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• light soy sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for a fried rice recipe.
• shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
• garlic
• ginger
• sesame oil

Other Ingredients

• flour + cornstarch – Combining flour and cornstarch is how you get an addictively crispy and delicious batter. When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.) 
• baking powder – Baking Powder is one of my favorite tricks in frying foods that still taste light and airy. The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which helps the outer layer get crispy while keeping it light and airy.
• ketchup
• chicken stock
• brown sugar
• honey
• vinegar
• sesame seeds
• neutral oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not work with the flavors of Chinese cooking.
• cornstarch + water – Cornstarch slurry is used in a lot of Asian cooking to thicken sauces and soups. A slurry means a mixture of liquid (usually water) and a thickening agent (in this case, cornstarch). TIP: Make sure to re-mix your cornstarch slurry right before using it.

Sesame Chicken: Recipe Instructions

1. Cut and Marinate the Chicken

The first step in making this recipe is cutting the chicken into 1″ pieces. Cut the chicken into uniform pieces so they cook evenly when we fry them. You can use either chicken breast or chicken thigh for this recipe!

Marinating the chicken with kosher salt, white pepper, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, grated garlic & ginger, and sesame oil is one of my keys to super flavorful chicken. But even more importantly, this marinade will act as a binder to stick to the dredge before frying!

2. Mix Your Sauce

Next, mix the Sesame Chicken sauce by combining chicken stock, light soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, and sesame oil. Mix until well combined and set aside.

3. Dredge the chicken

Mix together flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, white pepper, and baking powder in a large bowl.

Before you begin coating the chicken pieces in the dry seasoning mix, give the chicken a final mix to redistribute the wet batter and let any drip off the chicken.

Individually coat the chicken pieces in the dry seasoning mix so that there are no dry spots.

Be sure to pack the dry mix in to the chicken with your hands (I like squeezing it in) to properly coat the chicken so the batter sticks.

4. Fry (and double fry) the chicken

Heat a few quarts of neutral oil over high heat until the temperature reaches 350F.

Carefully fry the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. I highly recommend a thermometer to accurately measure your oil temperature, as you do not want the oil temperature to drop below 325F.

Remove the chicken; bring the oil temperature back up to 350F and fry a second time for an additional 1-2 minutes until the chicken is dark golden brown and crispy!

Storage and Reheating

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

I like to reheat Sesame Chicken in the air fryer or oven! Reheat in the air fryer for 6-8 minutes at 350F or in the oven at 375F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through and crispy. I prefer these reheating methods over the microwave because I’m able to separate any chicken that stuck together, make sure each piece has been re-warmed, and also helps restore some of the texture to the chicken.

You won’t be able to get the crispiness back from reheating but the flavors will be even better the next day! If you don’t care about the texture and just need it reheated quickly, use a microwave.

What to Serve with Sesame Chicken

If you’re going to make better-than-takeout Sesame Chicken at home, I recommend you go all-out and recreate your perfect Chinese Take-Out meal!

You can’t have take-out without making my crispiest Egg Rolls! You’ll also need some kind of carb – I would make Chicken Fried Rice (if you want shrimp instead, try Shrimp Fried Rice)and Shrimp Lo Mein (if you need a chicken option, try Chicken Lo Mein) to go with Sesame Chicken. Take-out isn’t complete without a comforting bowl of soup -try my Egg Drop Soup or Hot and Sour Soup! If you want a second chicken dish, make General Tso’s Chicken!

Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.

My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Sesame Chicken not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.

If you tried this Sesame Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!