This Quick Sesame Chicken delivers crispy-edged chicken in a glossy, sweet-savory sauce faster than takeout. It uses a straightforward method and common ingredients for a foolproof weeknight meal. You’ll love this restaurant-quality dish made easily at home.

Love Quick Sesame Chicken? So do we! If you're into Dinner Ideas or curious about Chicken Breast Recipes, you'll find plenty of inspiration below.

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Why You’ll Love This Quick Sesame Chicken

• Quick & Easy: Ready in about 30 minutes with streamlined steps.
• Star Sauce: Perfectly balanced sweet, savory, and nutty glossy glaze.
• Ingredient Control: Adjust sweetness or spice to your taste.
• Versatile: Great over rice, in wraps, or salads.

Ingredients & Tools

For the Chicken:

• 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil, for frying

For the Sauce:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp honey (or brown sugar)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Tools: A large skillet or wok, a medium mixing bowl, a small bowl for the sauce, and a whisk.

Notes: Using cornstarch on the chicken creates a delicate, crispy coating without a heavy batter. Fresh ginger and garlic build a deep, aromatic flavor base.

Nutrition (per serving)

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Chicken thighs or breasts? I personally love thighs for their richer flavor and juiciness, as they’re more forgiving if you accidentally overcook them. Breasts work perfectly too—just be sure not to overcook them to keep them tender.
• Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry. This is our thickening agent, and it’s what gives the sauce that beautiful, glossy, clingy texture that coats the chicken so well. Make sure to stir it right before adding it to the pan, as the cornstarch can settle.
• The power of fresh aromatics. While powdered garlic and ginger are okay in a pinch, using freshly minced garlic and grated ginger will make a world of difference in the sauce’s fragrance and depth of flavor. It’s worth the extra minute of effort.
• Get your mise en place ready. This recipe moves quickly once you start cooking. Having your sauce mixed, your chicken coated, and your garnishes prepped and within arm’s reach will make the entire process smooth and enjoyable.

How to Make Quick Sesame Chicken

Storage & Freshness Guide

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container for up to 2 months; thaw in fridge before reheating.
• Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• Steamed Jasmine Rice — The fluffy, slightly sticky grains are the perfect canvas to soak up every last drop of that incredible sesame sauce.
• Simple Stir-Fried Vegetables — A quick toss of broccoli, snap peas, and bell peppers with a splash of soy sauce adds color, crunch, and balance to the meal.
• Crunchy Asian Slaw — A bright, vinegar-based slaw with cabbage and carrots cuts through the richness of the chicken and refreshes your palate.

Drinks

• Iced Green Tea — Its clean, slightly bitter notes are a fantastic contrast to the sweet and savory flavors of the dish, making each bite taste new again.
• A Light Lager — A crisp, cold beer won’t overpower the meal and its carbonation helps cleanse the palate beautifully between bites.
• Ginger Beer — The spicy kick of a non-alcoholic ginger beer echoes the ginger in the sauce and provides a refreshing, bubbly lift.

Something Sweet

• Fortune Cookies and Orange Slices — A classic, light finish. The sweet, citrusy oranges are wonderfully refreshing after the savory main course.
• Mango Sorbet — Its tropical sweetness and icy texture are a simple, elegant way to end the meal on a bright, clean note.
• Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies — For a real treat, the earthy matcha and sweet white chocolate are a surprisingly perfect pairing with the sesame flavors.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Crowding the pan when browning the chicken. If you add too much chicken at once, the pan temperature drops and the chicken steams instead of sears. You’ll end up with pale, rubbery chicken instead of pieces with a nice crispy exterior. I’ve messed this up before too—patience is key!
• Mistake: Adding the cornstarch slurry to a cold sauce. The sauce needs to be simmering when you add the slurry to activate the thickening power of the cornstarch. If the liquid isn’t hot enough, the sauce will remain thin and won’t coat the chicken properly.
• Mistake: Using old sesame seeds. Toasted sesame seeds have a wonderful nutty aroma, but if they’ve been in your pantry for a year, they’ve likely gone rancid and will taste bitter. Give them a quick sniff—if they don’t smell nutty and pleasant, it’s time for a new bottle.
• Mistake: Overcooking the sauce after adding the slurry. Once the sauce has thickened to a glossy, coating consistency, your job is done. If you continue to boil it aggressively, it can become overly thick, almost gummy, and the shine will be lost.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Double the sauce. If you’re a sauce lover (and who isn’t?), simply double the sauce ingredients. There’s no such thing as too much of that glorious glaze, especially if you’re serving it over a big bed of rice or noodles.
• Tip: Add a kick of heat. For a spicy version, add a teaspoon of sriracha or a half-teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture. It introduces a lovely warmth that plays so well with the sweet and savory notes.
• Tip: Use a non-stick skillet. While a wok or carbon steel pan is great, a good non-stick skillet is foolproof for this recipe. It prevents the delicate cornstarch coating on the chicken from sticking and tearing, giving you perfect, intact pieces.
• Tip: Let the chicken rest after coating. Giving the cornstarch-coated chicken a few minutes to rest before frying allows the coating to hydrate and adhere better, resulting in a crispier, more uniform crust that doesn’t fall off in the pan.

FAQs

Can I make this gluten-free?
Absolutely! This recipe is very easy to adapt. Simply use tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce in place of the regular soy sauce. Just double-check that all your other ingredients, like your rice vinegar, are also gluten-free, and you’re all set for a delicious gluten-free meal.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat it is gently in a skillet over low heat with a tiny splash of water to loosen the sauce. The microwave can work in a pinch, but it may make the chicken a bit rubbery and can overcook the sauce.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
You sure can, and many people prefer them! Chicken thighs are more forgiving and tend to stay juicier. Just make sure to trim any excess fat and cut them into uniform, 1-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate as breasts would.

My sauce didn’t thicken. What happened?
This usually means the cornstarch slurry wasn’t properly activated. Was the sauce at a simmer when you added it? Also, did you stir the slurry right before adding it? Cornstarch settles quickly in water. If it’s still thin, mix another half-tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and add it to the simmering sauce.

Is there a substitute for honey?
Of course! An equal amount of maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown sugar will work beautifully. Each will impart a slightly different flavor profile—brown sugar will give a deeper, molasses-like sweetness, while agave will keep it neutral—but the sauce will still be wonderfully sticky and delicious.