Sesame Chicken Recipe

Close-up of homemade sesame chicken in a white serving dish with crispy chicken pieces coated in glossy sesame sauce, topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

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A crispy, sticky homemade sesame chicken made with a buttermilk double-dredge coating and a sweet, savory sesame glaze. Better than takeout and on the table in under an hour.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Servings:

Calories: 2510kcal

Author: Shauna

Ingredients

Sauce

1½ tbsp sesame oil
½ tsp garlic paste
½ tsp ginger paste
⅓ cup light soy sauce
½ cup rice vinegar
¾ cup light brown sugar
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1½ tbsp cornstarch
½ cup water

Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups buttermilk
Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

To Serve

3 cups cooked white rice
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
3 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat the sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the water until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes to the saucepan. Whisk to combine.
Simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a syrup-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Fill a deep pot or Dutch oven with 2 to 3 inches of oil and clip a thermometer to the side. Heat the oil to 350°F, about 10 minutes.
While the oil heats, set up your dredging station. Whisk the flour, salt, and pepper together in one bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a second bowl.
Working a few pieces at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the flour, then the buttermilk, then back into the flour. Set aside on a plate.
Once the oil reaches 350°F, add 5 to 8 pieces of chicken at a time. Fry for 2 minutes, flip, and fry for another 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through to 165°F internal temperature. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Repeat with the remaining chicken, allowing the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
Transfer all the fried chicken to a large bowl. Reheat the sauce if needed, then pour it over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
Serve immediately over white rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Oil temperature matters more than timing. Keep the oil at a steady 350°F and let it return to temperature between batches. If it drops too low, the coating absorbs oil instead of crisping up.
Fry in small batches. Five to eight pieces at a time is the right amount for this recipe. Overcrowding the pot drops the oil temperature fast.
Check the sauce before tossing. If it has cooled and thickened too much while the chicken was frying, reheat it briefly on the stovetop. Cold sauce won't coat as evenly.
Toasted sesame seeds and green onions are optional but recommended. They add visual contrast and a little texture to the finished dish.
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and replace the soy sauce with certified gluten-free tamari.
To make this recipe soy-free, replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos. The sauce will be slightly sweeter and milder but still delicious.
To reduce the heat for kids, leave out the red pepper flakes entirely or serve the sauce on the side. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Store rice separately. Reheat chicken in a skillet or air fryer at 375°F for best results.

Nutrition