Quick & Easy Honey Sesame Chicken

Honey Sesame Chicken. Crispy fried chicken smothered in a sweet thick honey sesame sauce. A popular dish at Chinese restaurants. This is one of those chicken recipes that is so easy to make in just 30 minutes!

4.96 from 21 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Servings

Calories per serving 545 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs diced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cornstarch
⅓ cup avocado oil or any neutral tasting oil

Sauce:

½ cup honey
2.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce (not dark soy sauce)
2 tablespoon sesame oil
½ tablespoon white granulated sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon garlic minced
2 teaspoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine or sub with Dry Sherry Wine
2 teaspoon rice vinegar
¾ cup water

Optional garnish:

½ stalk green onion finely sliced

Instructions

In a bowl, combine Sauce ingredients until well combined and set aside.
Slice chicken thighs into equal bite size pieces, about 6-8 pieces depending on the size of your thighs. Transfer to a large bowl.
Season diced chicken with salt. Then add cornstarch and mix with tongs just until chicken is coated. Do not overmix. Tip: Turn the tongs a few times to mix the starch into the chicken and this will achieve an even coating (see video for visuals).
In a wok or non-stick pan set over medium high heat, add oil. Once oil is hot, carefully lower coated chicken. Spread apart quickly. Fry until golden and crispy brown on both sides, about 6-8 minutes in total. Remove chicken from pan and transfer to a plate. (For Air Fryer instructions, see Notes section below). Discard any excess oil.
Back into the pan on medium high heat, pour in the sauce and simmer until it thickens.
Once sauce is thick, toss fried chicken into sauce and mix until each piece is coated. Remove off heat. Optional: Garnish with green onions and more sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Notes

Air Fryer Instructions:

Transfer coated chicken into air fryer and give each piece enough space (You may need to air fry in two batches if needed). Spray enough oil over the chicken. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes until golden and crispy.

Note: I am using a Philips Air Fryer and I air fried mine at 400 degrees at 14 minutes for crispy texture. If you’re using a different machine, check your chicken at 12 minutes and if it needs more crispiness, air fry for another couple minutes until you reach your desired texture.

Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

Suggested Equipment & Products

Nutrition