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Home » Dinner » Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken

Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken

October 29, 2018 by Tracy | Updated June 7, 2020 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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cooked crispy sesame chicken held up by chopsticks and Pinterest pin text.
chopsticks holding sesame chicken with Pinterest pin text.
a plate of sesame chicken with chopsticks with Pinterest pin text.
cooked crispy sesame chicken held up by chopsticks and Pinterest pin text.
chopsticks holding a piece of sesame chicken over a plate of it with Pinterest pin text.
chopsticks holding crispy sesame chicken over a plate with Pinterest pin text.

Skip the take-out and make your very own Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken!  It's easier than you think and you can make it with simple and easy ingredients you already have in your pantry!

cooked crispy sesame chicken held up by chopsticks.

Guys.  It's allllll the Asian flavors up in this house these days. Even though people often try to speak to me in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean (and any other Asian language that the speaker knows) because I am in Korean, I grew up in New England and was raised 100% Polish, so this much Asian deliciousness in our house isn't common, but it's now going to be because these homemade versions are so easy.  With a two-year-old and a (now) 3-month-old at home, dinner has to be easy these days.  And although it might take a little bit of time, this Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken is easy!

Recipe Video

Ingredients Needed

raw chicken breasts, flour, ketchup, cornstarch, eggs, garlic, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar on a counter.

Even though "from scratch" and "homemade" can often sound time-consuming, it doesn't have to be.  Plus, you probably already have everything for this recipe in your pantry.  Maybe you don't have rice wine vinegar.  In that case, you need to add it to your pantry immediately, especially if you want to make more Asian dishes.

  • Boneless Chicken - Breasts are our favorite for this.
  • Flour and Cornstach - To coat the chicken. We use all-purpose but you can also use gluten-free flour. Just keep in mind if you use almond or coconut flour, that will adjust the taste of your chicken. The cornstarch helps add to the crispiness while it's frying.
  • Eggs - To bind the coating
  • The Sauce - low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, honey, garlic, hoisin, and brown sugar.
  • Sesame Oil - This adds that sesame flavor, although you could also use another oil, but keep in mind whatever you use will impart flavor, so best to use a vegetable oil, unless you want some added peanut flavor, add some peanut oil.

Tip: You can make your own 5 Minute Homemade Ketchup, Hoisin Sauce, and Homemade Brown Sugar!

Substitutes: You can also make this with boneless chicken thighs, but I prefer it with chicken breasts.

Step-by-Step Instructions

a plate of crispy batter fried chicken on a plate.

Step 1: Coat the chicken pieces in eggs, flour, and cornstarch, and then fry. It's the most time-consuming part of this recipe but 100% worth it.

Tip: For the best fry without the risk of undercooking and overcooking, is to make sure that your oil is 350 degrees. To do this, we have an instant-read thermometer and love this one.

a pan of crispy fried chicken in sauce.

Step 2: Mix your sauce and then just mix the sauce, add it to a pan, and then toss your deliciously breaded and fried bits of chicken in it.

Tip: For added sesame flavor, we sometimes do a final drizzle of sesame oil over the top before giving it all a final mix.

a plate of sesame chicken with chopsticks

Step 3: Top with sesame seeds and green onions, serve over rice annnndddd done. 

cooked crispy sesame chicken held up by chopsticks.

 I mean, c'mon.  How good does this look?  Trust me, it tastes that good, too!

cooked crispy sesame chicken held up by chopsticks.

My husband and my two-year-old could not get enough and have already requested it again!  So skip the take-out and make your own Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken!

Other Favorite Asian Inspired Recipes

Crock Pot Beef Pho From Scratch

Egg Roll Cabbage Soup

Crock Pot Chicken Pho

Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Thighs

20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles

Homemade Hot and Sour Soup

Easy Ground Beef and Broccoli

Chicken and Broccoli Sesame Noodles

Sweet and Sesame Ginger Meatballs

Don't forget to tell me if you've made the recipe on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!  Or leave a comment below - I love hearing from you!

cooked crispy sesame chicken held up by chopsticks.

Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken

Skip the take-out and make your very own Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken with simple and easy ingredients you already have in your pantry!
4.22 from 52 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Tracy

Equipment

  • optional instant read thermometer

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • oil for frying vegetable

For the sauce

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided into 1 tablespoon and another 3 teaspoons or vegetable oil
  • 2-3 gloves garlic, minced or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup Low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Instructions

  • In a medium to large sized shallow bowl, combine flour and cornstarch.
  • In another bowl, whisk eggs and add salt and pepper and mix well.
  • Coat the chicken by dipping each piece of chicken into the egg mixture with tongs and then into the flour. Add to a large plate. Repeat with all of the chicken.
  • In a deep pot (one that will be good for frying), add about 3- 3 1/2 inches of oil and heat on medium until oil is 350 degrees. It's best to use a thermometer for this, but you can also do the wooden spoon test.*
  • Once oil is to temp, add chicken to oil (only about 8 pieces of chicken at a time as to not crowd the pot) and cook for 5 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Remove from oil and add to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with all of the chicken.
  • Let chicken drain on a paper towel lined plate.
  • Meanwhile, combine the honey, hoisin, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in a bowl. You can also prepare this sauce a day in advance.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds just enough for it to become fragrant, but be sure to not burn it. Then add the sauce, bring it to a simmer, and then let it all cook together for about 3 minutes.
  • Once sauce has thickened, add the crispy chicken to the pan and coat all the pieces fully with the sauce. Once well coated, drizzle remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame oil over the top.
  • Add sesame seeds and green onions to the top of the chicken and then serve!

Notes

*Wooden Spoon Test: Place the end of a wooden spoon in oil. If oil bubbles gently around spoon handle, it is ready. If it bubble vigorously, then it is too hot and you should let it cool a little before checking the temp again.
Make Ahead:  You can make the sauce the day before and store in the fridge. Mix the flour and cornstarch ahead and store in an airtight container before you're ready to reduce prep time for a faster weeknight dinner.

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 1418mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments

  1. Clark

    December 18, 2021 at 1:41 pm

    Hi I've just came across this you
    Might think this is crazy but I'm going to see if I can yes this as a Christmas ham glaze 🧐. I have been glazing my hand for past 7 yrs and wanted a different one
    Like the KFC type like your one U think it will be ok.

    Reply
    • Tracy

      December 18, 2021 at 9:05 pm

      Hi Clark, interesting idea! But I think it’ll be way too salty for the ham. This sauce is pretty salty and that on top of ham which is also salty, might be too much.

      Reply
  2. Carole

    November 04, 2021 at 4:27 pm

    3 stars
    Super crispy chicken. Sauce was salty. I used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce which I thought would make it less salty.

    Reply
  3. Sean

    May 19, 2021 at 8:53 am

    What’s the hoisin for? It’s in the ingredients list but not in the prep list

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 19, 2021 at 8:56 am

      Oh thank you, Sean! Updated! It's a part of the sauce. 🙂

      Reply
  4. RIXTER

    January 23, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    5 stars
    This just went from an obscure maybe to one of my top 5 favs!
    I added 2tsp of ginger and a sliced jalapeno for heat but WOW! Thanks Tracy! You rock!
    (How do I add a picture!?)

    Reply
    • Tracy

      January 23, 2021 at 6:39 pm

      That's so great - and the additions sound delicious! You can add a picture to this Pinterest Pin! https://www.pinterest.ch/pin/523965737903819931/ Or if you have Instagram, post it and tag me! 😀

      Reply
  5. Maureen Bender

    September 03, 2020 at 4:47 pm

    1 star
    The sauce was too dark. My family couldn’t eat it. We rinsed the sauce off the chicken to salvage it and ate it with a different homemade sauce. You could taste the ketchup and vinegar. Too much soy sauce too.
    I do not recommend.

    Reply
    • Stacia

      February 03, 2021 at 5:13 am

      1 star
      Sorry to say, this was terrible. I agree with the other reviews about testing the ketchup. The vinegar taste was overwhelming! Tried to fix it but threw it out.

      Reply
  6. Kim

    June 28, 2020 at 4:55 pm

    2 stars
    The sauce was a little sweet. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in the sauce I’m not sure if that was a mistake because it also says 1 tablespoon to sauté the garlic. I probably will not make this again because of the sweetness.

    Reply
  7. Amanda

    June 22, 2020 at 5:50 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this a handful of times using the exact recipe and it’s fantastic! This last time (today) I used the recipe but cooked in the air fryer since I just bought one on 400* for 10 minutes, flipped the pieces and cooked an additional 7 minutes. It was phenomenal!!! My 5 year old couldn’t get enough and this is my husband’s favorite dinner now too.

    Reply
    • Tracy

      June 23, 2020 at 8:21 pm

      Amanda! That's WONDERFUL to hear! Great to know about the air fryer, I don't have one (yet) but now I know. Thanks so much for sharing and letting me know!

      Reply
  8. Jen

    June 02, 2020 at 10:54 am

    Hi Tracy,

    I’ve just tried this recipe and it’s amazing. May I just ask what soy sauce you used - dark or light? My dish turned out quite dark in colour. Thanks

    Reply
    • Tracy

      June 05, 2020 at 10:22 pm

      Hi Jen! We use Kikkoman all purpose soy sauce for this recipe.

      Reply
  9. Leah

    May 20, 2020 at 10:56 am

    5 stars
    This was an AMAZING recipe. My family and I loved it so much. A few things I changed however to make it a bit healthier/add flavors I love: avocado oil for frying the chicken, peanut oil instead of sesame oil, cane sugar instead of brown sugar. Loved it with these flavors and tasted lighter than if getting it from Chinese takeout!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 22, 2020 at 6:48 am

      Yay Leah!! GREAT subs - SO glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for letting me know!

      Reply
  10. Momma of 1

    August 23, 2019 at 4:10 pm

    3 stars
    The chicken recipe was delicious, but the sauce was terrible. I had to throw it out. I think it was just entirely too much vinegar. I remade it and instead I did more brown sugar and added 1/3 water and only 1 tablespoon of the rice vinegar. That substitute was less vinegary...if that's a word 🙂

    Reply
  11. Samantha Humbert

    March 25, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    not a good sauce recipe

    Reply
    • Tracy

      March 26, 2019 at 9:17 am

      Hi Samantha,

      I'm so sorry to hear you're not happy with the recipe! Was it that you didn't like the sauce on the chicken or were you trying to make it as just a sauce?

      Reply
  12. Marilyn

    March 23, 2019 at 9:53 am

    I'm going to make this today but I'm confused about the "Heat the teaspoon of oil"...is this one teaspoon of the 1 TBS of sesame oil therefore only putting two tsp in the sauce mixture? Admittedly, I am not a great cook so I get confused easily! 🙂

    Reply
    • Tracy

      March 24, 2019 at 1:36 pm

      Hi Marilyn! I'm so sorry I didn't see this yesterday - you're SO right it is supposed to say TABLESPOON. Thank you for catching that - you're a GREAT cook to catch it! How did they turn out??

      Reply
  13. E-world Cooking

    January 02, 2019 at 7:38 am

    Tasty and delicious dish.I made it in my home and get amazing taste,also enjoy the dish with my family they also loved it.one of my suggestion is that if you want more spicy you can add hot sauce and red chili.

    Reply
    • Tracy

      January 02, 2019 at 8:12 am

      That’s great to hear- thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed it! That extra hot sauce and red chili sounds yummy! ☺️

      Reply
  14. Daniela

    December 29, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! This sesame chicken looks better than takeout! I love making dishes like these at home because you get to control the quality of the ingredients and how much salt and sugar you use. Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      December 29, 2018 at 3:38 pm

      So much better than takeout!

      Reply
  15. Swathi

    November 25, 2018 at 8:39 pm

    5 stars
    I agree with you this is best crispy sesame chicken . Looks like it has everything you look for crispiness, sweetness and flavors along with nutty sesame seeds. love it.

    Reply
  16. Natalie

    November 25, 2018 at 12:05 pm

    5 stars
    This is perfect easy family weekdays dinner. I love the flavors and the look. Sound delicious too. I'm putting this on my weekly menu. Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:33 pm

      Thanks, Natalie!

      Reply
  17. Catherine

    November 25, 2018 at 11:54 am

    5 stars
    This looks absolutely delicious! So much better than takeout! Now I'm craving some sesame chicken...my family would love this meal!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:33 pm

      Thanks, Catherine! I hope your family loves it as much as mine!

      Reply
  18. Catalina

    November 25, 2018 at 10:02 am

    5 stars
    Wow! This sesame chicken looks fantastic! I love Sesame Chicken and I am so glad to make it at home! Yummy!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:33 pm

      It's so fun when you realize you can make your favorites at home!

      Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:38 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  19. Marisa Franca

    November 25, 2018 at 7:19 am

    5 stars
    It may quick and easy but it sounds and looks like it's got loads of flavor. I remember the days when I had two little ones 13 months apart. Yep it was busy and challenging but also great fun with the kiddos. Now I'm busy in a different way and the homemade crispy chicken would be great to serve. Can't wait to make it.

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      13 months! Wow! I love having two pretty close, it definitely makes life even MORE fun!

      Reply
  20. Veena Azmanov

    November 24, 2018 at 10:33 pm

    5 stars
    We love Asian food in our home and this looks like something I wanna make for our next Asian meal. Love sesame and love crispy chicken.

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  21. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

    November 24, 2018 at 8:32 pm

    5 stars
    I always make the Asian take outs at home to make them healthier. Being vegetarian, I make something similar with cauliflower and my boys love it. Chicken is the most popular among my friend and this looks so amazing.

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:35 pm

      Yes- they're so much healthier when made at home! Oooh subbing cauliflower would be delicious!

      Reply
  22. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness

    November 24, 2018 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    Take out I can make at home?? Yes please!!

    Reply
  23. Noel Lizotte

    November 24, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of my favorite dishes to order when we're out to eat ... I've always be intimidated to try making it at home. Maybe now I can have it at home (and therefore, more often!)

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:35 pm

      Yes! Nothing wrong with more sesame chicken in your life!

      Reply
  24. Cheese Curd In Paradise

    November 24, 2018 at 12:44 pm

    5 stars
    Forget the take-out! Your recipe looks waaaaayyy better than anything I could order, and I can make it from home! I love it! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:35 pm

      Thank YOU!

      Reply
  25. April

    November 24, 2018 at 11:50 am

    5 stars
    I love how this recipe uses simple and easy ingredients! I do cook some complex recipes from time to time but this one is just a rare find! Super excited to try some of your tips - thank you!

    Reply
  26. Gloria

    November 24, 2018 at 6:28 am

    5 stars
    I love the sound of this recipe. This would be great as an appetizer or paired with some rice for a great meal. You can never go wrong with chicken for dinner. Much better than takeout!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      Great for both for sure!

      Reply
  27. Dan Zehr

    November 24, 2018 at 12:28 am

    5 stars
    Love Chinese cuisine and am a big fan of shallow frying, Will definitely try your recipe.

    Reply
  28. Karyl Henry

    November 23, 2018 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    I love making Asian takeout recipes at home! Lighter, healthier, and you know exactly what's in the sauces. I ALWAYS have rice vinegar in my pantry, but I'm not quite extra enough to make my own ketchup or brown sugar 🙂

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 25, 2018 at 7:40 pm

      Girl I bet you are TOTALLY extra in many other ways! 😉

      Reply
  29. Claudia Lamascolo

    November 23, 2018 at 12:27 pm

    our favorite is sesame chicken its just so flavorful and this looks fabulous I would love some of this right now

    Reply

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