These Sesame Chicken Thighs deliver a savory, sweet, and nutty flavor that beats takeout any day. Using juicy chicken thighs ensures incredible moisture and a crispy skin that soaks up the glossy sauce. This recipe is simple enough for weeknights but impressive for guests.
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Why You’ll Love This Sesame Chicken Thighs
Juicy & flavorful: Bone-in, skin-on thighs stay moist and crisp perfectly.
Star-quality sauce: A balanced blend of savory, sweet, and nutty notes.
Healthier than takeout: You control the ingredients for a cleaner, robust flavor.
Forgiving method: Hard to overcook, ideal for all skill levels.
Ingredients & Tools
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Tools: A large oven-safe skillet (cast iron is ideal), a small bowl for the sauce, and a microplane or fine grater for the ginger.
Notes: Don’t skip the toasted sesame oil—it’s essential for the nutty aroma. Bone-in thighs stay more moist than boneless.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 420 kcal |
| Protein: | 28 g |
| Fat: | 28 g |
| Carbs: | 12 g |
| Fiber: | 1 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Pat your chicken thighs completely dry. This is the single most important step for getting that beautifully crispy, golden-brown skin. Any moisture on the surface will steam the skin instead of searing it, so take a minute with some paper towels.
- Use fresh ginger and garlic. The jarred, pre-minced versions just don’t pack the same vibrant, pungent punch. A microplane makes grating the ginger and mincing the garlic an absolute breeze, and the flavor payoff is massive.
- Don’t substitute the sesame oil. Make sure your bottle says “toasted” or “roasted” sesame oil. It has a dark amber color and an intense aroma. Regular, light sesame oil is virtually flavorless and won’t give you the same result.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature. Taking the chicken out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking helps it cook more evenly, so you don’t end up with an overcooked exterior and a cold, undercooked center.
How to Make Sesame Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). While it’s heating, grab your chicken thighs and pat them aggressively dry with paper towels. This might seem fussy, but trust me, it’s the secret to crispiness. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. You want to season every bit of surface area for the best flavor.
Step 2: Now, let’s make that incredible sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Once those are combined, whisk in the toasted sesame oil. You’ll notice the aroma immediately—it’s savory, sweet, and nutty all at once. In a separate, even smaller bowl, make a slurry by stirring the cornstarch and water together until it’s completely smooth with no lumps.
Step 3: Place your large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering hot, carefully add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. You should hear a satisfying sizzle. Resist the urge to move them! Let them cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes to develop a deep golden-brown, crispy crust.
Step 4: Carefully flip the chicken thighs so they are now skin-side up. Immediately transfer the entire skillet to your preheated oven. This two-step process—searing on the stovetop and finishing in the oven—ensures the skin is crackling-crisp and the meat cooks through gently and evenly. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Step 5: Using an oven mitt (the skillet handle will be extremely hot!), remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the cooked chicken thighs to a clean plate to rest. You’ll see all those delicious browned bits and rendered fat left in the skillet—that’s pure flavor gold.
Step 6: Place the skillet back on the stovetop over medium heat. Carefully pour in the sauce you made earlier—it will bubble and sizzle wonderfully. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer for about a minute.
Step 7: Give your cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir (the starch settles quickly) and then drizzle it into the simmering sauce while whisking constantly. You’ll see the sauce transform almost instantly, going from thin and watery to glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should only take about 30-60 seconds.
Step 8: Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, turning them a few times to coat them generously in the glossy sauce. For the final touch, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the top. Serve immediately, spooning extra sauce from the pan over each portion. The contrast of the crispy skin, tender meat, and sticky sauce is just phenomenal.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze sauce and chicken separately for up to 2 months.
- Reviving: Reheat in oven at 350°F to maintain crispness; broil briefly if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Steamed jasmine rice — The fluffy, slightly sticky grains are the perfect canvas for soaking up every last drop of that incredible sesame sauce.
- Simple stir-fried bok choy — Its mild, slightly bitter flavor and crisp texture provide a fresh, clean contrast to the rich, savory chicken.
- Quick-pickled cucumber salad — A tangy, crunchy side that cuts through the richness of the dish and brightens up the entire plate.
Drinks
- Iced jasmine green tea — Its floral, slightly sweet notes complement the Asian-inspired flavors without overpowering them, and it’s wonderfully refreshing.
- A crisp lager or pilsner — The clean, effervescent bubbles help cleanse the palate between bites of the rich, sticky chicken.
- Gewürztraminer (a semi-sweet white wine) — Its lychee and spice notes are a classic pairing for dishes with a sweet and savory profile like this one.
Something Sweet
- Mango sorbet — The bright, tropical fruitiness is a light and palate-cleansing finish that doesn’t feel too heavy after a satisfying meal.
- Fortune cookies and fresh orange wedges — A simple, traditional end to the meal that offers a little burst of citrus and a fun, crunchy bite.
- Green tea ice cream — Its subtly bitter, earthy flavor is a sophisticated and cooling counterpoint to the savory, umami-rich main course.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Moving the chicken too soon during searing. If you don’t let the skin render and crisp up properly, you’ll end up with flabby, pale skin. That initial sizzle is creating a crust—let it do its work.
- Mistake: Adding the cornstarch directly to the hot sauce. This will instantly create lumps that you can’t get rid of. Always mix cornstarch with a cold liquid first to create a smooth slurry before introducing it to heat.
- Mistake: Using low-quality or light sesame oil. I’ve messed this up before too… the flavor is just not the same. Toasted sesame oil is non-negotiable for that deep, nutty backbone.
- Mistake: Crowding the skillet. If you put too many thighs in the pan at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. Cook in two batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to fit them all with some space in between.
Expert Tips
- Tip: For an extra layer of flavor, marinate the chicken. If you have an extra 30 minutes, let the chicken thighs sit in the soy sauce, garlic, and ginger mixture (hold back the honey and sesame oil) before patting them dry and cooking. It penetrates the meat for deeper flavor.
- Tip: Double the sauce. Honestly, you might want to. This sauce is so good you’ll want to drown your rice in it. Simply double all the sauce ingredients and use a slightly larger skillet.
- Tip: Toast your own sesame seeds. It takes two minutes in a dry pan over medium heat until they’re golden and fragrant, and the flavor is infinitely better than the store-bought pre-toasted kind.
- Tip: Use the broiler for a final crisp. If you feel the skin could be crispier after saucing, pop the skillet under the broiler for just 60-90 seconds to re-crisp and caramelize the top. Watch it like a hawk to prevent burning!
FAQs
Can I make this with chicken breasts?
You absolutely can, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time significantly. Chicken breasts are much leaner and cook faster, so they can dry out if you follow the thigh timing. I’d recommend using boneless, skinless breasts and searing them for just 3-4 minutes per side before finishing in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until 165°F internally. The result will be less juicy and lack the crispy skin, but it will still be tasty with the sauce.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store any leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat it is in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through, which will help keep the skin from getting soggy. You can use the microwave, but be prepared for the skin to soften. A quick minute under the broiler after microwaving can help crisp it back up a bit.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
It can be very easily! Just make sure to use tamari instead of standard soy sauce, as most soy sauce contains wheat. Double-check all your other bottled ingredients (like rice vinegar) to be safe, but typically the rest are naturally gluten-free.
My sauce isn’t thickening. What did I do wrong?
The most common culprit is that the cornstarch slurry wasn’t added to a simmering liquid. The sauce needs to be bubbling to activate the starch’s thickening power. If it’s still thin, mix another teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and whisk it in, letting it simmer for another minute. Also, ensure you measured the cornstarch correctly—it’s a powerful thickener, but you need enough of it.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can prep the components ahead to save time. Mix the sauce and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Pat the chicken dry and season it, then keep it on a plate in the fridge. When you’re ready to cook, let the chicken sit out for 20 minutes to take the chill off, then proceed with the recipe. I don’t recommend fully cooking and saucing it ahead, as the skin will lose its crispness upon reheating.
Sesame Chicken Thighs
Make juicy, crispy Sesame Chicken Thighs with a glossy, savory-sweet sauce. This easy recipe is better than takeout. Get the full recipe and cook it tonight!
Ingredients
For the chicken and sauce:
-
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
-
3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
-
2 tbsp honey
-
1 tbsp rice vinegar
-
2 cloves garlic (minced)
-
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
-
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
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2 tsp cornstarch
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2 tbsp water
-
1 tbsp vegetable oil
-
2 tbsp sesame seeds (for garnish)
-
2 scallions (thinly sliced, for garnish)
Instructions
-
Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). While it’s heating, grab your chicken thighs and pat them aggressively dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.01
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Once those are combined, whisk in the toasted sesame oil. In a separate, even smaller bowl, make a slurry by stirring the cornstarch and water together until it's completely smooth with no lumps.02
-
Place your large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering hot, carefully add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Let them cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes to develop a deep golden-brown, crispy crust.03
-
Carefully flip the chicken thighs so they are now skin-side up. Immediately transfer the entire skillet to your preheated oven. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).04
-
Using an oven mitt (the skillet handle will be extremely hot!), remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the cooked chicken thighs to a clean plate to rest.05
-
Place the skillet back on the stovetop over medium heat. Carefully pour in the sauce you made earlier—it will bubble and sizzle wonderfully. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer for about a minute.06
-
Give your cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir (the starch settles quickly) and then drizzle it into the simmering sauce while whisking constantly. You’ll see the sauce transform almost instantly, going from thin and watery to glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should only take about 30-60 seconds.07
-
Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, turning them a few times to coat them generously in the glossy sauce. For the final touch, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the top. Serve immediately, spooning extra sauce from the pan over each portion.08
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