Sesame Chicken is a delicious and easy stir fry. Made with easy-to-find ingredients, this flavorful dish is so much better than what you are used to from the mall food court.
We absolutely love Asian-inspired dishes, and this recipe is no exception. It starts with the perfect sesame chicken sauce that marinates the chicken. The chicken gets very lightly coated in flour before cooking for a final dish that is slightly crisp but coated in the perfect simmering sauce.
Made this recipe tonight. It was so delicious with all the layers. Will keep this one to make again. Thank you Lisa.
Sesame Chicken Sauce and Marinade
The best part of this recipe is the delicious sesame chicken sauce. It is tangy and sweet and perfectly coats each bite of chicken.
- Rice wine vinegar: Brings a bright acidity and subtle sweetness that balances the richness of the sauce.
- Sherry: A cooking wine, sherry adds depth and complexity to the sauce. Normally I don’t recommend using cooking wine in recipes, but here it works well.
- Soy sauce: This brings both salt and flavor to the recipe while helping to create a base for the marinade. Keep in mind that soy sauce contains gluten, so if you are looking to keep this gluten-free, you will want to buy specialty soy sauce or use tamari.
- Sesame oil: A little goes a long way, enhancing the overall sesame profile known in this dish.
- Brown sugar: Adding just the right amount of sweetness just to balance the other ingredients.
- Garlic cloves: Infuses the sauce with its savory profile.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger adds a zingy and slightly spicy kick to the sesame chicken. I love cooking with ginger and the flavor it adds to recipes. Read more about your options for ginger below.
- Garlic chili paste: Brings a fiery kick and bold spiciness to the dish.
- Red pepper flakes: Provide another layer of heat and can be customized based on personal spice preferences.
- All-purpose flour: Coating the chicken in flour (or cornstarch for a gluten-free option) helps the sauce adhere to the chicken, making sure each piece is covered in flavorful goodness.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Enhances the overall seasoning of the dish.
- Vegetable oil: For cooking.
How to Make Sesame Chicken
Here is a brief overview of how this easy sesame chicken recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all of the ingredients and measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Make the marinade and sauce. Whisk together the water, rice wine vinegar, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, garlic chili paste, and red pepper flakes. This will make enough for both the marinade and the sauce.
- Marinate the chicken. Transfer one cup of the sauce mixture into a sealable container and add the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but not more than 24 hours. Read more on marinating chicken below.
- Coat the chicken. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discarding the remaining marinade), pat it dry very well, and place it in the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix until the chicken is fully coated.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken, browning for about one to two minutes until the chicken is browned.
- Add the rest of the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Marinating Chicken
Marinating chicken with the flavorful sauce is a great way to infuse flavor into the meat and results in tender, moist, delicious sesame chicken. Chicken should be marinated for at least 30 minutes, but not longer than 24 hours. Thirty minutes is enough time to infuse the chicken with the flavor of the sauce. More than 24 hours and your chicken will break down too much, creating a chewy and gummy consistency that isn’t great.
Patting Chicken Dry
This is such an essential step in this recipe. The reason is that if the chicken isn’t dry, the flour won’t bind to the chicken pieces and when you go to cook your chicken you will end up with a very gummy consistency instead of a coating on your chicken. Take the extra minute or so that this step takes and really get it dry.
Cooking With Ginger
When needing ginger for a recipe, you have two options. You can buy a root of fresh ginger, and peel and grate it. It can be kept in your freezer and grated while frozen. Another option is to buy a tube of pre-grated grated ginger and keep it in your refrigerator. I like this option because it is easy and convenient to measure and add directly to the recipe.
Tips and Tricks for Sesame Chicken
- Swap the chicken breasts for chicken thighs. If you prefer dark meat, you can use chicken thighs
- Pat the chicken very dry. As mentioned above, be sure to pat the chicken dry before putting it in the flour mixture. Failure to do this step will result in a gummy mixture that comes off the chicken as it cooks.
- Make it spicier. This dish is fairly mild. To make it more spicy you can add more garlic chili paste and more red pepper flakes.
Garlic Chili Paste
How to Serve
Serve the cooked sesame chicken mixture over rice. I love to add steamed broccoli to the side. There is plenty of sauce for this recipe and it goes well over the broccoli. To steam the broccoli, place one inch of water in a large pot. Add broccoli to a steaming basket. Bring the water to a boil, add the steaming basket and cover. Steam the broccoli for approximately six minutes or until it is bright green.
For a lower carb option and an extra serving of vegetables, serve it over Cauliflower Rice. It does not taste like rice, but it is a great way to bulk up your dinner without adding in more carbs, leaving you fuller and more satisfied longer.
Cauliflower Rice
Storing Leftovers
Store the chicken and sauce separately from the rice. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat just what you want to eat in the microwave or in a small skillet over low heat, stirring often. As always, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.
FAQ
Use a gluten-free soy sauce and swap the flour for cornstarch.
Yes! You will follow the recipe exactly as written, simply replace the chicken breasts with cut-up boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Other Take-Out Inspired Recipes
If you make this sesame chicken recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast diced into bite-sized pieces (453.6 grams)
- 3/4 cup water (177.44 ml)
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar (118.29 ml)
- 1/2 cup dry sherry (118.29 ml)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (118.29 ml)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (106.5 grams) packed
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic chili paste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (.25 grams)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the water, rice wine vinegar, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, garlic chili paste, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until well combined. The sauce will make 3 cups. You will use 1 to marinate the chicken and preserve the remaining 2 cups to cook the dish.3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/2 cup dry sherry, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 6 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons garlic chili paste, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the chicken to a reusable container. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the chicken. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Reserve the other half of the sauce in the refrigerator.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- When ready to make, combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, whisking to combine. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discarding the remaining marinade), pat it dry very well, and place it in the bowl with the flour mixture. (Failure to do this step will result in a gummy mixture that comes off the chicken as it cooks.) Mix to combine until the chicken is fully coated.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken, browning for about 1-2 minutes until the chicken is browned.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the reserved 2 cups sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice and enjoy.
Notes
Patty says
Made this recipe tonight. Started yesterday making the marinade and removed chicken this morning. It was so delicious with all the layers. Will keep this one to make again. Made fried rice for a side and all was wonderful. Thank you Lisa.
I’m so glad you liked it Patty!
Shirley says
I know that it makes 3C., but 3/4 c. brown sugar seems a lot. How much can I reduce to?
Thanking you
I love this recipe as written, so I wouldn’t recommend changing it. That being said, the recipe will work with no brown sugar at all, it will just significantly change the taste.