This Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe will rival your favorite takeout dish! It’s super crispy thanks to frying the chicken twice! The crunchy chicken then get’s tossed in a sweet and tangy honey garlic sauce. You won’t want to eat takeout again after trying this recipe!

If you love making your own takeout food at home, then you’ve got to try my honey garlic chicken stir fry, Asian pork lettuce wraps, and my Mongolian beef!

honey sesame chicken recipe in skillet with wooden spoon

Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe

I love making take-out dishes at home. From Crispy Asian Chicken Bites to Beef and Broccoli or my popular Fried Rice Recipe! Making these Asian inspired dishes at home is so much better and healthier for you! I love that you can control the sweetness, saltiness and spice level when making it at home!

This honey sesame chicken is sweet, tangy with tons of garlic flavor. If you like it a little spicier (like me) add some crushed red pepper flakes, Sriracha or chili oil before serving!

This honey garlic sesame chicken recipe takes about 40 minutes to put together from start to finish. It’s the perfect meal for a busy weeknight! It’s also super kid friendly.

Ingredients

  • Chicken: Cut into bite-sized cubes. You can also use boneless, skinless thighs (like I did) or boneless skinless chicken breast.
  • Cornstarch and All purpose Flour: I chose to do equal parts of each to keep the breading light and crispy.
  • Cold water: Is added to thin out the batter. It is important to use COLD water when making this batter. Warm or room temperature water will make the batter tougher and not as crisp.
  • Baking Powder: Makes the batter light and airy.
  • Egg White: Is used instead of a whole egg. Egg yolks have more fat in them and don’t get the batter as crispy.
  • Sugar: A touch of granulated sugar adds sweetness and also helps the chicken to caramelize and get a golden brown color.
  • Honey: The majority of this sauce is honey! That’s where it get’s it’s name and it’s sweetness. But don’t worry this honey sesame chicken isn’t that sweet! Balanced with the acidity from the soy sauce it makes the perfect sauce to coat the chicken. This is also the reason why I don’t go too heavy on the sauce. I make just enough sauce to coat the chicken so it’s not too sweet and doesn’t dry out.
  • Sesame Oil: Adds a nice toasted nuttiness to the sauce.
  • Soy sauce: Make sure to use low sodium soy sauce if possible. This keeps the sauce from being too salty. If you don’t have low sodium soy sauce just substitute some of the soy sauce for water.
  • Rice Wine Vinegar: Adds more acidity to balance out the honey and also adds a hint of sweetness.

How Do You Make Honey Sesame Chicken

  • Add the chicken to a large bowl and pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the batter stay on the chicken!
patting cubed chicken in a bowl dry with paper towels
  • Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the chicken and toss to combine. Let the chicken marinate while you are making the batter.
tossing cubed chicken pieces with cornstarch in clear bowl
  • In a separate bowl add salt, pepper, sugar, egg white, flour, cornstarch, water and baking powder. Whisk until combined and lump free.
  • Add in the chicken and toss to coat.
tossing chicken in egg white, sugar, seasonings and baking powder
  • Add 3 inches of oil to a large wide pot or deep saucepan.
  • Preheat oil to 350 degrees. Fry chicken in batches cooking about 8 or so at a time for 4-5 minutes.
deep frying chicken
  • Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet topped with a cooling rack.
1st fry of chicken on baking sheet lined with wire cooling rack
  • Once all of the chicken is cooked fry the chicken again in batches (starting with the 1st batch you fried this will be the coldest) Fry for 3 minutes or until the outside is a nice golden brown. Remove from the oil and place back on the cooling rack.
2nd fry of chicken on baking sheet lined with wire cooling rack

Why double fry?

The best thing about this honey sesame chicken is that it stays crispy for a while! Typically when you only fry your chicken once the chicken gets soggy and no longer crisp after it cools. Double frying ensures the outside of the batter gets and stays golden brown and crispy! I like to use this method for french fries and fried chicken too!

How to Make Honey Sesame Sauce

  • Add oil to a large skillet. Add in garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. Cook the sauce over medium high heat until thickened making sure to stir often (the honey can burn). This should take 2-3 minutes.
honey sesame sauce in silver skillet
  • Keep warm until ready to toss with the chicken. If you want saucier chicken double the sauce recipe. I like to do less sauce so the chicken stays ultra crispy!
tossing the chicken in the honey garlic sesame sauce

Storage Instructions

  • This recipe is served fresh or the day of however you can store any cooled leftover honey sesame chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat leftovers I find they heat up best in the microwave or oven. You may have to add a splash or two of water so the honey does not burn when reheated.
  • I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

Serving Suggestions

honey sesame chicken in white bowl topped with sesame seeds and green onions

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

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    A white bowl filled with crispy sesame chicken, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, is served alongside flavorful Air Fryer Fried Rice, with chopsticks picking up a piece.
    Recipe

    Honey Garlic Sesame Chicken

    5 from 4 votes
    Super Easy Honey Garlic Sesame Chicken. Tender crispy breaded chicken bites tossed in a sweet and spicy honey garlic sauce.
    Author: Kelley Simmons
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Serves 4
    Rate Print

    Ingredients 

    Batter

    • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
    • 2 tbsp cornstarch
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 1 large egg white
    • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
    • 1/3 cup cornstarch
    • 1/3 cup cold water
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • oil for frying

    Honey Garlic Sauce

    • 1 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/3 cup honey
    • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
    • sesame seeds for garnish, if desired
    • green onions for garnish, if desired

    Instructions

    • Dry Chicken: Add the chicken to a large bowl and pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the batter stay on the chicken!
      A hand uses a paper towel to pat dry raw, cubed chicken pieces in a clear glass bowl—an essential step before adding them to your Air Fryer Fried Rice for perfectly crisp, tender bites.
    • Marinate: Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the chicken and toss to combine. Let the chicken marinate while you are making the batter.
      Raw diced chicken pieces in a glass bowl are being mixed with tongs, coated with a white powder, possibly cornstarch or flour, on a white background—perfect for adding to your Air Fryer Fried Rice recipe.
    • Make batter: In a separate bowl add salt, pepper, sugar, egg white, flour, cornstarch, cold water and baking powder. Whisk until combined and lump free.
      Add in the chicken and toss to coat.
      A white bowl filled with pieces of raw meat coated in a creamy marinade, reminiscent of the savory flavors found in Air Fryer Fried Rice. Metal tongs rest inside the bowl, partially covered by the mixture.
    • 1st Fry: Add 3 inches of oil to a large wide pot or deep saucepan.
      Preheat oil to 350 degrees. Fry chicken in batches cooking about 8 or so at a time for 4-5 minutes.
      Battered pieces of food are being deep-fried in hot oil inside a black frying pan on a stovetop, creating a crispy texture reminiscent of your favorite Air Fryer Fried Rice sides.
    • Cool: Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet topped with a cooling rack.
      Bite-sized pieces of fried chicken rest on a wire rack over a baking sheet, cooling and draining excess oil—perfect to pair with homemade Air Fryer Fried Rice for a quick and satisfying meal.
    • 2nd Fry: Once all of the chicken is cooked fry the chicken again in batches (starting with the 1st batch you fried this will be the coldest) Fry for 3 minutes or until the outside is a nice golden brown. Remove from the oil and place back on the cooling rack.
      Golden brown fried chicken nuggets cooling on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Perfectly crisp and irregularly shaped, these nuggets would pair deliciously with a serving of Air Fryer Fried Rice for a complete and satisfying meal.
    • Mix With Sauce: Add the fried chicken to the pan with the reserved honey garlic sauce and toss to coat.
      Serve immediately with sesame seeds and green onions for garnish, if desired.
      Golden, crispy chicken pieces coated in a glossy brown sauce sit in a stainless steel pan, with a wooden spoon resting among them, ready for serving—perfect alongside a steaming bowl of Air Fryer Fried Rice.

    Honey Garlic Sesame Sauce

    • Add oil to a large skillet. Add in garlic and cook for one minute.
      Stir in honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. Cook the sauce over medium high heat until thickened making sure to stir often (the honey can burn). This should take 2-3 minutes.
      Keep warm until ready to toss with the chicken.
      A stainless steel pan with brown sauce and small bits of garlic, reminiscent of the flavors found in Air Fryer Fried Rice, being stirred by a wooden spoon.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 25gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 664mgPotassium: 403mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 28IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
    A white bowl filled with crispy sesame chicken, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, is served alongside flavorful Air Fryer Fried Rice, with chopsticks picking up a piece.

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