Description
This Quick & Easy Honey Sesame Chicken recipe features tender chicken thighs coated in a crispy starch, then cooked in a sweet and savory honey sesame sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner that combines bold Asian-inspired flavors with a simple cooking process.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch (for coating chicken)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ½ green onion, finely chopped
Sauce
- ½ cup honey (plain liquid kind)
- 2.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine or dry sherry wine (or dry white wine/chicken broth for non-alcoholic version)
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider/white vinegar
- ¾ cup water (room temperature)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and cut into bite-sized pieces. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and lightly coat them evenly with ¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch, ensuring all pieces have a thin layer of starch.
- Heat the oil: Warm ⅓ cup vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot enough for frying.
- Fry the chicken: Add the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, combine ½ cup honey, 2.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, ½ tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons Shaoxing cooking wine (or substitute), 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, and ¾ cup room temperature water. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
- Cook the sauce: Using the same skillet, remove excess oil leaving about 1 tablespoon. Pour in the prepared sauce and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens into a glossy glaze, about 3-4 minutes.
- Toss chicken in sauce: Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and gently toss them in the thickened honey sesame sauce, coating each piece evenly.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the finely chopped green onions over the glazed chicken as a fresh garnish. Serve immediately with steamed rice or your preferred side.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and ensure cornstarch is gluten-free.
- Adjust honey quantity for more or less sweetness to taste.
- Using potato starch instead of cornstarch results in a slightly crispier coating.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with boneless breast pieces but watch cooking time to avoid drying out.
- The sauce thickens quickly; keep stirring to prevent lumps.
Keywords: Honey Sesame Chicken, Quick Chicken Recipe, Easy Asian Chicken, Fried Chicken, Sweet and Savory Sauce