Honey Sesame Chicken – Easy Chinese Takeaway Meal at Home
For an easy Chinese takeaway meal at home, honey sesame chicken is created with juicy pieces of fried chicken breast and a rich, sweet, and flavorful honey sesame sauce.
Let’s prepare another simple and well-known Chinese takeout dish at home. You won’t want to go back to Panda Express’ honey sesame chicken after you try this quick chicken recipe. You can have it for lunch or dinner with a bowl of rice or noodles.
What does Honey Sesame Chicken taste like?
Honey sesame chicken is a Chinese-American meal that consists of small pieces of battered and fried chicken that are then tossed in a sticky, sweet, and savory sauce made mostly of soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil. After that, sesame seeds are sprinkled on top of the chicken, which is usually served with rice and veggies.
You may find this Asian chicken dish in most Western restaurants. Takeout places like Panda Express and P.F. Changs made it popular.
Things you need
You can get everything you need to make this honey sesame chicken dish from your neighborhood Asian grocery store. In the recipe card below, I’ve linked to all the ingredients.
Chicken
- You can use either boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs.
- Chicken bouillon powder: to make the chicken taste even better.
- Salt and white pepper to give the chicken flavor
- Eggs are what hold the batter together.
- Cornstarch and all-purpose flour together make fried chicken pieces that are crunchy and light.
- Baking powder makes the chicken even crispier by producing air pockets.
Sesame Honey Sauce
- Light soy sauce is the foundation of the sauce and has less sodium than regular soy sauce.
- Oyster sauce offers a depth of rich umami flavor.
- Rice vinegar: provides a little brightness and acidity.
- Ketchup: adds a secret umami kick.
- Honey gives a smooth, glossy texture and a soft, sweet, floral taste.
- Brown Sugar: makes the sauce taste even sweeter.
- The primary smell is garlic.
- Sesame oil gives the dish its final nutty sesame taste.
- Cornstarch will make the sauce thicker and give it a shiny finish.
○ 1 ½ pound chicken breast or thighs, chopped into pieces that are 1 inch long
○ 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder
○ ½ teaspoon of white pepper
○ 1 tablespoon of water
○ 2 big eggs
○ ½ cup of flour that can be used for anything
○ ½ cup of cornstarch
○ 2 teaspoons of baking powder
○ ½ teaspoon of salt
○ ¼ cup of water
○ 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
○ Vegetable oil (2 to 3 inches for frying, or any other neutral oil with a high smoke point)
○ 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
○ 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
○ 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
○ 2 tablespoons of ketchup
○ 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
○ ¼ cup of honey
○ 3 tablespoons of water
○ 4 cloves of garlic
○ 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
○ 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
○ 3 tablespoons of water
○ Sliced green onions with toasted sesame seeds
How to Cook Chicken with Honey and Sesame
Here are the steps you need to follow to make this honey sesame chicken dish.For full measurements and instructions, see the recipe card.
- Put the chicken in the marinade.Put the chicken pieces that are 1 inch long into a bowl with chicken bouillon powder, white pepper, and water. Mix until everything is mixed together, then let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
- Combine the sauce.Put the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, and water in a small bowl. Combine the ingredients and set them aside.
- Get the batter ready.Put the large eggs, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water, and oil in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until everything is well blended. Pour the batter over the chicken and stir it up until all of the pieces are covered.
- Cook the chicken.Put 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 365°F. Put the battered chicken in the oil one at a time, being careful not to break it. To keep the pan from getting too full, work in batches. Fry for around three minutes. Take the chicken out with a spider strainer and put it on a wire rack to let the extra oil drain off.
- Fry the chicken twice.For the second fry, turn up the heat to 375°F and fried the chicken in batches for 2 minutes, or until it is golden brown and crispy. Take the chicken out and put it on a wire rack to let the extra oil drip out. Before frying the second batch, make sure the oil is at 375°F.
- Make the sauce with honey and sesame.Put 1 teaspoon of oil in the wok and turn the heat up to medium. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until it smells good. Add the sauce and stir until everything is mixed together. Stir the sauce for 2 minutes as it comes to a boil. When the sauce starts to simmer, mix the cornstarch slurry with it and stir until it thickens, which should take about a minute. Turn off the heat, add the sesame oil, and stir until everything is mixed.
- Mix and serve.Mix the chicken and sauce together until the chicken is well coated. Add sesame seeds and green onion on top, and enjoy!
Advice from Experts
- Cut the chicken into even pieces.Cut the chicken into pieces that are all the same size so that they cook as evenly as possible.
- For color, use dark soy sauce.Add 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce to make the sauce a darker brown. It gives the sauce a sweet soy sauce taste.
- One fry vs. two fry.When you double fry the chicken, it gets extra crispy, so it won’t get soggy when you mix it with the sauce. Instead, you may always fry the chicken by itself for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Put a thermometer in your oil.As you cook the chicken in stages, the oil temperature will change. Use a frying thermometer in your oil to make sure the chicken is crispy and crunchy.
- Cook the chicken in groups.Because this batter is moist, the pieces of chicken may cling together if you fried too many at once and fill the skillet too full.
- Bring the honey sesame sauce to a boil and let it thicken.To make sure the honey sesame sauce has a rich, shiny glaze that coats the chicken evenly, simmer it until it thickens.
- To get rid of oil, use an oil solidifier.To make it easy to throw away, use an oil solidifier like fry away to turn the oil into a solid.
Changes and Additions
Changes
- Instead of soy sauce, you can use tamari or coconut aminos as a soy sauce substitute.
- Regular white vinegar can be used in place of rice vinegar.
- You can use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar.
More things
- Ginger: Add grated ginger for a stronger, more fragrant flavor.
- Spice: You can add dried chili peppers, chili oil, sriracha, and other things to make it hotter.
How to Store
You can keep the sesame chicken in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to four days.
Reheat: Because the sesame chicken is fried, the best method to warm it up again is in the oven or air fryer at 350°F until it is hot all the way through.
You may freeze the fried chicken and the honey sesame sauce separately in airtight containers in the freezer for up to three months after they have both cooled. Put the chicken and sauce in the fridge overnight to thaw, then heat them up and serve.
Suggestions for Pairing
You can serve this honey chicken recipe with a bowl of steaming white rice or with the following options for what to eat with it.
- Garlic bok choy, garlic green beans, or cucumber salad are some examples of vegetables.
- Egg fried rice or shrimp fried rice are examples of fried rice.
- Noodles like chicken lo mein, garlic chili oil noodles, or soy sauce pan-fried noodles.
Questions and Answers
- What makes General Tso’s chicken different from sesame chicken?
- General Tso’s chicken and sesame chicken are both Chinese takeaway dishes that are quite popular. They are both created using battered and fried chicken. The sesame chicken sauce, on the other hand, is gentle, sweet, and delicious, while the General Tso’s chicken sauce is bolder and hotter.
- Is it possible to freeze honey sesame chicken?
- Yes, you can freeze this honey sesame chicken. If you can, though, it’s preferable to freeze the chicken and sauce separately.
- Is chicken with sesame seeds good for you?
- No, because the chicken is battered and deep fried, it doesn’t have many health benefits. If you want a healthier alternative, though, you can just roast the chicken on a grill or skillet and then mix it with the tasty honey sesame sauce.
- Are there nuts in honey sesame chicken?
- No, there are no nuts in honey sesame chicken. Sesame seeds give the food a nutty flavor, although they aren’t nuts. But this could make you allergic if you are allergic to seeds.
- Is there dairy in sesame chicken?
- No, this sesame chicken recipe doesn’t have any dairy in it, like other Asian recipes.