This Easy Sesame Chicken recipe is seriously so easy that you’ll be tempted to toss those take-out menus. The deliciously sweet and savory sauce takes only a few ingredients, all of which you can keep on hand indefinitely (keep your ginger in the freezer). You know, just in case you need some sesame chicken like, now. Oh, and this take-out fake-out sesame chicken works great for your weekly meal prep, too!
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What is Sesame Chicken?
If you’re unfamiliar with this Chinese-American fast food classic, sesame chicken is small pieces of tender chicken that have been coated in an egg and cornstarch, deep-fried until crispy, and then coated in a deliciously sweet, salty, and tangy sauce. The sauce also has a light but toasty flavor thanks to sesame seeds. You’ll find this dish at most Chinese-inspired takeout restaurants across America.
Ingredients for Sesame Chicken
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy sesame chicken recipe:
- Chicken Thighs: We use chicken thighs for this recipe because they stay juicy and super tender without fear of drying out, and they’re very budget-friendly. You can use chicken breast, if preferred, just be careful to not overcook the chicken.
- Cornstarch and Egg: The combination of cornstarch and egg coats the chicken, keeping it tender and providing something for the sauce to grab onto. This technique of coating meat in a cornstarch mixture is called “velveting.”
- Soy Sauce: The base for the sauce is soy sauce, which provides plenty of salt and umami flavor.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil gives the sauce a deliciously nutty flavor. Make sure to get toasted oil, which has a deep amber color and a much more pronounced flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar provides sweetness to balance the salt of the soy sauce and the acidity of the vinegar. Brown sugar has a deep flavor, compared to the more one-dimensional flavor of white sugar. You can also use honey in place of the brown sugar.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar gives the sauce a nice tangy flavor. Rice vinegar is milder than other vinegar types, which keeps the sauce in balance and not too harsh.
- Fresh Ginger: Ginger gives the sauce zing! Be sure to use fresh ginger, not dried ginger, as it has a much more peppery flavor. Keep fresh ginger in your freezer to always have it on hand without it going bad.
- Garlic: Garlic provides a nice savory base flavor for the sauce.
- Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds add even more sesame flavor to the sauce and a delicious visual appeal.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the sauce into a nice glaze with a translucent, glossy finish.
- Rice and Green Onions: Serve your sesame chicken over a bed of rice with sliced green onions on top for a well rounded meal.
No Deep Frying Required
I specifically wrote this recipe for those of you out there who hate deep frying as much as I do. This recipe uses a very small amount of oil to cook the chicken and because of that, you don’t get super crispy edges as you would with a deep fry, but the trade-off is well worth it in my opinion. No leftover oil to deal with, no cooking oil smell filling your house, and no splattering oil trying to kill you. So worth sacrificing crispy edges.
What to Serve with Sesame Chicken
I like to pair my Easy Sesame Chicken with jasmine rice and a little steamed broccoli. It’s a super simple meal that is very satisfying, and stores well for meal prep! It also goes great with Crunchy Cabbage Salad, Sesame Cucumber Salad, Easy Egg Drop Soup, Savory Coconut Rice.
Easy Sesame Chicken
Servings 4Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 large egg ($0.23)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.06)
- 1 pinch each salt and pepper ($0.05)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs ($3.23)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce ($0.24)
- 2 Tbsp water ($0.00)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil ($0.33)
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.12)
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar ($0.12)
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger ($0.10)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds ($0.8)
- 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.02)
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice ($0.70)
- 2 whole green onions ($0.22)
Instructions
- First, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and sesame seeds. (Grate the ginger with a small-holed cheese grater). Set the sauce aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs, then cut them into small 1 inch pieces. Toss the chicken in the egg and cornstarch mixture.
- Add the cooking oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium flame. Wait until the skillet is very hot, then swirl the skillet to make sure the oil coats the entire surface. Add the batter coated chicken and spread it out into a single layer over the surface of the skillet.
- Allow the chicken pieces to cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom. Then, carefully flip the chicken, breaking up the pieces into smaller clumps as you flip. Continue to cook the chicken until golden brown on the other side. Stir the chicken as little as possible to avoid breaking the egg coating from the surface of the chicken.
- Once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown on all sides, pour the sauce over top. Toss the chicken to coat in the sauce. As the sauce comes up to a simmer, it will begin to thicken. Continue to gently stir the chicken in the sauce until it has thickened, then turn off the heat.
- Serve the chicken over a bed of rice and sprinkle the sliced green onions over top.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Non Stick Cookware
- Grater
- Color Cutting Boards
Nutrition
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How to Make Sesame Chicken
Make the sauce first, so it’s ready to go when you need it. In a bowl, stir together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 2 minced cloves of garlic, ½ Tbsp cornstarch, and 1 Tbsp sesame seeds.
Let’s just talk about this toasted sesame oil for a second. You must get the kind that is toasted to get the super vibrant nutty flavor that you want in your sesame chicken. Not all brands actually say “toasted” on the bottle, but you can recognize the toasted variety by its deep brown color. Regular sesame oil will be the color of straw, like vegetable oil. You want the brown stuff. ;) It’s usually in the international foods aisle, instead of the baking aisle with the other oils.
Next, trim any extra fat off of one pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, then cut them into small one inch cubes. One pound for me was about three chicken thighs.
Add 1 large egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a medium bowl.
Whisk the egg and cornstarch together until it is light and frothy. It may seem thick at first, but as the cornstarch dissolves in the egg, it will thin out and get nice and frothy.
Add the cubed chicken thighs and stir them to coat in the egg mixture.
Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium. Wait until it is very hot. This is VERY important. The skillet must be very hot! Once very hot, swirl the skillet to make sure the oil coats the entire surface, add the chicken, and make sure it’s spread out into a single layer. Let the chicken cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom. It will kind of cook into a single round pancake, but don’t worry, we’ll break up the pieces next.
Then carefully flip the chicken pieces, breaking up them up slightly into smaller pieces as you flip. Cook on the other side until browned and cooked through. Make sure to not stir them too much, or you can cause the egg to come off the chicken. You can see that some of the chicken pieces are still kind of stuck together at this point. That’s okay. Just do not over stir.
Finally, add the prepared sauce and stir to coat. Continue to carefully stir the chicken as the sauce beings to simmer and thicken. Once it’s thickened, turn off the heat.
Sprinkle some sliced green onions over top and serve with warm rice. :) Doesn’t get better than this.
Easy Sesame Chicken – done in about 30 minutes, and NO DELIVERY FEE! :D
Is the nutrition info including the rice?
Not including the rice!
This website and recipes are awesome!
This was awesome
This recipe was simple, fun to make, and a great hit at home. I learned some new things while making this recipe that I can apply to other dishes. Furthermore, it tasted better than the majority of chinese restuarants around me and was way more afforable. Watching my family dig in was the best part. I’m saving this website and checking online to see if you have a page to follow. Thank you!
Yum! Another keeper! I doubled the sauce (I like sauce) and paired with steamed Broccoli. Everyone loved it!
I found this recipe when it was about a year old (2014!) and have been making it for my boys since!!! One of our all time favorites and so easy to make! We always double or triple the sauce! Thought it was about time I left a review since I don’t think I ever did! Thank you so much for this one Beth!
Delicious, cheap, and easy enough I could make it while my 1 year old was still happy playing with kitchen tools :)
1 cup of raw rice would be enough for this dish when cooked (I used 1.3). Super easy side dish was frying 1/2 bag frozen oriental veggies in the chicken pan afterwards, I dusted them with some corn starch then added a dash of soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar again to have the same flavours in a thickened sauce. Really makes the dish super filling and go a bit further :)
As an Australian, it is very sweet, but it absolutely tastes like delicious take out. Healthier version would be to cut the sugar to 1/3rd of the recipe but as a treat it’s soo good. Plus, we have plenty more leftovers for extra meals! With the veggies the 4 serves easily stretches to 5 servings or more.
Made this the other day. It was quick, easy and DELICIOUS!!
I doubled the amount of brown sugar as the sauce wasn’t as sweet as the Sesame Chicken I’m used to. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time) I may increase a little more and cut back a bit on the ginger.
I HIGHLY recommend this recipe!
Very easy to make! Wish I had bought a side to go with it like potstickers or egg rolls. The sauce is good but wish I knew how to make a spicy version. Had to buy all the ingredients so that was a little pricey, but going forward I’ll just need chicken!
This sesame chicken is delicious. I had never made it before. I think next time I’ll go for low sodium soy sauce.
This is an awesome recipe and a new favorite from this website. My husband is allergic to eggs, so I just pat the chicken pieces dry and then toss with a little salt, pepper, and a couple tablespoons of cornstarch. Not quite as much like a batter, but still gives a little coating/crunch to the chicken. We are getting ready for a big snow storm, so I’m off to the store to get ingredients for this!
Can I use breast? I don’t like the fattiness of tonight’s.
You can! Just be careful not to overcook as breasts can dry out really quickly.
made sesame scrambled egg chicken
This is a delicious recipe. I doubled it for my family and used 1/2 low sodium soy sauce and half coconut aminos (to sub for the soy sauce). I also used a Splenda brown sugar substitute. I served over Jasmine rice mixed with cauliflower rice and everyone enjoyed it.
Could I use the same “velveting” technique in an Airfryer, with the same crispy results? Has anyone tried it?
The food that you cook looks.good
I’ve been using this receipt for years now! So good and yet so easy. It doesn’t get any better.
I tried the Sesame Chicken and Sesame Chicken Sauce recipe, and it was a game-changer! The chicken came out perfectly crispy and golden, and the sauce was absolutely delicious. The balance of sweet and savory flavors was spot on.
Could I simply saute the chicken in the oil without the coating and then add the sauce to the pan? I don’t care for breaded anything. I know it won’t have the crispy texture that the breading will create.
Also, any suggestions for reducing the Sodium in this recipe? Each person only gets 1 Tbsp of soy sauce at 880 mg of Sodium per serving. What else is so high in sodium in this recipe to make it 1518 mg per person? Not the rice or chicken. I know we could use low Sodium soy sauce (510 mg of Sodium in a Tbsp. )
Adults shouldn’t have more than 2300 mg per day as per American Heart Assn.
Those sodium numbers were calculated by hand by a dietitian and it’s possible she made an error or the database of ingredients she used wasn’t accurate. I recalculated using the automatic calculator that we use now and it’s showing about 900mg sodium per serving. That being said, all nutrition facts for recipes found online should be taken with a grain of salt (pun intended) because they use ingredient databases that may or may not be the same as the ingredients you actually use. They’re a broad estimate, at best. Oh, and meat actually does contain a decent amount of sodium. :) The database we use is showing about 400mg for the chicken in this recipe (for the total amount, not per serving).
It look delicious.I will try it soon
Beth, you are a genius! Was craving takeout and made this instead and it was delicious. Only tweak I made was white pepper (instead of black) in the egg slurry, since I had it on hand and seemed to go better with the asian flavors. Thank you!
I haven’t made this.
It looks gorgeous and sounds incredibly delicious.
But I need much simpler recipes and hands,off cooking. I’m a very slow cook, and looking to get dinner on the table much more easily and quickly.
I re-write all chicken recipes to bake them as a sauce over chicken in the oven.
I use bone-on, skin-on thighs, and don’t do any trimming or chopping.
Not chopping food, especially meat or chicken, she’s loads of time.
Why chop food in advance, when I can cut it up on my dinner plate at the table, and chew it?
It saves time to just make whole cuts of meat, or bone-in, skin-on thighs (skinned and degreased as described below.)
Here is my strategy for making the fastest, simplest, safest, low-packaging, skinless, bone-in, low-fat chicken I have found.
I buy ground meat in a chub for affordability, and to reduce plastic and Styrofoam for environmental reasons; or bake whole cuts of meat or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Then I can lift whole thighs from the package to the pan, with the skin still on, with a fork, for food safety and minimal cleanup – just a fork to wash.
I then bake the chicken thighs at 350 degrees for 30-40 min., til the skin comes off quickly, easily, and safely with a clean fork, and put the skin and drain the fat into a re-used can, to cool, freeze, put in a reused bread bag, and toss on garbage day. This is the fastest, cleanest, easiest, most affordable way I’ve found to get skinless chicken without getting my hands greasy and taking extra time to pull raw chicken skin off of thighs. I also don’t have to spend extra time washing the sink and cutting board and knife right to immediately remove raw chicken juices, because the chicken is only handled with a fork before it is fully cooked. Huge time-saver!
With the now-skinned, partially baked, bone-in, whole chicken thighs that are still in the pan, already baked for 30-40 minutes, I then pour my sauce over, and bake an additional 10-15 min. Served with brown rice ànd a steamed veg.
I make enough chicken (6 thighs for 1 person) and rice (3 cups raw) to last for 3 meals for the week. I put the cooled pan of chicken in a reused plastic bag or covered with foil directly into the fridge for the next two meals, so I only have to clean the pan once for the week. I then alternate this chicken meal with one other dinner for the week, such as tomato-meat sauce with cooked whole-grain penne pasta stirred in.
This provides simplicity, affordability, and a little variety by alternating two meals for the week.
I will use your delicious sounding sauce to pour over chicken baked this way. Thank you for the gorgeous recipe!
I share this cooking method a) to keep it real. – I know I will never get around to making your beautiful recipe as described, and b) in hopes you will create a section of your site for sauces to pour over hands-off, skinless bone-in baked chicken, for affordability, speed, and practicality, for those of us who want to keep hands-on time in the kitchen to the bare minimum, at low cost and good nutrition.
I like what you’re saying. You’ve given me food for though. I cook for three. I get home around 7pm and spend way to much time in prep and clean up.
Thank you
You have outdone yourself with this one. I kept yelling THIS IS SO GOOD as my husband and I devoured this dish. I threw some cut up red peppers in, which were also delicious. Thank you for always posting such awesome recipes.
could you make this in an air fryer?
Anything with a wet batter should be kept out of an air-fryer.
Does the calorie count at the bottom included the rice? Are you about to suggest a serving size, for example half cup rice and 4 ounces of cooked chicken ?
Yes, the calorie count includes the rice. The recipe card says there are 4 servings and calls for 4 cups of rice. So it would be 1 cup of rice per serving. And yes, it would be 4 oz of chicken or one thigh.
Very good and easy to make thank you
It was delicious!
Had no problem with the coating- everything went just as described.
I made for dinner and this was SO tasty! I used b/s breasts (on hand) cut into chunks. Had doubts about the amount of egg mixture but it was enough for the two breasts. Maybe next time I’d add another egg. Practiced my patience and did not rush the chicken browning…after flipping it was all ‘game on’ good & looked legit. I added a splash more soy to the sauce because we were serving over yakisoba noodles (soooo good) in a noodle bowl. Definitely making again….significant other raved about it!
Now that eggs aren’t as affordable, are there any alternates to use for the chicken coating? Very very good and easy!
We haven’t tested this recipe with any egg substitutes, so I’m hesitant to give you any specific suggestions that might not be successful. However, you could try thinning out the cornstarch with warm water or milk until it reaches the same consistency as the slurry you see in the step-by-step process photos. ~Marion :)
I made it with ground chicken and skipped the whole egg/cornstarch batter part! Just brown the ground chicken and once its cooked, add the sauce and follow the rest of the recipe. Very easy this way and I found it still super tasty!
I prefer to dredge the chicken pieces in cornstarch then fry in a bit of oil – makes them nice and crispy – before adding sauce. :)
Man I was bad at the chicken part, and I was really worried it wouldn’t come out well because it looked like I made an egg pancake. Fellow at-home-chefs, stick with it! It’s okay even if it looks weird!
It turned out delish. I made a double batch of sauce because I had 1.7 lb of chicken thighs ($5 at Aldi, can’t beat it). I then steamed some carrots “chips” that were on sale from Publix to add in with it – I originally wanted broccoli but the carrots were on sale and they turned out to be the best choice! Served over brown rice and it was phenom. It took me longer than the “prescribed” time table in the recipe (maybe closer to 45 min) but I will 100% make it again!
My family enjoys this dinner a lot, we have it about once a month. I love that it’s really easy to throw together and neither kid will complain about it. :)
I’m sure it’s something I did, but the egg and corn starch mixture just slid off the chicken. So one side even up totally breaded, while the other was just bare chicken. It then dissolved into my sauce. Like I said, I’m sure it was me, but beware.
Hey Jordan, I haven’t made this before and I don’t know if it will help with this recipe but I’ve had similar experience with other breaded chicken recipes. Make sure the chicken is dry first (pat with a paper towel) then coat it lightly in flour and shake off the excess before putting it in the egg bath. Then just make sure your oil is very hot like the recipe says.
I made this last night and my family loved it! I used chicken breasts because it’s all I had. I think it would be even better with thighs!
Excellent recipe! We cut the brown sugar in half and it was plenty sweet. Highly recommend this.
This is DELICIOUS!! However, EVERY Budget Bytes’ recipe I have tried is delicious!!
Hands down the best sesame chicken I’ve made from scratch! This recipe is a real gem 🧡
A favorite for this family. My 5 yr asked for this specifically when it was his turn to choose and prep a meal! The only change we make is to bump the sauce by 1.5 since it’s so good to have the extra on veggies and rice.
This is a wonderful and easy recipe to make. It was delicious! I didn’t have any sesame oil and used grape oil instead. While the rice was cooking, and I was browning the chicken,I blanched some broccoli. After I added the sauce to the chicken I added the broccoli to the mix. Every thing was done in less than a half hour! Excellent recipe and I will make it again
The recipe is perfect as-is. My favorite tweak is browning pineapple chunks with the chicken before you pour over the sauce. Thanks so much for your wonderful website! :)
I’ve made this a few times and it is always excellent. I made it again tonight using tofu and soy curls because I don’t eat meat anymore. It is absolutely fantastic.
This cheats way of crispy chicken didn’t work for me it just turned into a massive omelette then broke up and left loads of egg pieces in my dish. Lovely flavours but next time I will spend a bit longer making my chicken the longer way
Great recipe! I needed to whip the egg/cornstarch a bit more, and I needed to use a bigger pan, but SO delish! Really was about 1/2 hour start to finish, and it was gone faster than I could have hoped.
Thank you so much for this recipe, SO much easier than the bazillion other complicated recipes out there, and the flavors are great! Thank you so much!
Actually super impressed by this recipe! I found it on a whim while looking for last minute dinner ideas. Relatively simple process and ingredients and turned out great. Was glad I happened to print this one out because I will be keeping it around to use again and again!
I tried this amazing recipe just today and Im speechless utterly delicious
Absolutely delicious homemade version of sesame chicken, packed with awesome flavors! I loved making this and smelling all the fragrances. I will definitely make this again, and also wanted to note that it took me an hour to make this! Between cutting raw meat and battering/browning thoroughly, definitely a lot more than 25 mins for the amateur chef! =)
You don’t realize how much I love you for this recipe alone. I somehow managed to stumble upon the seemingly ONLY sesame chicken recipe which does not involve deep frying and it is FREAKING PERFECTION IN MY MOUTH! AND it’s healthy??? THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU A MILLION GAZILLION TIMES! I’ve prepared this for both of my parents, my sister and her hubs, and some of my friends… EVERYBODY LOVES IT!
Finally made this tonight, it was delicious.
I lessened the sugar, used dried ginger since I don’t keep fresh on hand, and made extra sauce since I make a boatload of stir fried veggies.
The family and I really enjoyed it!
Great sauce. Great idea in terms of cooking the egg and corn starch all at once.
Execution? Not so great I think.
I somehow ended up with scrambled egg coated chicken lol. Maybe I didn’t leave the chicken to cook long enough before flipping around? That’s my best guess. Followed the rest of the instructions exactly.
I’ll tweak the egg and cornstarch part probably. But everything else is great! Thanks for the recipe!
This turned out to be magnificent! I was skeptical about the egg mixture, every other recipe has the chicken dredged in egg then flour/cornstarch… however this was much easier and it worked out wonderfully! My tip is cut the heat down just a little and let the chicken get well browned! I only let it very lightly brown, and some of my pieces weren’t quite done. So I had to put them back in. Another tip is to put your chicken in the freezer for a few minutes so it’s partially frozen (not completely frozen!) before you cut it. Makes it easier to work with. And lastly, if you’re adding veggies and serving it over rice, double the sauce! I added broccoli, water chestnuts, and baby corn. Absolutely devine!!!!
This is fantastic. It’s like you’re reading my mind with the deep frying aspect. I made this last week, and accidentally fidgeted with the chicken even though the recipe said to let it cook through before flipping. Oops, sorry… This time, I’m going to slightly increase the sauce ingredients and throw in some broccoli, plus let the chicken cook.
I made Sesame Chicken for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I’m going to add this recipe to my dinner line up! I followed the instructions and it turned out great. Thank you!
Why do you hate deep frying? I literally came here TO LEARN abot deep frying this. Will go elsewhere. Next.
So you didn’t make the recipe yet you rated it 1 star?
I hope you’re happy with your life’s choices.
Tonight’s dinner! Really good. And I think next time I’ll add orange zest. Or lemon? It would go so great in this. Thank you for this recipe!
This stuff is AMAZING. Like, tastes like the sesame chicken from a local favorite spot that catered my wedding. I don’t like deep frying either so having such an amazing alternative is just plain awesome. This is hands-down my new favorite meal prep, and it’s obviously great immediately. So fast, so easy, so, so good.
I made two batches of this recipe tonight — for one batch I followed the recipe exactly (only substitute was that I used low-sodium soy sauce because that’s all I buy) and the second batch I substituted the soy sauce for coconut aminos because I have family members with hashimotos and they can’t eat soy sauce. Turns out, none of us cared for the recipe with soy sauce but LOVED this recipe substituted with coconut aminos. We found that the recipe with soy sauce was too salty and too strong, but the recipe made with coconut aminos was delicious, just like you’d get from takeout.
Have you used chicken tenders for this recipe?
I haven’t, but they would probably work alright.
This got 6 thumbs up in our family, even the pickey eater said, after one bite, “This is a make again one!” It’s such a different way to cook the chicken. Thank you!
This is genuinely one of my favourite meal ever. I think I’ve cooked it every week for the past year. It is so nice! Somedays I just fry the chicken with the cornstarch, bake it till it’s cooked and then simmer in the sauce in the pan. Such a great feed/
As usual Beth saves the day. Chinese takeout has seen steep prices increases so I thought I would give this a shot. It was amazing! My toddler and husband finished their meals quickly. I used a large pan to allow the chicken to spread out, handled the pieces delicately. Cornstarch always seems intimidating but I followed the instructions and it was perfect. Next time I might add a side of broccoli or an Asian vegetable. Thank you BB!!
I love this with chicken, but, I made it with pork cubes tonight. Just as delicious! I did not change anything else, I just subbed pork and it is yummy!
Oh my gosh I just made this and it was delicious! Super easy, and so tasty, even without garnishes. I almost always have all these ingredients in the pantry so this is going into the rotation for sure!
I’ve done it twice now with good results both times. I added a little more ginger than suggested the second time and liked it better. I reserve 1/4 of the sauce and after the chicken’s done I take it out and put broccoli florets in the same hot pan, with a few TBSP water, a little oil, and the rest of the sauce and stir fry it. I have been using a non-stick wok, and it works well.
Can you marinate the chicken in the sauce before you cook it?
I don’t advise that. It will probably interfere with the way the cornstarch coating adheres to the chicken. Mmarinades that have been used on raw chicken need to be boiled for a solid ten minutes to make them safe for consumption and this sauce will thicken way too much before ten minutes is up.
The sauce was a tad too sweet/salty for me. I’ll be using less soya sauce next time and substitute the 3 tbsp of sugar with 1 tbsp of sugar + 1 orange (juice).
Is the calorie count including the white rice? Thanks.
Yes :)
Easy and delicious! Made exactly as stated and it turned out great. I will be making this Sesame Chicken again and again.
I followed this recipe to a T and it turned out really terrible :(
Hi Katie. Not sure what you did wrong and you didn’t specify what terrible was. Chicken tough, sauce too thin or what, but I have made this a hundred times and never had a problem. If you are an inexperienced cook, then maybe if you explain what terrible meant, we can help
This recipe looks great! Do you think I could cook the chicken in an airfryer instead?
Unfortunately, I’ve never used an air fryer, so I can’t offer advice on that.
Very tasty! but I feel like 1 lb of chicken is not enough for 4 people
Hi Kevin. If you add a nice Asian salad with ginger dressing as a side, or egg rolls or even Asian blend stir fry vegetables, this is more than enough
Absolute winner here – this is definitely going on a regular rotation in my house :) delicious!!
This was so good that I’m still craving it one week later. I was a bit too rough and lost a lot of the egg coating when turning the chicken, but the sauce still formed a glazy layer on the chicken in the areas without egg. Looking forward to making this again!
Really really tasty! I made this to the letter and it is very good. Also eating it for leftovers so it holds up well.
Love this dish! Made exactly as is and it’s delicious.
I never leave comments on recipes, but was just so good! It was incredibly easy to make and tasted so much better than takeout. We had it with the Crunchy Cabbage Salad and it was an all-around great dinner. Thanks for making me feel like such a good cook tonight!
How do leftovers hold up? Is this good for meal prep or best eaten fresh?
This one is definitely best when fresh, but you wouldn’t catch me turning down the leftovers. :) The sauce can get a little cloudy in appearance after it’s been in the fridge, but it still tastes great.
I tried this with shrimp and the batter didn’t stick as well, any suggestions?
You might need to dry off the shrimp really well to help it stick.
Hi Beth! How would you recommend making this vegetarian? I tried it tonight with tempeh and while the sauce was DELISH, the tempeh didn’t really do it justice. Do you think tofu would be better?
I’ve got you covered: Pan Fried Sesame Tofu ;)
Thank you!! Trying this tonight!
This recipe looks delicious and easy, but I’m allergic to eggs. Is there anything that can be substituted for the egg? I haven’t seen an egg used in this manner before so I don’t know what I can use as a substitute. TIA
I don’t have a good substitution for the egg here, unfortunately. I would probably just sauté the chicken “naked” and drench it with the sauce that way. :)
My son is allergic to eggs as well. I use ‘Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer’ they sell it at grocery stores and Walmart. It’s in the baking goods aisle. Been using it for years when I need eggs for baking and recipe’s like this. Works great, good luck!
Looks amazing! Is there much difference if you use chicken breasts?
You shouldn’t have to do anything differently, just keep in mind that breast meat isn’t quite as tender and juicy as thigh meat. :)
All I can say is; zero leftovers!My wife raved about it for days,I can’t wait to make it again.Followed the recipe exactly, wouldn’t change a thing.
Quick question: If I wanted to make this vegetarian by subbing cauliflower florets for the chicken, would you still recommend coating the cauliflower in the cornstarch mixture? Just prep the sauce and coat the cauliflower in that? Thanks!
I’ve actually tried that and didn’t get great results. I have yet to figure out a good method for using cauliflower with this.
My family said it was “amazing and delicious”
Cripes – and I’m no cook!
This was quick to throw together and packed with flavor! Definitely one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day.
I loved the technique of mixing the egg and cornstarch together and the dredging. So much less messy than a traditional dredge.
Th is for another great meal 🤗
Thank you for this easy recipe. I made it tonight for a quick dinner and it was delicious!
So easy to follow and very simple. I only have regular sesame oil, but it taste delish 😋.
Thank you.
Great quick meal! I would just double the amount of acid and use 1 tbsp sugar instead of 3. I put 2 actually and I thought that was still too sweet.
Very nice simple recipe. We sometimes use tofu instead of chicken and it works very well still. I like the sauce, its subtle so you can dress it up if you want.
I love everything I’ve ever tried on this website, but am sorry to say that this was not delightful. Too salty, and lacking something. It was okay, but not fabulous ( like every other recipe I’ve gotten here). Sorry.
Hi Julia! Try low sodium soy sauce, add more garlic and substitute honey for sugar. Add the honey after you add the sauce to the cooked chicken and stir gently. I think you’ll like it
This was excellent!! So easy and absolutely delicious. Husband loved it too!! Thanks for another great recipe that will go into the rotation
Excellent recipe. I made it the first time with regular sesame oil and the second time with toasted sesame oil. It’s not a huge difference, but it was better with toasted sesame oil! I used chicken breast not thighs for the meat eaters. I’m a vegetarian so I made a version with extra firm tofu that came out really good. I served over quinoa with a side of broccoli.
Made this for the first time tonight, I usually don’t comment on recipes but…this one is fantastic! I will be making it again,and again……..thanks Kathy
Can you bake this in the oven ?
Nope, you need the quick, dry heat of a skillet to make this one work correctly.
This is such a fantastic recipe! I made it for the first time today and absolutely loved it! I’m already planning on making it a second time. Thank you!
Excellent! This was a hit with everyone in my family. I will make this again and again.
This recipe was the best! The entire family loved it from age 7 to over 60, Including a rather fussy 16 year old. The only complaint was they wanted MORE. I am definitely making it again and again.
Just a side note. The second time I made this with reg soy. It was definitely too salty for us with the regular soy but I also preseasoned the chicken.
The next time and there will definitely be a next time, I’ll go back to the low sodium soy and will not preseason.
Can you use regular sesamie oil instead of toasted? What would the difference be?
Nope, you need toasted for this one. Regular sesame oil has a very light flavor that won’t be detected in the recipe. Toasted sesame oil has a very strong nutty flavor, which is what you need. :)
Any alternatives for rice vineager?
Looking forward to trying this out!
You really want to get rice vinegar for this one because it has a uniquely mild acidity and neutral flavor. If you use another vinegar in its place it will throw off the flavor balance.
After a couple bites, my husband told me that this may be the best chicken he’s ever had! And while he is often complimentary of my cooking, he doesn’t just throw around statements like that! A 5 star recipe for sure. And truly easy, so this is one I’ll make again often. Thank you for sharing another delicious recipe, Beth! I’ve used a few of your recipes and they’ve all been hits in our home.
Excellent recipe, yummy i woll definitely make it agaon.. only thing for me was the rice vinegar was over powering so i think next time i will reduce it…
but it is a huge hit. thank you
My fiance and I found this recipe a few months ago when we were looking for options that are cheaper (and healthier) than take out. We LOVE it!!!!!! I’ve made it for my parents and siblings now too, and it was a hit.
I was wondering if anyone has experience freezing this after it has been cooked? I’m heading back to my last semester of college and student teaching, and I’d like to meal prep on the weekends. Does it freeze well? Does anyone have tips for freezing it?
We’ve frozen this in individual portions before and it worked well. Fully cooled it in the fridge then moved it to the freezer the next morning.
Delicious.
It even works perfectly with cauliflower instead of chicken. Just double the egg and cornstarch batter. Absolutely wonderful. People-ask-for-the-recipe level good.
In list of ingredients for sauce, it shows 1/2 TBS. cornstarch, but further down in step by step photos, it says 1 TBS. DEFINITELY NEED the full TBS. or sauce too thin! Thought it needed a little more sweetness, so drizzled some honey over chicken when finished cooking. Everything else very well balanced..will make again!
I really enjoyed this recipe, sauce is fantastic! I had a bit of a problem with the batter running to one side when frying, any tips for frying that I may be missing? Thanks!
Yes, try increasing the heat slightly so the egg firms up before it has a chance to run off as much. :)
Any tips for making this recipe taste less salty? I omitted the pinch of salt but this recipe still had an overly salty taste.
You can use a low sodium soy sauce. Almost all of the saltiness in this recipe comes from the soy sauce. :)
This recipe was such a hit with my family! So much so that my dad requested it for dinner again the next night! He couldn’t believe how much it tasted like real chinese takeout (which we haven’t been able to do since COVID)
I made it with chicken breast because that’s all my grocery store had but it still worked
Can you make it with chicken breasts instead?
You can, but the thighs tend to stay more tender. :)
Excellent! Doubled the recipe hoping to have leftovers, but we ate every bit of it! Even my picky kid liked it! This is going in the regular rotation.
This was quick and easy. My husband and kid loved it. I used ground ginger instead of grated fresh and it still turned out really well.
I started making this when our local Chinese restaurant was closed for COVID. My kids and I both love it. I’ve even made it with pork chops instead of chicken and it’s still great. As a busy single dad, here’s my hack for making this even easier… I buy a bottle of P.F. Chang’s Sesame sauce and skip making the sauce. Stir it in, let it simmer and you’re good to go.
I haven’t had Chinese since lockdown because all the good places are by my work 40 min away. This was absolutely perfect! Just like takeout, but better and not that difficult surprisingly! I’m going to try it with half tofu next time since sesame tofu is my absolute favorite, but the husband needs meat. I cheated and used uncle bens microwave jasmine rice and we air fried up some egg rolls in the side too!
This was so wonderful ! ! ! ! I needed a recipe to use a pkg of chicken thighs so I picked this one for sesame chicken, and I actually had all of the pantry items. After cutting up the chicken I checked the recipe again before starting. When I read that the recipe was made for the equivalent of three cut up chicken thighs, I did some very quick ingredient multiplying, because I had 8 boneless thighs cut up ! The best tip I can give is follow what it says in the directions and don’t stir/break it up too much during the browning process, it won’t always look like an omelet. As it gets properly browned you can separate it in pieces without having the coating fall off. It was sooo delicious !
P.S. I always use coconut aminos as a “one to one ” substitution for soy sauce.
Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow !
Would this work with chicken wings?
I have made this recipe several times now. It always turns out wonderful! My whole family loves it!
Made this last night instead of ordering takeout, it was delicious! Next time I will double the recipe, my husband loved it and we wished there was more leftover!
Quick, easy, & flavorful, but too salty even though I used low sodium soy. I would sub 1/4 chicken broth for the soy, and use 2 Tablespoons soy in place of water. Maybe I’ll add a little sherry (not cooking sherry) as previously suggested, and leave out the salt from the chicken mix. I will try this again with tweaks because it is quick & easy, my family like it, and I liked that it used chicken thighs instead of breasts. I served it with the jasmine rice and some flash-fried broccolini and red pepper for an asian-style side.
I don’t know what I did wrong but I cook all the time. I consider myself a pro and I try recipes new all the time… this was terrible. Couldn’t eat more than 1 piece of chicken. I followed the recipe to a tee! My husband tells me that when I fail at least it’s edible but this time we threw away a pound of chicken
I made this for dinner tonight because the local Chinese restaurants have been disappointing lately. It was delicious and so easy to make! We will definitely be making this again. (I used ground ginger instead of fresh ginger.)
I literally just experienced the same thing. I definitely do not want to discount the 4.5 stars this recipe has earned, but it just wasnt for me. It made me feel incredibly unwell
I made this last night and I’d have to say that while I liked it, it was a little too salty for my wife (I have a higher tolerance for salt but probably should go easy on it as well). I noticed that an earlier comment is also about this, but I’m not sure that coconut aminos is the answer. If I make it again, I think I might cut the soy sauce in half to ¼ cup and replace that with perhaps a bit of Sherry (not cooking Sherry, which is also salty) and perhaps s touch of lemon juice.
I made this last night, followed recipe exactly. It was easy and delicious!!!
We made this yesterday. We steamed some broccoli and carrots and threw in some chopped fresh spinach at the end. So yummy!
Sadly, I have to limit my sodium intake. :-( Since this virtually eliminates take-out in general, & I miss Asian food the most, I’m eager to try adaptations! Even switching to low-sodium soy sauce doesn’t decrease the sodium content enough. CAN YOU OR ANY CLEVER HELPFUL READER SUGGEST A PARTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR SOY SAUCE that would work well with the other flavors? [Apologies for the caps; I’m hoping to catch other readers’ eyes if they read the comments.] Thank you!
I hope the following is permitted:
https://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2017/02/theres-no-salt-in-this-gluten-free-soy-sauce.html
I I think it’s ok bc it’s still here. That’s very thoughtful of you to share. I also love Asian foods, but have to watch my salt intake. THANK YOU!!!
Have you tried coconut aminos? 90 mg sodium/teaspoon. I actually prefer its flavor to soy sauce.
You could try coconut aminos. It’s a popular substitute for soy sauce for people who are gluten free or eat a wheat or soy free diet. It has about 90 mg sodium per serving. 🙂
Hi, I hope this helps. I looked on The Spruce Eats Website and it came up a Recipe for Low -Sodium Soy Sauce Substitute that you can make Sodium free because it uses Beef Broth it has other ingredients as well in it. They also have a Paleo 30 Soy Sauce Substitution online as well that uses Coconut Aminos which might work I’m am not sure how much Sodium is in Coconut Aminos. Coconut Aminos are a substitution that is used a-lot in Vegan cooking.
Blessings,
Gina
This looks really good! I would like to make this vegan, thinking I could try it with seitan or tofu instead of chicken but not sure about the egg. Any suggestions for what to use in the batter in place of egg? Also, would tapioca starch work instead of corn starch?
Yes tapioca starch would work great! You could use egg replacer or just water to help coat the chicken.
Coconut milk works in replace of the egg
I love your website! It is my go-to for all things easy my, especially for weeknights! I crave this sesame chicken recipe all the time! Curious as to why you cook the chicken like a pancake though? It didn’t work for me the first time, so the second time I just did it normal, and it turned out really good!
I made this Sesame Chicken recipe and it turned out perfectly delicious! My local stores were out of Sesame oil, so I lightly toasted 1/4 cup of sesame seeds, then saturated the seeds in 1 cup of sunflower oil and strained the seeds which made delicious homemade sesame, oil. I also used low sodium soy sauce and doubled the recipe for the sauce, This dish is so quick & easy to prepare and turned out better than any take out Sesame chicken I’ve ever tried, thank you!
I have yet to try this recipe, but from the looks of it it seems to be so yummy!
I was just wondering if it’s possible to substitute the cornstarch for plain old flour because in my country I’ve never seen cornstarch available anywhere. any ideas if it would still turn out good?
Hi Julia! Where are you located? Arrowroot starch is a good substitute. Flour could work in a pinch but won’t quite give you the crunch.
Thanks for the quick reply! I’m from Germany but maybe I’ve just always looked in the wrong aisles, so please don’t stone me if I’ve simply overlooked it :D . But since cornstarch seems to have so many uses I’ll try to locate a store or buy it online :)
They definitely have corn starch in Germany. We lived there for a year and I accidentally bought that instead of powdered sugar when making a cake. That was the worst frosting I ever made! :) Check the baking aisle if you’re having trouble finding it. I think I got it at REWE or Penny.
Hi Julia, you’ll have no problem finding it in Germany. It might already be in your pantry. Corn starch is Mondamin
I thought the sauce was perfect! I did a little less soy sauce and a little more sesame oil, just knowing that the brand of sesame oil I have on hand isn’t as potent. I was hoping to have some leftovers, but nope! My boyfriend demanded seconds! :)
Worst ever. Dont bother. If i could give zero stars i would.!!
To me this didn’t taste like sesame chicken at all. Just a very sweet beef and broccoli. But over all it tasted good.
Really loved the old version much more. Made this earlier this week. Didn’t read the header about the changes in the recipe. Couldn’t find my old print out; used the latest version on the website. Wife and 3 sons all felt that there was too much soy/salt. Sauce wasn’t thick enough. Then we found out that it had been changed. Still tasty, but typically there is very little in way of leftovers. This time there was more leftovers than usual.
Very salty and not crunchy like sesame chicken is supposed to be. could not really taste anything but salt. some comments mention not adding the extra salt, but I like to judge a recipe by it’s original content not by adjustments commentators make. Was not enjoyable at all.
Tried this recipe this last night. It was a hit. Will be a regular in our house from now on. Thanks.
So so delicious!!! Had to sub chicken breasts & apple cider vinegar, and I didn’t have green onions or sesame seeds, but it was still so great!!
This is… AMAZING! I do agree with previous comments though about adding some veggies (broccoli, peas, etc.) next time. My only note is that it took a loooong time to brown the chicken- definitely more than 15 minutes. Either turn up the heat or be prepared to wait!
Delicious. Subbed tofu in for chicken. Served over coconut rice. Yummy!!
This is SO GOOD! Definitely will be making again and again. Tastes like Panda Express, but better!
Such a versatile recipe! Just made this and subbed the chicken with cauliflower and….. so good! It even looks a lot like chicken and tastes amazing. The texture is good too! I used a whole head of fresh cauliflower and coated it with the batter, pan-fried until tender and set out on paper towels to drain the excess oil. I also drained the oil from the pan before adding the sauce mixture (I usually double it b/c I like mine saucy). I let the sauce thicken before turning the heat off and adding the cauliflower back in to coat. Served over rice!
Thank you for sharing your alternative! I was wondering what it was like with cauliflower, I will be trying it this week!
This was so good I couldn’t believe it!! So simple and it’s better than take out. I will make this often.
So so so good. Simple recipe so the flavor was kind of surprising. Will definitely make again. Used chicken tenderloin bc it’s what I had. And subbed ACV for rice vinegar. Next time I’ll sauté some veggies with it. Thanks for another winner
I love this recipe! It comes together so quickly and is really delicious. Thanks for another winner Beth!!!
SO GOOD! And easy to make. Not sure I’ll ever buy this from a Chinese restaurant again.
i know this recipe doesn’t need more comments but omg IT IS SO GOOD! followed it exactly and it’s delicious and perfect. served with short grain white rice and lettuce on the side!
This was so good I couldn’t believe it. So easy and better than take out. I will be making it often!!
This is such a great recipe. It is far healthier than Panda Express, but is just as tasty! Super easy and flavorful. I added extra ginger and garlic, and used mixed veggies in the rice. My whole family loved this, will make again!!
Made this as meal prep over the weekend using a chicken breast (I am not a fan of thighs) and loved it. So happy I found and I will be making it again definitely.
Thank you sooo much for this detailed recipe.
I’ve been searching for a simple and tasty chicken recipe, and you nailed it!
I used chicken breast and it was still very delicious. My 3 year old and husband loved it. I served it with white rice and broccoli.
I didn’t like the amount of Ketchup in this. I’m not sure why I didn’t read the comments first, but other than that, it was a good starting recipe. I’ll probably decrease the Ketchup and try Hoisin next time.
There’s no ketchup in this recipe.
This was absolutely delicious. I especially appreciated the video that showed how to flip the chicken in sections to retain the golden crust. Excellent, restaurant-quality food made at home! I used breasts in lieu of thighs, and served it over brown basmati rice. So. Darn. Good,
I loved this recipe, as I do of so many on your site! I was wondering if it could be adapted to the crockpot? I will be making this a lot for my five-year-old. Thank you Beth!
Unfortunately you won’t be able to get these same textures with a slow cooker because slow cookers are a very wet cooking environment and skillets are a dry cooking environment, but you might like this Slow Cooker Honey Hoisin Garlic Chicken. Similar flavors, but as I mentioned, the final texture is different.
This recipe has been our “go-to” for sesame chicken since our son cooked it for us several years ago. It NEVER disappoints!
We don’t use green onions, but we do use extra garlic (is there a such thing as “too much garlic?” Nah! & extra sauce.
Thanks so much for sharing. It’s AMAZING!!
Never too much garlic! Happy to hear it’s still a favorite Tonya.
This recipe is probably the best thing I’ve ever cooked!
Thank you so much Mawson!
My 13 year old daughter saw this recipe on Instagram and showed it to me because she thought it sounded good. We made it for dinner tonight, and we all really liked it. My youngest said we need to make it again. I’ve never cooked chicken thighs diced and coated in egg and cornstarch before, so my expectations were low. It was surprisingly good.
I love everything about this! Happy you found us!
The sauce in this recipe is great!! (I didn’t wanna fry the chicken so I didn’t refer to that part of the recipe.) Ironically enough I forgot to buy sesame oil at the store and didn’t feel like going back to buy some once I realized, so I made the sauce minus the sesame oil, tasted it and it was still pretty good. It great as a foundation sauce to build on top of as well lol Either way my dinner came out delicious and I will definitely refer to this recipe again!
Glad to hear it worked out for you!
This looks delicious and I’m looking forward to making it. I just need a bit of extra guidance please. Do you use low sodium soy sauce or dark soy sauce, and is it seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar. Thank you!
Hello, it is unseasoned rice vinegar. :) And I actually don’t use dark or low sodium soy sauce. It’s just regular soy sauce in the U.S., but may be the same as what some call “light” soy sauce. Not that it is low in sodium, it’s just not the thick, aged “dark” soy sauce.
This was the 1st time trying this recipe. Have to say, EXCELLENT!!! It was easy to prepare, and well, just as easy to cook. I would suggest to all i know try it and will. Thank you to the recipe provider. Major kudos!!!
Thank you Jennifer!
This is absolutely the best sesame chicken recipe I’ve found. There’s a local grocery store that makes and sells their own sesame chicken and it’s our favorite. This recipe tastes exactly what we buy at the store! It’s definitely in heavy rotation in our house.
Thank you Kelly!
This is my favorite Budget Bytes recipe! It is so yummy!!
Thank you Caitlin!
Amazing and easy to make! Thank you!
This recipe is great. I will try adding vegetables next time. I am terrible at cooking, so we will see how straying from the directions will go….
You can do it Sarah!
I just made it with baked broccoli seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Super easy and really good!
I used half raw honey and half monkfruit sweetener instead of brown sugar. I was out of sesame oil so I used Japanese chili oil, which is spicy sesame oil. I really like the sweet and spicy combo, will definitely make again!
Oh that sounds like a great healthy swap! Thanks for sharing Erika.
I made this last night using chicken breast instead of thighs, and it was such a hit! I doubled the recipe and let the sauce simmer with the chicken for about 5 minutes and it thickened right up. Thank you!!
Great tips! Thanks for sharing Hannah.
I have made this recipe for my whole family and it was a superhit! Everyone loved it so much we had it 2 nights in a roll!
Yes that’s awesome!
Wonderful recipe and so simple! There’s never any leftovers when I make this!
That’s a good problem to have! :)
Great! I made this for my guy and me for a cozy friday night in on the couch watching TV. We both loved it and its all gone. I only had 1 medium sized chicken breast left from the week and it was plenty. It was maybe 1/3 of a pound. Was more than enough for us with the rice.
This recipe was totally delicious! I know sesame chicken isn’t supposed to be spicy, but I think I’ll add some heat next time. Thank you so much for your website!
Just wanted you to know that this recipe is a new favorite! It’s “hubby-approved”, very delicious and easy as the name suggests. We will make it often. Thank you for all the work you’ve done developing your wonderful recipes!!
Got to love it when it’s a hubby approved recipe! They become staples in my meal plan.
Didn’t taste bad, but in no way was this the sesame chicken I was hoping for.
This was so delicious! The flavors were incredible. Way better than take out. Thank you Beth for such an easy and delicious recipe.
So good! I used chicken breast and it came out great! For the soy sauce, I always reduce it by half. For this recipe I added water to equal 1/4 cup. Husband doesn’t like salty and I always use liquid aminos which tend to be super salty. I can’t wait to try with tofu. I added some steamed broccoli to give it some veg. A+!!
Well I suppose every Chinese restaurant in America is making Sesame Chicken wrong, then.
It was definitely sesame chicken. I go heavy on the ginger. May try breast meat only because hubby prefers. Added in thinly sliced carrot and snow peas. Will make it again.
Put the instructions for rice at the top. I have seen several of these with rice where they aren’t mentioned until it says, add on top of your freshly cooked rice and all of a sudden you need to cook rice for 20 minutes.
Well, what do you expect? the recipe is for sesame chicken, it teaches you how to make it. no reason for it to explain when/how to make rice (especially if you don’t plan on having rice with it). It should be obvious that if you want rice with it that you should make rice before its done.
LOL
Planning on making this tonight! Any suggestions on a vegetable side dish that would go well with this?
I honestly usually keep it simple with some steamed broccoli florets, but if you want something a little more fancy you could do this Roasted Broccoli Salad, Sesame Kale, or Thai Cucumber Salad.
This turned out fantastic and immediately made its way onto our ‘winners’ list. Thanks!
This still tastes good, but please note that it is NOT sesame chicken. It’s TERIYAKI CHICKEN with sesame seeds. Highly disappointed.
This is my first time cooking, and it’s easy enough to follow, and the taste is so good, I love it! Thank you so much, you make me wanna cook even more!
So good!! I’ve been making the original recipe for a few years, and was excited to try the update – it’s even better! LOVE! I often make this with chicken breast instead of thighs, and it turns out great.
Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!!
Delicious recipe! I tried it on the recommendation of my sister (thanks, Nat). The whole family loved it! Thanks!
I made this recipe and it tasted amazing. I was wondering the how much chicken and rice I should give per serving, though!
I don’t usually measure the volume of the chicken because they have unusual shapes, I just divide the chicken into four equal portions. For the rice I usually serve one cup per person.
Sesame chicken has always been my favorite Asian dish since I first had it as a kid. Making this was so much fun and it was probably the best tasting sesame chicken I’ve had to boot! It honestly shocked me how perfectly balanced the flavors were (even with my haphazard measuring) and I will definitely be making this many times in the future. Thank you so much for creating and sharing this recipe: it even inspired me to do meal prep this week with the dish and I don’t think I’ve been looking forward to lunch as much as I am now!
I made this as a quick weeknight meal on Thursday and it turned out great! My husband loved it too, I wish I would have doubled it because we finished the whole pan!
I tried this tonight and wow…it really is an awesome recipe. thank you! I substituted the real deal ginger with something out of a tube. I also used regular white vinegar. I didn’t shop for the ingredients before making it, which I will do next time. I look forward to trying it as the creator laid out. Because even with those small substitutions, it was extremely tasty and rivaled any good sesame chicken served in a nice restaurant!
Do you have to use rice wine vinegar or can you substitute with apple cider vinegar?
Rice wine vinegar is much more mild than apple cider vinegar, so if you use apple cider it may throw the flavor balance off a bit.
I was so excited to make this for dinner tomorrow, since my family is coming over, until my husband reminded me that he can’t have chicken on Fridays during lent. :(
So I guess now the plan is to make half sesame chicken and half sesame tofu. Do you think that will work?
This works great with tempeh, too. I like the texture of tempeh better than tofu for this. Here is my Sesame Tempeh recipe. :)
Awesome recipe the whole family loved it. Will definitely be making this again.
I may have commented previously, but grabbed this recipe last night for another go round. One thing–I always toast the sesame seeds–it takes a few minutes, but increased flavor is worth the time–a couple of tablespoons in a dry 8 or 9″ skillet over medium high heat and keep them moving either with a utensil or by tossing them in the pan. Remove them from the pan as soon as they are golden–if you leave them in the hot skillet, they may scorch even when you take the pan off the heat. The other thing this recipe needs is another kind of heat–when we discovered this Hunanese recipe in an Austin restaurant in the late 80s, it was really spicy. As its popularity in the US has grown, it has become bland. I like to toast some whole dried chilis, but a pinch of crushed chili flakes will work well, too, and is much easier to control–ie, start with a little and add a more if needed. I served with broccoli florets, but anything green is beautiful and delicious. I’ve used green beans, spinach, sliced zucchini, snow peas, and even carrots which are not green and provide less color contrast, but are cheap and yummy. I used chicken breast last night which is cheaper in my location than thighs
Totally agree with you, toasted sesame seeds are worth the extra effort.
I do a large amount then pop them in a container in the freezer. They don’t freeze, but it keeps them fresh and on hand when you need them.
Can you use boneless chicken breast rather than chicken thighs?
You can, but the chicken pieces won’t be quite as tender. And just be sure to cut them into very small pieces.
I cooked the original recipe with boneless chicken breast, never had a problem.
Hey Beth!
I just had to comment and tell you what a delicious and oh-so-easy recipe this was!
My family and I thoroughly enjoyed eating this dish, and I even wrote a post on my blog about my adventure making it with my kids (pictures and all!)…that’s how much we loved it!
We look forward to trying many more of your recipes…thanks for sharing your culinary talents with the rest of us!
xoxo, Erica
http://www.heykidswhatsfordinner.com
Thank you, Erica!
Not very Seasame flavored in my opinion. Tastes more like an orange chicken sauce. Good, but was expecting less sweet and more seasame flavor.
Made this to recipe the first time, this time I’ve added 1/4 glass of water, 1/4 of a shredded cabbage and a bit of chopped eggplant with the lid on the pan to stir fry in with the chicken. Came out well. 👍
I made this for dinner tonight. I thought it was great. My husband wanted more coating on the chicken. I will definately make it again.
I loved 99% of the recipes I’ve tried here, but this was kind of a fail, at least for me. The cornstarch maneuver didn’t work, and I was very careful about putting the chicken in the pan and then flipping it. It became separated from the chicken pieces anyway. The sauce was too salty bc of the large amount of soy sauce. I can figure out a way around all of this, for sure, but the recipe as written just didn’t cut it for me. Again, I don’t want to be too negative bc I really appreciate this site and all the excellent recipes I’ve tried. This was the first one that I wouldn’t try again.
I followed the new direction to a tee, except I wanted a little heat w Chile sauce. I made it for the family & to my surprise they enjoyed it immensely. I have a critical family & will share their honest thoughts. Especially if I made it. Loved it. The only misgivings was it took more than 25 mins but well worth it. Big hit…
Nice, simple to make recipe with lots of flavor. I added a couple of additional tablespoons of water at the end as the sauce got a bit sticky.
How long does this save?
A few days.
Followed the directions to a T, but ended up tasting like bad teriyaki chicken. Soy sauce and brown sugar flavor was overpowering. Will have to look for a lighter sauce recipe.
Made this tonight and wasn’t a super fan. It had a strange tangy taste to it and I had been hoping it would be more sweet than it was. My boyfriend loved it however.
Love the update. We make this a couple times a month.
Wanted to add, we usually add a spoonful of sriracha to the sauce or some crushed red chili flakes because this works really well with some heat.
I took some shortcuts with the chicken. I kept the thighs whole, flattened a tad, covered in oil and dredged in cornstarch and seasoned crumbs, baked (large casserole dish wiped w/coconut oil –the best non-stick, in my mind.) Flipped halfway as I prepped the sauce, then covered with sauce, and after a few minutes, flipped again and re-basted. love, Love, LOVE this! Just made it a bit faster as I don’t like cutting raw meat or frying when I can bake.
I don’t prefer dark meat so what could I use instead of the thighs.
You can use chicken breast.
It would cost a fortune to make these recipes are aimed at the middle class, how could a working family afford it
It’s priced out at $1.44 per serving. If you can’t afford that, you’re in poverty.
You could add in vegetables that your family would eat like broccoli or an stir fry mix so that it’s not just meat which is expensive.
I shop at Aldis and head to “big stores” for specific ingredients (sesame seeds and oil for example), and i never spend a fortune on meal prep. When I was unemployed for 6 months and relied on my other half for financial help I used recipes like this to make our meals. Compared to his employed sister who was a mother of four, I could I could our fridge and freezer better than hers and cook healthy meals. She was very surprised considering how much I would haul home for 2 people at $125 on a biweekly basis (including paper products) and still have left overs.
I’m making this today and I got everything for under 20 bucks! My total only came to 20.50 because I added some extra things to bake a cake and I already have some of the ingredients at home already (eggs and ginger and cooking oil).
OMG!! Just made this and added in some veggies (pre cooked before chicken and added right before sauce) and it was fricken amazing!!! Missed the ginger in the sauce. It it didn’t matter!!! Thanks for sharing this one! It’s in my favs list now!!!
i am not sure why mine came out so salty
Mine was really salty, too, and I don’t know why. Next time, I will try low sodium soy sauce and see if that helps.
The low sodium soy sauce really helps in my opinion. I also omit the salt in the salt and pepper for the batter, just because i tend to not cook with a lot of salt.
I just made this, had to change it up a bit but besides that it was amazing
Do you have an archive of the original? It tasted a lot better than this updated one, I think.
Yep, you can download a pdf of it through the link at the end of the paragraph titled “updates” (above the video)
That was lovely so easy too. They can keep their long drawn out recipe with loads of pots. Was totally so lovely. You must do it if you haven’t already done. Xxx
My my family loves this recipe they fight over it. So good job!
I made this two nights ago and it was delicious! I added broccoli to top the rice, under the chicken and sauce. I also used chicken breast instead of thighs. Yum!
How nice Recipe….. it’s amazing…🤗🤗
So delicious!!!! Excellent recipient!!! Thank you!
Thank You for the recipe
I absolutely loved this dish! I doubled the sauce since I served with brocolli over rice. And I made two small changes. Instead of adding 2 tablespoons water to the sauce, I added two tablespoons of orange juice. And I added 2 rablespoons of soy sauce to the corn starch marinade for the chicken. I will definitely make this recipe again!
Dear Beth, THANK YOU! for adding the feature on your recipes to dial up or down the number of servings, which adjusts the measurements for ingredients! WOW! That is soooo helpful that you did all that math for me! Saved me ten minutes! There are 5 in my family, and I usually like a recipe that provides enough for my husband to pack a serving to take to work the next day, so I very frequently make measurement adjustments on recipes. Thank you!
A question, too: Sometimes I double or triple a recipe to put in the freezer for future busy weeks. Do you have recommendations for how to go about freezing/reheating this recipe, being that the sauce is sticky & the egg coating may be delicate? Ex: Freeze raw with sauce separate, or cook and add sauce then freeze? Or do you suggest not freezing? Many thanks!
This one probably isn’t the best for freezing, unfortunately. Cornstarch thickened sauces like this separate once frozen, so that part won’t be good for freezing. I suppose you could freeze it raw with the sauce separate, but I’m not sure that will save that much time in exchange for the quality loss.
This was amazing! Probably the best sesame chicken recipe I’ve made. Kids and husband ate it as well with no complaints! I didn’t have sesame seeds, so just left them out & it was still great. It definitely helped to make the sauce first, then was super easy to put together.
Delicious!
Really liked this, I added a head of broccoli and doubled the sauce (stir fried the broccoli first before the chicken.
Fresh ginger will now and forever stay in the freezer! What a genious idea! No more wasted ginger! Thank you for that one.
Great! I tried to make a vegetarian version by using Butler Soy Curls and it was awesome!
I made this for dinner last night and it was really spectacular. Everything was spot-on and I will definitely make this again. Thanks!
We had this last night for dinner, on top of some quick white minute made rice and made some homemade Egg Drop Soup to go with it!! :-) It was a great dinner and made for excellent leftovers for lunch today. Will definitely make again!
Has anyone tried this with tofu? Usually I just crisp up my tofu with cornstarch, but I’m curious if the batter will give it that delicious fried takeout feel and taste.
I have, with the old recipe, and it didn’t crisp up, but I don’t recall using extra firm tofu…
Just an update… I actually ended up making it with homemade seitan! It works really well!!
Loved this! I love seasame chicken but it’s so expensive to order and I haven’t found a good homemade recipe. This was perfect. Not quite as sweet as most takeout places, but still really good, and pretty easy. Definitely will make again
Added in some broccoli to make myself feel like I was eating healthy and bam this dish is amazing! Really good, easy weeknight meal!
My husband and I loved it! We gave it five stars! Thanks for the recipe! :)
I don’t know what happened with mine, but mine literally stunk up the kitchen and turned inedible and disgusting! Maybe something was off with the eggs? Or with the chicken? Or doubling the recipe? I don’t know. We had to throw the whole thing out and are trying to figure out what to eat for dinner :(
Made this tonight and it turned out great, and the family loved it. My only problem is the corn starch/egg batter didn’t stick to the chicken very well and ended up only covering the first side that was cooked.
I’ll definitely be making this again.
This. Is. The. Best. Ever.
So delicious. Amazing.
i just made the cheapest lazy version of this ever. i made the sauce in the microwave, used long grain rice, and deep fried some of a 5 pound for 6 dollars frozen breaded chicken breast from a local special. it was basically a $2 dish before i added bell pepper and broccoli. mine ended up too salty from all the soy sauce. i didn’t get the sauce thick enough on the first try, and added more corn starch slurry, which made it too thick. Beth totally inspires me to experiment, and it’s a ton of fun.
I love it when people experiment, too! :)
If you are concerned about cornstarch seizing up in cooking or with its dull finish, you might wish to try the use of arrowroot. It’s a tad more expensive ($6.29 for 3/4 cup at Penzeys) but gives a crystal-clear finish primarily used in fruit pies but still great for general use.
Hey Beth, do you think this recipe would still be good with chicken breasts, or too tough? I literally have all these ingredients and frozen chicken breasts on hand always, so wondering if it might work. I also LOVE your tofu version of this. Thanks!
this is budget bytes. thighs are cheap and work best, but of course breasts would work. this recipe would be good even with cubed spam. breast just cooks faster. maybe just experiment with one breast without all the sauce and stuff, and then roll it in a tortilla with lettuce and tomato and salad dressing to test it.
I made it with breasts because they were on sale and it worked out great.
Hey Beth, do you think this recipe would still be good with chicken breasts, or too touch? I literally have all these ingredients and frozen chicken breasts on hand always, so wondering if it might work. I also LOVE your tofu version of this. Thanks!
Tried the old recipe twice and this one once. I’ve come to accept that there really isn’t any way to keep the batter from falling off the chicken, even with ridiculously high heat, so I just end up with eggy lumps among my cooked chicken. Shelving this one, sorry.
Do you have a vegetable recipe on your blog that would go with us
I wish I had pais attention to your links at the top. The Asian slaw looks great. Next time. Getting ready to cook the chicken now!
This was really good. I subbed Bragg’s Liquid Aminos for the soy sauce and I couldn’t tell the difference. Even my 20 month old liked the chicken and that’s saying something. I will definitely make this again.
Is there a reason my sauce comes out lighter in color, compared to what you have?
I’ve had a couple people mention this and the only thing I can think is that perhaps the brand of soy sauce you’re using is not as dark as the one I use. I’ve been using the 365 brand (it’s inexpensive and really good!).
walmart has some wonderful pearl river bridge soy sauce for extra cheap too. it’s very dark and thick.
Where’s the spice? I thought Sesame Chicken was a Hunan dish when I first tasted it in the late 1980s. It included lots of chili peppers, wasn’t particularly sweet, and took the top of my head with spice–I loved it. Everything I see online now declares it an American invention and variation of General Tso’s Chicken which only dates back to about 1972 0r 3, and which was also a spicy dish. Five years later, the Hunanese restaurant where I first ate sesame chicken had removed the chilis saying that customers wanted a toned down version. Thanks for this recipe which tones down the sugar to a level more like my memory of the original–which wasn’t gluey with cornstarch, either. This is a nice recipe–to get real heat under a wok, a gas flame works best. With only a Jenn-Aire in my kitchen, I often use the wok on my gas grill, directly seated on the lava stones. PS–I added chilis
Just like language, food and recipes morph and change with changing culture. :) If you do want to make this spicy, though, you could always add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Try adding 1/2tsp chili oil. This is an excellent recipe especially after being updated. If you have some culinary experience you can change things up. Add more garlic, use roasted garlic, use a different spice/egg coating, toast the sesame seeds in the oil. I made something I call a chinese takeout bomb that has three or four different takeout recipes (sesame chicken, chicken lo mein, stir fry and a sweet shrimp pad thai if I’m feeling really hungry. I cooked small batches up of each recipe and stuffed it inside an omelet with a chicken fried rice risotto that’s been reduced in a thai sweet chili sauce and drizzled it with a coconut crab sauce on top. When I’m hungry for takeout I make it and it cures my cravings for several months. Recipes are like a canvas with a background and the chef’s little touches. You add the “happy trees” or your own twist. Thanks for the great recipe.
Did you follow the instructions when you made the recipe?
Few issues:
1. The video and recipe picture end result look nothing alike. Mine comes out more like the video. It’s not a rich brown flavor and it tastes more like chicken than sauce.
2. When the chicken is done cooking and I add the sauce, it just immediately clumps up. I’m slightly above medium heat.
Any ideas?
Try turning down the heat before you add the sauce. Some skillets transmit heat better than others and if it’s too hot it will congeal too fast and too hard. (Someone else made this video for me and I wasn’t there to oversee, which is why they don’t look similar. That being said, I do want to update this recipe to refine it a bit and make my own video)
Delicious!!
If I wanted to fry up a good amount of veggies with this should I double the coating recipe and throw them in with the chicken? Sorry to ask a probably dumb question, but I don’t know how to cook -_-
For veggies I want to add carrots, zucchini, and okra.
Probably put them in when thechicken seems almost done. You want the veggies to soften a little and absorb the sauce but they don’t need to cook for as long as the chicken. Leaving them in for a min or two should be fine. And give the veggies their own half of the coating mixture so the chicken doesn’t take it all. I’m also not that great at cooking so apologies if this doesn’t work out.
Great looking recipe cannot wait to try it out. The prices posted are wonderful if they were true to where most of us live. Boneless skinless chicken where I live costs between $3 & $4 per lb. Great that you try and add prices to make it seem more affordable for all. But realistically not everyone has the same prices as to where you live.
Breasts, maybe, but thighs? Where do you live? I’ve never seen boneless skinless chicken thighs for more than $2.00/lb. I grab a bunch when they’re on sale for less than a dollar a pound and freeze. Recommend doing that for all great meat deals really.
I love eating asian cuisine i think they have the best cuisine by far simple fragrent and always good eating any thing with sesame soy and garlic is def a winner
What is the best technique to ensure that the breading and chicken don’t fall apart while cooking? As per your instructions, I didn’t stir much at the beginning, but to be able to cook the chicken thoroughly it does need to be stirred, but then all the breading falls off! I want this recipe to be a success but can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong.
Beth, what do you suggest to do to keep the breading on?
I would suggest trying to increase the heat under the skillet a bit. That will help the coating cook and solidify a little faster and hopefully grab on a bit better.
I flower my meat then egg then crumb adding the flower first creates a stickier surface for the crumb to stick
I followed the recipe exactly and this turned out great! The whole family enjoyed it. This is going in our recipe box.
This came out great. I used soy curls instead of chicken and no egg. Just added the wet soy curls straight into the cornstarch. I served it over a veggie lo mein. My kids loved it. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
I needed a quick recipe for dinner to use with chicken, and stumbled on this recipe. It was so easy and a big hit! I did put a twist on it and added broccoli. This is one of those keeper recipes to use whether you have time or not. I also used the “Savory Coconut Rice” from this website. Check it out! Thanks for posting these recipes.
Delicious! East to make. Will make it again and again.
Its looking yummy and tasty. I will be definitely try this recipe. Thank you.
I’ve made this dish a number of times, and it’s always so delicious. I intended to make it last night but discovered last minute I didn’t have any boneless/skinless chicken, but I did have wings! I cooked the wings on a wire cooling rack to keep the skin a bit crispy, made the sauce (minus the sesame seeds) and thickened it on the stove in a small sauce pan, then tossed the cooked wings in it. Not as quick as the original recipe, but man it was good. Served with jasmine rice and a simple veggie stir fry, and it was a great variation on this already great recipe.
Another winner! This is sooo flavorful and delicous! I think people trying this recipe really need to make sure they are using the amount of chicken called for in the recipe and you shouldn’t stir the chicken at all until it’s almost done. No, it won’t be thickly battered and syrup-y sweet like what you find in Chinese restaurants. But this is even better! So tasty and much healthier. We really enjoyed it!
Love this recipe, I make it exactly as written except I use toasted sesame seads and I add a tbsp of dark soy sauce as well, for a little more depth of flavor. I serve it with brown rice and steamed broccoli. Its a great quick weeknight meal (as long as I remember to start the rice) and it’s become a family favorite! We cook a lot of Asian inspired dishes, so I had all the ingredients on hand, which is a great cost saving plus!
Double the sauce for sure!!! Not enough sauce and add a little more corn starch to thicken it up.
This was great using cheap, bone in chicken thighs. My husband had boiled them for soup which I didn’t want. Deboned the chicken and proceeded as advised. Added extra garlic, salt and some white sugar. Served w rice and mandarin oranges.
There is a much more affordable, practical, and tastier way to make this meal. Check out “Danny Boy Clavell honey chicken” on Google. And a side note: I don’t think sesame/honey chicken should contain any sharp flavors like vinegar. I don’t mean to be rude or condescending with my review, I’m just sharing my thoughts.
Delicious! About $30 to buy all the stuff if you don’t already have it, but you get about three meals out of the stuff so not too bad :/
Delicious! Made it last night and couldn’t believe how much it truly tasted like takeout! Thank you for sharing!
Huge hit for lunch today!
Served over capitalized carrots and roasted broccoli.
Thank you!!!
I agree! Absolutely horrid, tasted nothing like sesame chicken. I didn’t even try serving it to my family!
Just gotta say, every thing is a budget byte recipe if you count the cost by spoon full. I’ll be back after I cook this, hopefully its worth the cost.
Very good, only thing i had to go buy was sesame oil and green onion had every thing else. Not complicated, and easy to do. Better and cheeper than takeout. Had mine with snap peas, in a oil and pumpkin seed sauce. Twas a good supper. Thanks for the recipie, chris
Good recipe… If you keep your pantry stocked. This is a good gluten free version.. Also if you don’t have a deep fryer this is a good way to save on oil!!!
No flavor what so ever.
What! That is ludicrous! This is delicious!
Sounds like you probably overcrowded the pan. Next time do it in batches.
Tried it last night very easy to make no complicated ingredients and taste great my boyfriend was surprised how good it was ☺️
Its only cheap if you already have all of thise ingredients!!! Who is going to sell you a teaspoon of an ingredient
Well you should stock your pantry accordingly…..
Tried this tonight and it was delish. Used chicken breasts and had no issue with the meat getting dry. I steamed the broccoli and put on the side of my platter. A keeper. So easy to make. Thank you.
Tried it with thighs n white meat (chicken breast ), it’s waaaay better with thighs… more moist. Not sure if it’s cheaper though since boneless, skinless thighs are so expensive with us! Breast too dry…
We loved this recipe!! I double the recipe and cooked the chicken in three separate parts and it was moist and delicious. I also added some stir-fried asparagus and extra water.
The only issue I had was the sauce was too thick, I found it was a bit to pasty thick. I would recommend less cornstarch. It tasted great and will make again.
This was amazing! Added a little more garlic and hot chili oil for extra spice! Will definitely add to our routine! Thank you.
Excellent recipe! Quick and easy is what I’ve been looking for lately, and this is just that. My partner and I both enjoyed it and will be preparing this again in the near future! My only recommendation would be to watch the ginger – thickness of root definitely matters, we could have added less.
Just made this last night, and it came out delicious!! Would definitely make it again.
Nah didnt work. Like at all. Its scrambled chicken eggs….
Okay so i have flour no cornstarch i have sesame seed oil not toasted and i have white vinegar and apple cidar no rice vinegar can i still make this recipe?
It definitely will not turn out the same with so many substitutions, unfortunately.
Maybe I did something wrong with the sauce, but it didn’t hold that red color – it was more of a honey color than anything (maybe because I fried it in evoo?). It was still delightful and tasted much more clean than our usual takeout. It was not the same taste I’m use to for sesame chicken – not bad, but different. Either way, my family gobbled it up, even our 5 year old went for a second helping! Next time I plan on adding some broccoli to make it a more rounded meal. Also, I’m super excited about the easy cleanup! 2 bowls, a few spoons, and wok…that was probably my favorite thing!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit! The chicken was,delicious. It tasted so authentic. We eat a lot of chicken and the question of the day isn’t what would you like for dinner it’s how do you want the chicken? Thanks to your website I’ve found many tasty chicken dishes so dinner isn’t boring — even when we have chicken 5 days a week!! Thank you, Beth. You’re my hero!
I really appreciate the layout of the recipe. So easy and clear to read and make. Thanks for posting! Maybe I made it wrong, but I think I did the exact measurements. It came out very very spicy and not so much like sesame chicken, more like a very spicy chinese chicken. The sauce also didn’t cover the 1 lb. of chicken like in the picture. Wondering if I did something wrong or any ideas??
If the sauce gets too much heat that can evaporate too much moisture and reduce it’s volume, so perhaps try using a slightly lower heat or letting the skillet cool a second before adding the sauce. But many people have commented that they prefer to double the sauce anyway. :) I’m not sure what could be causing your chicken to be spicy, as there aren’t any spicy ingredients. Sometimes garlic or ginger can be considered spicy, so perhaps that’s what you are tasting?
I’ve made this a few times now, using both chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Both ways came out wonderfully! The only change I made was using powdered ginger instead of fresh, since I never have that on hand. It worked just fine!
HI SUSAN. HOW MUCH POWDER GINGER DID YOU USE? THE EQUIVALENT TO THE 1 INCH FRESH GINGER?
I just can’t seem to get this one right…
3 tries now and 0 successes.
I’ve followed everything exactly the only thing different is I used breast instead of thigh.
I’ve tried changing just about everything, more batter, less batter, more sauce, different temps, different pans, more oil, different oil. Just about everything and it never seems to come out right. The egg batter consistently comes off and it becomes chicken and scrambled eggs. I’ve tried stirring less and stirring more and it never seems to change it.
I really want to like the recipe I just can’t nail it. If anyone can tell me what to do please tell me.
Don’t change your oils, keep them the same. Maybe it’s the egg you’re using — are you using jumbo eggs? It sounds like you’re getting too much egg with your chicken.
Quentin,
Try taking a look at Beth’s Orange Chicken Recipe, she gives some hints there as to how to prevent the chicken and scrambled eggs problem. The main thing to remember is you want the pan and oil HOT before the chicken ever goes into the pan. Make sure the pan is hot first, and then add the chicken. Don’t stir for at least 45 seconds, and then flip the chicken gently and let it sit for another 45 seconds. I know the temptation is to stir constantly, but don’t worry the oil is there to prevent the chicken from burning to the pan.
Good luck!
You can’t say “I followed exactly” and then list the many things you did differently. That’s why it didn’t turn out.
OH MY GOD. This was amazing. You weren’t kidding about the plate licking good. I use my rice cooker at least three times a week and Im always on the look out for yummy dishes with rice. Well this one blew my mind. I never write reviews but this truly deserved it. Thank you!
Have you tried this with tofu? Just curious about a vegetarian version….
This recipe for Pan Fried Sesame Tofu with Broccoli is basically a tofu version of this. :)
It was so Good.
May I omit sesame oil since I don’t have any?
If you do it will be closer to a teriyaki chicken than a sesame chicken. The toasted sesame oil gives the dish that nice nutty flavor.
I don’t usually comment on website recipes but I found myself keep coming back to your page. I just love everything about it! I love how well instructed and easy your recipes are and I really appreciate your effort for always including step by step photos. It makes everything so much better and convenient so thank you! :) oh and I loooveee this sesame chicken recipe. I always make them!
Amazingly simple recipe! And oh, so delicious.
Next time I will double the sauce, as I like sauce mixed into my rice. I loved someone else’s idea about adding some stir-fried broccoli, so I’ll try that too.
Some of my coating came off, and it was a little hard to get it all to brown without burning some bits – next time I’ll use a bigger frypan to make sure all the chicken is in one layer so that I can let it brown without disturbing it.
I can see this becoming a regular treat in our house! Thanks for a great recipe. :-)
Very tasty. Only issue was when I tripled the batch. There still wasnt enough to feed my family of 9. I thought tripling it would have been enough. Also, the rice, not a fan of the jasmine rice. Regular rice or instant rice could have been substituted. If the recipe would have stated that option, I would have chosen that instead. I do not like jasmine rice, I have found out. The chicken was awesome in taste.
Horrible. Just horrible, it didnt work
Just made this and its fantastic! Sesame chicken has been a favorite all my life and I never had the nerve to try making it. This recipe has now given me confidence that I can. Note, I live in UK and could not find cornstarch but Jaime Oliver said that you can use semolina flour, I was skeptical but it works great! Thanks so much!
If you ever find yourself looking for cornstarch for a recipe again, I believe it is known as ‘cornflour’ in the UK. It’s often used in place of eggs to thicken puddings/custards.
Sesame chicken turned out great.
Gaw. I wish I had read all the way to the end of the comments. This was a disaster. Your recipe is misleading and inaccurate based on the pictures. I hate the internet. People lie just to get “likes”. Please remove this recipe out of fairness.
Seriously? Because YOU didn’t like it, the recipe should be removed and everyone who liked it is lying?
Wow…. just wow…..
That’s ridiculous. I made it tonight and it came out perfect and was delicious. People who can’t cook should not comment on recipes.
Made this for dinner tonight! We all loved it. Was easy to make, will be adding this to my recipe box! Thank you!
Made this last night. I found the sauce get thick and sticky really quickly and so didn’t cover all the chicken. It might have been because I added some brocolli to the the dish so maybe I’ll add a little more water next time. It was delicious though.
Awesome! Hope you don’t mind if I share your site
I am trying to eat gluten free and this fit the bill perfectly. The only substitutes I had to do were rice vermicelli noodles instead of rice and ground ginger instead of fresh due to availibility
This receipt was sooooo easy! Thank you for sharing. I had everything in the kitchen already except ginger, the only thing I had to buy. I precut the chicken the night before to cut down time. Being a mom who works full time and has two kids under 5; I don’t have a lot of time. My kids and husband loved it. This cooked faster than the rice, we ended up sitting around until the rice was done cooking :p Definately will be making this again!
Made this last night for my family and parents–they all asked me where I bought it from! They loved it so much, they asked me to send them the recipe. Am a follower of yours from now on :)
Loved it! I didn’t follow the recipe exactly, I always double the sauce because I know myself and that’s my favorite part, and instead of serving it over rice I served it over broccoli (steamed in salt and pepper water and added the sesame sauce to it too) and I it’s a really simple delicious meal.
Fair. Only fair. Way too dry, needs the sauce doubled at least. Agree about toasting the sesame seeds. Not flavorful enough for me what was missing?
Can this recipe be frozen? Any recommendations for making ahead and reheating?
The texture and appearance change a bit after refrigeration, but it still tastes great as leftovers. I’ve never tried freezing this one, though.
I tried this recipe for dinner just now, and it was superb! It was soon good with rice, and I think it’ll be a family favorite :D
Too bad it wasn’t as saucy as I’d like and the breading was a bit too puffed up. Next time, I’d probably double the sauce and half the corn starch to get saucier chicken, and maybe half the egg on the breading recipe too. This recipe was still easy and delicious though. Thanks for the recipe!
I was searching for a new Asian dish to try with a package of chicken breasts that I needed to use and stumbled upon your blog. This was so easy and delicious! It will be added to my go-to recipes. My husband thought it was a little salty but I used Liquid Aminos instead of Soy Sauce so I bet that’s it, although I thought it was perfect. I’m excited to try out your other recipes, thanks!!!
Big success! Eassy, tasty, something diferent to eat without too much work. My kids loved it!
I make this all the time and found the best substitution I’ve made is to fry the chicken in coconut oil! It adds really nice flavor and it’s better for you! Thanks for another great recipe Beth- your website is by far my favorite recipe source! :)
Oooh, I bet that tastes SO GOOD.
This recipe is so delicious! I make it all of the time. Thanks for sharing!
Where’s the nutritional content of the recipe?
I used 1/2 the recommended brown sugar and it was just right.
I would like a thinner sauce so it could go over the rice as well. Next time I make this recipe I will add 1 CUP of water instead of 1 TBSP.
With the same amount of cornstarch it will still thicken nicely
I doubled the recipe but when I poured the chicken and egg mixture into the pan, it didn’t stick to the chicken. Instead it created a sesame flavored scramled egg. I will probably flower the chicken before I add it to the egg/corn starch mixture. It tasted great! Thank you!
If the skillet is not hot enough the egg mixture will slide off and you’ll get that scrambled egg effect. :( Also, over crowding the skillet can cool it down too much when the chicken is added, and you’ll get that same effect.
Attempted to make this recipe tonight. As soon as I poured the mix for the sauce in the pan it started burning and got crunchy, I even drained the oil. 😕
Family loved it. I would quadruple the sauce part though. Covered chicken bun rice was plain.
While very flavorful there’s still looking something missing….
Perhaps it’s just a bit more salt….
I’ll try that :)
I think for the ginger she means an inch wide, one grate, not an inch cube…. I just did the minmum on the ginger. The husband and the 6 year old liked it alot. Good flavor!
Very yummy. Super easy. My 2 favorite things in a recipe.
Super easy and ridiculously delicious!
Yummy fast! Repeat!
Damn Good! Just made this for the first time and it’s a hit! I had to use basmati rice, but will be sure to have jasmine rice for next time.
Had to make a change of dinner plans and needed something quick. This recipe is great. Quick, easy, and plenty of flavor.
I love this, but for the prices I wish in the future you could instead of the price of the amount being used for each ingredient, that you could give a general price of a good but budget-saving brands of the ingredients. Because otherwise, I will not be paying only $5 something in making this. It’ll equate to about 15 dollars depending on what someone has and what they need. Paying .10 for some cornstarch or whatever is kind of out there. no one can pay only that amount. So the pricing on making this is a little misleading. Good recipe but a little misleading on the cost of making it and what sort of brands work better.
This is the way that restaurants and food service establishments calculate recipe costs. The reason it doesn’t make sense to include the total package cost is that you wouldn’t need to buy a whole new package of cornstarch (or whatever ingredient) every time you make a recipe with it and it’s not necessarily “free” when you use it after the first time. So the remaining costs after the $0.10 are accounted for in the other recipes where it’s used. It’s not perfect either way, for sure, but I find this way to be a little more accurate for displaying the ratio of costs for ingredients within a recipe. Once you build up to a stocked kitchen it might become more applicable to you as well.
This is easy and fast – great for a college student. It tastes wonderful! Like others have said I would probably suggest doubling the sauce.
Thank you :)
This was spectacular! I didn’t have ginger so I used 2tsp ground ginger instead and I tripled the sauce which made just enough. I toasted the sesame seeds in a pan before adding them to the sauce. I’ll probably use less sesame seeds next time because it was a little overwhelming but we will definitely make this again. Thanks!
I would suggest using toasted sesame seeds, as these are the only ones that actually have a flavor. They are nutty and have a little crunch for added texture. Actually, I would never use untoasted sesame seeds in ANY recipe. They are tasteless. I also would recommend adding them last, after the chicken was sauced. A much better result for flavor and texture. Since ginger always dies a slow, dessicating death at my house, I keep what we call “tube o” ginger in my fridge and use that. Thanks for the easy recipe!
This is a great recipe and step by step guide was helpful! I’ve made it twice now and loved it. The second time i doubled the egg/cornstarch mixture as well as the sauce and it was even tastier to have the extra sauce seep into the rice. Will become a staple meal in my household. Thank you!
I am going to try this but am on Weight Watchers. Do you have the nutritional infor I need to calculate points/ need fiber, calories and fat especially.
No, unfortunately I don’t have the nutritional information.
there’s a website i stumbled upon called myfitnesspal that you can input the url intro to get the nutritional information. You have to make an account to input the url, but you can just log in with facebook. After you make an account, click on recipes and you can paste the url into the box at the top. I hope this helps :)
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! The recipe itself is fantastic!
But even better, you’ve shown me a new, simple and easy way to cook the chicken with egg and cornstarch that doesn’t require me to turn my sailboat into a deep fat fryer. No more deep frying for me! I’ve already adapted your chicken cooking technique to make a Hoisin sauce version. Tonight I’m going to adapt it for a version of General Tso’s chicken. And, I’m already planning to try Orange Chicken too!!
I wish I could give it a 6 star rating!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I have made this recipe 4 times now, and I have to say, it is GLORIOUS! Instead of toasted sesame oil (couldn’t find it the first time I made the recipe), I toasted sesame seeds in some vegetable oil and it still tastes amazing. It’s my go-to recipe! :)
Hello.Can I use sesame oil instead of toasted sesame oil
You definitely want to use toasted sesame oil because it has a much stronger sesame flavor than regular sesame oil. Sometimes they don’t specify “toasted” on the label, though, so look at the color of the oil. If it’s a deep brown color it is toasted. If it is a light straw color, it is not toasted.
What an amazing recipe! Quick to prepare, and on the table even quicker, so have the rice or veggies ready to go. I have seen other Sesame Chicken recipes, which required more ingredients and more time. I was hesitant to try this one because of that, however it will now be in regular rotation. I used chicken thighs. I doubled the sauce, like so many had said. However, I think it might have been too much sauce for me, and I will try it next time with the sauce amount that is recommended. Once I put the chicken pieces in the skillet, I waited about 4 minutes to turn them over, because I wanted the coating to stick. I might have waited too long, because once I turned them over, I got the omelette effect. However, the coating stayed on the chicken and through stirring the chicken, the omelette effect broke up and disappeared. The chicken was crispy at this time, however once I added the sauce, the chicken was no longer crispy. I did lower the heat to Low before I put in the sauce. Everything turned out wonderful, and it actually looked like the picture. Thank you!!
Loved the recipe…. So easy and super quick….. Turned out great….. Just added a bit of extra water to the sauce for gravy…. The entire family loved it.
Oh yeah, that unfortunately is too far from the original. :) Red wine vinegar has a very different flavor than rice vinegar and flour creates a totally different texture and flavor than cornstarch. Sesame paste will probably mess up the consistency of the sauce and isn’t quite as strongly flavored as toasted sesame oil. Lesson learned. :)
Good
Great and easy. . Thank you
We love this but definitely triple or quadruple sauce or none on rice
wow amazing!!
I don’t want to use eggs for the breading; I’m worried that you’ll actually taste the eggs and I HATE eggs. Did y’all find that you tasted the egg? How bad/different will it be if I just use cornstarch? Is there something I can use in its place? Milk? I saw some recipes that use cornstarch, flour, and baking soda/powder, but that seems like a bit much. Any suggestions would be welcomed. I’m not making this for a couple days so I’ll be checking back for tips. Thanks!
Just doing a straight cornstarch coating might work. It won’t give you a breaded type finish, but it will make it crispy. I’ve done it with tofu and skin-on chicken with great results, but haven’t tried skinless chicken yet. I couldn’t taste the egg in the original version, but if you’re extra sensitive to it, you never know.
I’ll try that, thanks! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
This was delicious. I added sliced carrot and beans to the pan just before adding the sauce and it made a great dinner. Next time I make it I’ll be more patient when I first put the chicken in the pan because lots of the coating came off as I stirred it too soon and too frequently.
Just made this for dinner, partnered with some broccoli, peas, and sauted spinach. It was super delicious and got rave reviews from the SO! It doesn’t taste exactly like regular takeout sesame chicken, but it’s pretty good for something that isn’t deep-fried and doesn’t cost $8 :P
I think I used a little too much ginger this time, though, so I’ll make sure to use less next time. I might also add a bit more sugar to the sauce to give it that sweet flavor we’re used too.
This was by far the best way I’ve ever made chicken!! This was delicious and the technique made it incredibly juicy. Thank you so much for what will become a staple – already a favorite!!
2nd time making this and quadrupling sauce cause even doubled wasn’t enough last time. Very good though! Thanks for sharing
I will have to try this recipe. I know I’ve said this before, but I love your tips with the pictures! I’m not a beginner cook, but any tips are helpful and something I can keep in mind, such as, “Cook the chicken until the outside is golden brown. Don’t stir too often, or it won’t have a chance to brown and the “breading” may come off.” Sounds so obvious, but I had no idea! This explains past mishaps :)
Just made this today using chicken breast and it was delish! I like extra sauce for rice so I added a cup of water to the pan at the end and it thickened up and was super flavorful.
I made this recipe tonight using chicken breasts. It was so simple to make and very delicious. This recipe is a keeper!!
Man. I’ve made a number of Budget Bytes recipes and liked (and saved) a lot of them. I enjoy how no-nonsense they are, straight to the chase. This one could be my favourite on the site so far. It’s quick and fun to whip up (except the first time I forgot to put the rice on the stove until everything else was done… oops! Fortunately white rice cooks quick), and satisfying too. A single chicken breast sliced and some kind of veggies on the side makes a good filling supper for myself and my partner with a little extra sauce to mix into the rice. This time I ended up deglazing the pan with a little water at the end to keep things from being too dry, but for the dryness I fault my stove, it’s… got a bit of a mind of its own and my control over the temperature is seldom more than a friendly suggestion. Thanks a lot for this one, I can’t wait until I can recall it from memory which I’m sure will be soon!
SO GOOD. I added in panko bread crumbs to the egg mixture for some extra crunch. I also added in my bell peppers and mushrooms to give some extra veggies. Same sauce, no doubling, and it made it all just right! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!!
I am a college student and don’t have much time or money to make decent meals. With that said, this recipe is excellent. It is cheap, easy, and amazing. I will definitely be eating the leftovers and I am so excited I found this recipe!
You hit a home run out of the ballpark with this one Beth!
Made this last night and it was amazing. My husband kept saying how good it was about every other bit.
The chicken tasted better than delivery to me. The texture wasn’t the same on the outside but that’s not a bad thing. It was nice and juicy. I liked the sauce better too (more flavor and not so sugary) Next time I make this, I’ll double the sauce recipe so that we can have some for drizzling over the rice.
Anyone have any veggie suggestions to go with (or in) this?
Colorful Sweet Peppers, like the kind that come in a package that looks like a stop light. Or even an Asian mix. I would hear them before adding them to the pan and triple the sauce.
I made this and I was not happy with how it turned out. I would much rather do the egg and cornstarch step separably than together. The mixture didn’t stick to the chicken. It came out mushy and the sauce did not look like the picture.
Turn your stove higher next time, that’ll both brown the chicken and get the sauce glossy. You had your burner too low. I’ve made this recipe a dozen times easily, and the only time I had what you’re describing happen is when the pan wasn’t hot enough.
Very good! My husband doesn’t eat meat or poultry, so I made it with chunks of cod instead. It turned out great!
Hello. I cooked the sesame chicken last night, and it was really good. I felt like I was eating the real thing! Only thing is the minced garlic I didnt add in because on the part where you show the pictures, but when you say to add everything it doesnt say to add that,so that kinda confused me, but other then that delicous!
This was really good. I like that it wasn’t too sweet and had a good flavor (the ginger was a nice addition) and the chicken was fairly crispy. Having the cornstarch and egg mixed together versus having to dip the pieces in egg then cornstarch was a great time saver. I found out after I added the sauce that I forgot to put the soy sauce in and frantically added soy sauce to the pan after the fact. It still came out good!
This has become a weekly favorite in my house. I use chicken breast and only coat it with corn starch, no eggs. Turns out great! I usually end up making double so we can eat it for lunch the next day.
Second time making this. It is quick, but doesn’t really have a taste. I doubled the sauce recipe (having learned from the first time), but something is still off. It doesn’t even look the same color as the photos with the same ingredients. The only think I can think of is maybe halving the amount of corn starch. All the other recipes are fantastic though.
Anyone else’s egg start to scramble? :P come to think of it, I haven’t seen many sesame chicken recipes with egg. Maybe that’s why. Unfortunately, I gave up on this recipe after that.
Unfortunately I did not have everything on hand but i had most of the ingredients. I just lacked the sesame seed oil and sesake seeds (face palm)
And had to make my own soy sauce lol
It was my first time making it and it came out wonderful! Making double tonight and it is a great way to get rid of chicken. :) thank you
Not my favorite! I have tried many of your recipes, and a majority i liked. But the flavor of this sesame chicken was just too tangy for me. It might have been the rice vinegar, but it just wasn’t sweet enough. I feel like it needed orange juice or something to sweeten it up!
Delicious! I love your use of the humble green onion in many recipes. It really adds a tasty layer of freshness! I cooked this in a wok and turned down the heat before saucing. Turned out great! I have a feeling the leftovers will taste even better.
I can’t believe how rude some people are on here.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into making and sharing your experience with this recipe Beth! I just made it for dinner tonight. I unfortunately added the chicken to the oil before it got hot enough, so I don’t think it fried the way it was supposed to. I’ll had to be a little more patient when I make it again. Only comment I’d make is I’d definitely double the sauce next time, as I’m a glutton and love me that extra sauce on the rice! I love how much healthier this recipe tastes compared to the actual thing though. Definitely an easy dinner. I’ll be making it again. : ) Just discovered your website a few days ago and I’ll definitely be tackling a lot of other recipes on here!
Wow!!!! I am just baffled by the amount of positive reviews for this recipe….. The pictures look like a restaurant quality dish. I love sesame chicken and most any Asian inspired dish, I make them often and I always go for it in restaurants that offer. I had everything on hand and such high hopes for this recipe that I doubled the sauce and doubled the amount of chicken to have leftovers. It will all go to waste, this was so bad. I followed the recipe to the T, it wasn’t how it was made but the recipe in itself. I dare to say it was almost horrible… I feel so bad to have all this leftover chicken I can almost guarantee neither I or my family will have tomorrow….I haven’t a clue how anyone who knows Asian food liked this.
(forgot to add the five-star rating)
Excellent! I used flour instead of cornstarch, which Miss Lee said resulted in a thick, cakey batter, but it was still delicious (I’m not sure how much of a difference cornstarch might make, as I haven’t made it that way yet).
Also added broccoli and diced carrots, which I separately shallow fried in a couple tbsp of butter. Added these to the chicken just before adding the sauce.
Served on brown rice season with a half a cube of veg stock.
I feel like I could eat this every night.
I had to modify this recipe a little bit, as I did not have cornstarch (I used flour, instead). The batter turned out kind of cakey and thick, I am not sure if it was from me using the flour, or that is just how it was. I made the recipe again tonight, and instead of using the egg mixture with flour I just used flour.
Other than that initial SNAFU, this recipe is quite delicious. I have used this same sauce for chicken thighs, breasts, and tofu, and each time it was quite good. This one is a keeper.
Yes, flour will create a very different texture than cornstarch. :)
It was really tasty! I didn’t have ginger so I left it out – I didn’t think the flavor suffered much. Also, don’t forget to toast your sesame seeds! It adds a lot of flavor.
If you’re looking for a lot of sauce, you should probably double the sauce recipe or half the chicken. The sauce thickens up a lot with a little heat. The sauce wasn’t too sweet either, which is perfect for me. Delish!
I made this recipe last week and we all loved it so much that I’m making it again this week…thank you for sharing this delicious sesame chicken recipe!
Was so eagger to try this dish that I doubled everything. Everything was simple to make but when it came to the sauce there was not much to speak of. The flavors I was expect just wasn’t there. If I was to make this again I think I will triple the sauce instead of doubling.
I made this tonight, and it was excellent. I need to adjust the cornstarch-to-water ratio to make the sauce more of a sauce and less of a glaze, but overall, this recipe will definitely go into rotation at my house. Thank you.
Is there any recommended soy sauce you should use?
Honestly, I haven’t experimented with different brands. I usually buy what is cheapest, but when I was at the store this week I thought about testing other more expensive brands to test the taste difference. I bet there is better flavor among more authentic brands.
The batter did not stay on the chicken. Then when I poured sauce over, I had one good mess.. nothing at all like sesame chicken. Yuk
I used the sauce from this recipe on panko breaded baked chicken thighs and it was delicious.
This recipe is spectacular!! I have made it twice now, and it was delicious both times. I used chicken breasts as stated as an option. I would highly recommend this recipe. Super easy to make too! I didn’t have any ginger on hand at the time, but it was still phenomenal.
So yummy and super easy to make! I wish I would have made a double batch. My very picky son had 2nds! That rarely happens. Thanks for sharing!
It was very tasty and so easy to make. We baked the chicken instead of frying them. Thanks
Love this recipe! It’s a new family favorite!
I made this with tofu instead of chicken and it was pretty tasty. I will make it again and reduce the cornstarch a little bit, because the sauce got a little too thick for me; maybe tofu releases less juice than chicken.
Thanks for posting this! I was wondering if tofu would work.
Why does my sauce always come out congealed? I even used less cornstar ch and more water this time? Tastes great otherwise!
Try lowering the heat just a little. The cornstarch is supposed to thicken the sauce, but if it’s thickening too much try reducing the cornstarch and increasing the water, as you did, and also lower the heat before adding the sauce.
I LOVE this recipe. It’s easy, it’s quick, and it’s nommy!
I use a lil less garlic- add a spoonful of honey, and chop my ginger as finely as I can- every time I’ve tried grating it comes out as a tiny bit of pulp, and ginger juice staining my fingers. Oh, and a full tbsp of sesame oil. Love sesame!
Really my only complaint is after a bite of this chicken, nothing else tastes good!
Oh my! Your website has changed! I have to admit I’ll miss that Sriracha chicken shirt picture of you from back when I first found you through this very recipe atleast three years back. Time sure flies. Anyhow, I absolutely love your cooking and spunky spirit, and this recipe will always be my favorite. But my brother isn’t one for sweet food, and we both love it savory ((lineage, man)), and we’d love it if you could help with an adaptation, maybe garlicky chicken perhaps? I always loved this, and the flavor, but since I’m usually cooking for him aswell it hasn’t been made in a while. Thank you for when you get the chance to read this, especially if you respond! A huge fan now and forever. <3
You could probably just mince up a few cloves of garlic and mix it into the sauce and reduce the sugar a touch. I wouldn’t eliminate the sugar all the way, though, because it helps balance the acid. :)
Ah thank you. :) I am super excited to even have a response. I’m a goof. XD I shall try that. He’s really not into sweets though, not sure if the garlic would change that but then again… garlic chicken…! Maybe hopefully I can come back with more information later. :D Have a great day!~
Oh, and this was perfect for my ex fiance and I. He was a diabetic and had Celiacs Disease so with gluten free soy sauce/tamari it was perfect. ;) I’m sure it’ll work great for my lovely best friend and I for dinners at home, when we start living together and hopefully getting closer. :D Much love, from one of your many fans! <3
Delicious! I made a quadruple batch of this because I was taking meals to a couple of families. They loved it and have been asking for the recipe. My four year old ate a lot! She didn’t even care that it got cold. She kept coming back for more. Thank you!
Oops! I got excited about making a comment and forgot to rate the recipe. Five stars from me!
Mine turned out looking more like thick beef stew.
This is super easy to make and great taste. Mine had a good amount of sauce so if you like yours drentched i would make a second batch of sauce. 5 stars hands down
This was so easy to make and delicious! I threw in a tablespoon of Sriracha and a pinch of red pepper flakes to give it a bit of a punch.
This was a big hit with my husband, better than take-out and much healthier. Except for the chicken I usually have all ingredients in my pantry, cutting the chicken takes the longest so if you are in a hurry tenders are much quicker to cut up. I prefer thighs and I buy them in bulk and freeze in one lb packages. If you cut them before they have fully defrosted it cuts the prep time by half.
SO easy! SO delicious! I love the fauxbreading. A huge time saver fr busy momas! My whole family loves this! The recipe doubles very nicely, but I reccomend cooking it in a large electric skillet if you double it r else the chicken doesn’t brown as nicely. DONT keep poking at the chicken or the breading won’t stick. Yummy thank you!!! Id live to see your recipe for honey ckn
Thanks for the great recipe! I just started getting into cooking and I totally blew away my boyfriend and my roommate with this one! Can’t wait to make it again.
Over the last couple of weeks or so, I’ve tried few of Beth’s recipes and they all have been a hit with the family. I have most of the bottled/boxed/packaged goods on the shelf, so am only adding the fresh ingredients for the chosen recipe of the day. Best of all, many of the recipes are very easy to prepare in a short time – perfect for busy families. I’ll keep trying more recipes and am encouraging my adult son to start preparing simple dishes for himself from this blog, ex: easy baked fajitas…..Thank you, Beth!
WOW, this was so fantastic and easy! Definitely adding it to the roster. I will make this as an appetizer with toothpicks next time my friends come over without rice
Made this with chicken breast tonight and my husband and 2 young kids loved it. It will become a regular around here, and only change will be to reduce the cornstarch as ours got a bit gloopy and needed thinning with water. Thanks for some delicious at home takeout! PS. Tried to give it 5 stars but only 4 would appear?
oh nooo lol.
Wayyy too much work. I don’t know why you call it “simple sesame chicken”. the title is very misleading and I for one, don’t have that much time on my hands. It looks delicious but I think I’ll stick to ordering in.
The hardest part about this recipe is probably cutting the chicken. Cooking can seem intimidating but giving it a chance and trying it anyway can be very rewarding. Start off with a small batch and give it your best!
This is so silly. You literally just put chicken in eggs and then put them in a pan, mix some condiments together and pour it over the top. It is called cooking for a reason. Because you cook.
This is not called “simple sesame chicken” for one, but it is EASY. If you can’t spare an extra 30 minutes to cook a hot meal for yourself or your family, go ahead and keep feeding them that fast food garbage. For more money.
P.S. It IS simple.
this is the easiest one I have found and I was on internet looking all morning. thanks for the recipe, I will let you know how it tastes after I make it tonight
It took me 20 minutes in all to prepare this…. I left my child for swim practice, returned home and whipped the recipe in a pinch, and went back to collect my swimmer with hot meal waiting for her upon arrival. One of the best qualities of this blog is the fact that the recipes are easy and quick to prepare.
This was FAB! I have made it several times. I change it up almost every time by adding different veggie combos, but the sauce (a perfect balance of sweet, salty and tangy) is the bomb and it’s always a hit. Thanks!
I just made this recipe tonight for my beau and I and it was a smash hit! I really enjoyed the flavor from the ‘breading’ on the chicken. I 1.5x’d the sauce because we’re both sauce fiends. My only comment would be to possibly lower the amount of ginger if you’re not a ginger fan as the flavor seemed strong (I’m not, my beau is).
I calculated the nutrition for anyone interested– I used a pound of boneless, skinless tenders since they were on sale (480 cals for tenders vs 440 cals for breasts). This nutrition also is calculated with 2 cups cooked brown rice (subtract 433 cals if you aren’t eating this with rice).
For three servings, per serving:
Cals: 555
Carbs: 43
Fat: 24 gms
Protein: 41
Sodium: 613
Total Cals: 1,665
Total Fat: 72 gms
Not bad, especially since take out Sesame Chicken is so much more calorie-rich!
I don’t like how it says it costs 5 and change to make 1 egg 17 cents…where do you buy a single egg? 2 Tbps corn starch 8 cents where ? Where can I buy just two table spoons? It’s very misleading there are a ton of recipes for this kind of chicken this one was intriguing because you can make it for 5 and change…but you can’t . Might still be delicious still want to make it but don’t like being lied to
I think it’s mean to be a division of the total cost of the product versus what fraction of the product you’re using. If you calculate it that way, it works out. You do not buy a single egg. You buy a carton. You buy a bag of corn starch. The price of the carton/bag is broken down to reflect what the price of 1 egg in the carton is. Same with 2tbsps of corn starch.
Really. ..are you serious. ..”where do you buy a single egg. ..”…stay away from a stove. ….
Exactly. I can’t believe someone would even have to ask that question.
I also always have sesame oil, rice vinegar and ginger. Fresh ginger is easily stored in aluminum foil in the freezer for months! I have every single item except the chicken in my kitchen grouchy people who make snide comments! Also, chicken thighs (try bone in and getting skin on and trim it yourself, it’s always cheaper) and eggs are EASILY $2/dozen or pound. Man, some people must live an awful existence. PS– can’t wait to try this! Love love love the idea of coating the chicken prior to frying it!
Nicely said.
Maybe I’m missing it somewhere, but do you have the nutritional information for this recipe?
No, I’m sorry. I don’t have nutritional information for the recipes.
Actually, I’m one of those people who does have a bottle of toasted sesame oil in the pantry. But I’d probably have to buy some ginger root.
This looks/sounds delish and I look forward to making it but I don’t have any idea where you could possibly find $2/lb chicken or $2/dz eggs that were still edible.
It might be a good idea to update the pricing (from 2013) to something current and reasonable to be fair to your “budget” name.
Do you have an Aldi near you? We can get chicken and eggs for those prices there, and the quality’s fine.
Actually, on second look, Aldi’s regular prices are a bit more expensive than I initially thought ($2.29, not $2, for chicken, etc.), but still not bad.
Stater-brothers has their chicken on sale for @$1.77 per pound right now. Sams Club has 10 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast for $19.97 (1.09 per pound). I buy chicken when it is on sale, individually wrap it and freeze it.
This is a great recipe. The first time I tried it I messed it up completely (I’m still a beginner). It came out a bit bland and I accidentally burnt some of the sauce. The second time I decided to double the sauce amounts and put the burner closer to the medium side. If you have extra hot burners, I recommend doing this or at least when you are adding the sauce. It made a big difference for me. So, it took some experimenting, but in the end it was delicious!
Beth, thank you so much for this site. I’m a single man trying to eat healthier, but often feel like I don’t know where to start. And takeout is just so easy…
Especially since you’re connected to Big Oven, this is going to be my new weekly pre-shop website, starting with this simple recipe right here!
Your prices are way off because they assume you have everything in your pantry already. I mean who really buys sesame oil, rice vinegar and fresh ginger by the teaspoon?????
No one does, but they also don’t buy a brand new bottle of each of those every time they make a recipe. Neither method is perfect.
If you’ve been keeping up with this website and reading it through, you’ll know that most people have a well-stocked cupboard and already have these ingredients so the author divides that to get a price per serving. Like how can you not have sesame oil and ginger?
Yes yes THIS omg this. I definitely ate half of it. We destroyed it.
Turned out awesome! The key is definitely a hot pan. I’ve yet to find a bad recipe here. Thanks so much!
I thought it was bland, no taste…not sure if I made it right. There wasn’t enough sugar, salt or any flavor. I added stuff toward the end for taste. Also the sauce was not as thick probably need more sauce.
Really fantastic, and even better that its so easy. I’ve been trying to get that Chinese brown sauce just right for years and I think this is the one. Thank you!
So good!! I added some chili garlic sauce (Sambal) for some spice. Also added a cheap bag of frozen broccoli to the chicken pan before I added the sauce.
Im a vegetarian and i choose this recipe to cook for 7 very hungry people ..it smelled amzaing cooking but i was nervouse to let everyone try it since i dont often cook meat..total hit!! I have to make it again this week …so easy but yet everyone thinks ive been hiding my culinary skills all this time…big thanks!
Personally I found it to be a little dry, might cook again with second batch of sauce to coat at the end.
Tried this for first time last night. It’s pretty good!!! Couple of things: I didn’t get the nice color on the chicken and my pan was HOT. Also, next time I think I’ll add the chicken to the sauce instead of adding the sauce to the pan, the sauce burnt immediately. Served it over fried rice.
Sometimes if the skillet is too full, that will prevent it from browning. So, if you try again, maybe lower the heat just a smidge and coook the chicken in two batches. Hopefully that will prevent the sauce from burning, too. The sauce needs a decent amount of heat to thicken, so I’m not sure if just adding the hot chicken to the sauce will be enough.
Disappointed with this one :/
Just started living on my own, so I’m cooking my own meals 24/7 now. My roommate and I both love this recipe– it’s cheap and easy, and it’s all stuff we already have in the apartment. Thanks!
I make this at least every other Friday night. It’s our special treat meal. Yeah, I can never get my chicken to get brown and it does have the “scrambled egg” thing going on as others have mentioned, but I still like it a lot. It reminds me of Japanese Oyakodon, which I also make sometimes.
This has become a favorite around here too, but I also can’t get the nice brown finish. What are we doing wrong? I can’t help but think the sauce recipe is slightly off on quantities? Has anyone solved it?
I have a problem with this recipe, I’ve tried it twice and both times the same thing happens – when I fry the chicken with cornstarch & egg mixture one side turns into almost a omelette and the other side of the chicken gets no coating at all. What am I doing wrong!
That usually means the skillet is not hot enough. So, if you decide to try it again, try turning up the heat a little and make sure the skillet is fully preheated before adding the chicken. Hopefully that will do the trick!
Gluten free sesame chicken I could stop there but my non gf husband who is constantly wanting chinese looved this…so easy to make I substituted balsamic for rice vinegar…delicious! Can’t wait to try other recipes here!
Tried this for dinner tonight.
Delicious!!
The boys LOVED it!
Will surely cook it once a week.
Thanks Beth M!
Just made this for tonight’s dinner and it looks really good. For the person that commented it looked like chicken and scrambled eggs, did u just dump the whole mixture in the hot oil? I drained the mixture and fried the pieces in two batches so about 1 TBL of the mixture was left to be discarded. Other tweaks were as follows: used white sugar since I didn’t have brown sugar, double/tripled the sauce recipe, didn’t use rice vinegar or sesame seeds in the sauce since my son doesn’t like them, and used a pinch of sesame oil for flavoring. Also used steamed broccoli instead of green onions as the veggie factor.
Turned out great. Was missing fresh ginger. Will make sure I have for next time.
I am just learning how to cook, and my previous attempts usually went to waste. My husband would eat what I’d cook, but would never take the leftovers for lunch the next day. Since finding your website, I’ve made about 6-7 meals and he and I have both LOVED everything we’ve tried to so far. I made this last night and he commented how he wished there were more for his lunch the next day! The recipes are super easy to follow, the ingredients are easy to find, and best of all: they’re budget friendly!
Amazing!!! And so easy. Had trouble browning the meat and with too much oil. Next time I will use less oil and give the chicken a longer cook time. Otherwise, fantastic!
Very good! Makes a mess but smells delicious and is just as good days later for lunch. Not healthy but very authentic.
Hmmm, not seeing anything particularly unhealthy about this recipe? Am I missing something? Want to make this regularly but not if it’s unhealthy
I don’t think this is necessarily unhealthy. If you’re scared of fats or trying to stay away from them, then chicken thighs are probably not your best bet — better off using chicken breasts. Also, instead of using white rice, you could use brown rice of just mix it with some broccoli or other veggies. :)
I’m wondering if I could bake the chicken first, then add chicken and the sauce in a pan to simmer.. Trying it tonight!
I made this recipe yesterday and it is DELICIOUS!! I made twice the amount of sauce and then I made a vegetable stir fry with it (of course, using the rest of the broccoli slaw I bought on sale last week).
I didn’t have rice vinegar so I used white vinegar; next time I’ll use lime juice.
I’ve been trying to spend less money on groceries and this website has been very helpful, thank you.
Sesame chicken is my boyfriend’s favorite Chinese food dish from our go-to Chinese place, and we’ve never been able to find a comparable recipe… until now! This was delicious and super easy. We served it with fried rice and had a little leftover chicken, so the next day I cut up the chicken and made chicken fried rice with it! Yum! My only issue was the breading didn’t quite stick to the chicken… Next time I’m going to try dredging the chicken with flour first.
I absolutely love this recipe. I can’t find boneless chicken thighs, I’ve never seen them in the store, even though I check every time. I just end up using chicken breasts. I also triple the sauce, because it’s so good!
I’d like to know where the hell I can buy a pound of chicken for less than $3.
My local grocery store has sales on boneless, skinless chicken breasts on a fairly regular basis. I catch those sales (usually around $1.99/lb.) and save the meat in the freezer for when I need it. If you do a bit of shopping around and keep an eye on sales flyers, you might be able to get a similar deal.
I was really looking forward to trying this recipe but it was a big flop. First of, I doubled everything because it was meant for four people. I really love the sesame chicken we get at our Chinese restaurant but it’s very different from this. My first problem was when pouring the chicken and egg mixture into the hot oil, I frickin got scrambled eggs and chicken. This egg mixture in no way coated the chicken, it was all separate. I was annoyed. Then the next thing that went wrong was that it all stuck to the frickin bottom of the pan so it smelled like burned egg. The last thing was the fiber strands of the ginger were very noticeable when eating the chicken. Very disappointed!!!!! Needless to say I’ll be trying a different recipe! Just upset I spend all the money I did on this dinner!
sounds like you goofed is all.
Sams club, $1.88 a pound
Walmart…Boneless,Skinless fresh chicken breasts for $1.99lb family pack size
I had a request from a little boy on his birthday for his favorite dish, but his mom couldn’t afford it for a big crowd from a food place. I spoke up and took up the task to make this dish, one I have never done before. This recipe I found,followed and the Birthday Boy was all smiles. Its easy and absolutely delicious. It became a crowd pleaser.
This is one of my favorite recipes, I make it at least once a week.
loved the recipe, so did the hubbster and two teenage girls. I tweeked it a bit, deep fried the chicken since the frier was still out from the night before when my dtr experimented with fries. I tripled everything, added about 1/4 cup OJ to recipe for a touch more tang and a crushed red chili for a little spice. we served over brown rive and added a side of garlic snow peas. Thanks for inspiration. My oldest dtr (15) said the local Chinese take out place has nothing on me.
Just tried this tonight. I had most of the ingredients just had to get a couple things. Made it a head of time and it took only 15 min to make and that included starting to cook the rice 10 minutes before the chicken. I love new recipes and making my owe Chinese take out saves money, time and calories Will make this again.
Looking forward to making this tonight. Your toasted sesame oil looks mighty expensive! Thanks for all the great recipes
Hey Beth! I have been using your site a ton and all the dishes turn out super great! I was wanting to start doing freezer meals, and I was wondering if you thought this was a meal that could be cooked and then frozen and still be good? If so would you cook it all the way and then freeze it or would you do the breading part on the chicken and then make the sauce and freeze them seperately and then mix it together on the day you cook it? If I did it as a freezer meal and cooked it all the way would I reheat it in the oven? What are your thoughts? Thank you for any help you can give me I super appreciate your website and everything you do!!!!!!! -Heidi-
This one is not a great candidate for freezing because of the cornstarch. Sauces thickened with cornstarch tend to break down after the freeze-thaw cycle, so the texture will be different. It might taste okay, but it won’t look very appetizing. :)
I make up a bunch of the chicken and cornstarch mixture (I use only egg whites but don’t know if that would make a difference or not) ahead of time and freeze in freezer bags BEFORE cooking. Works out great! Just thaw it out first and then you can cook it up. While it’s cooking you can make the sauce. (you can also freeze the sauce if it’s easier for you..I choose to make it fresh). My family loves this recipe and requests ALL the time and we never have leftovers!!
Good to know! Thank you so much for sharing that! :)
I made this for my husband a few weeks ago and he loved it so much he went back for seconds! I now have to double the recipe so we can have lunch for the next day. Making it again tonight and he is so excited :)
I’ve made this recipe twice this week. The first time I followed the recipe to a T and it was great. The second time, I coated the wet egg-mixture covered chicken with a dry flour-cornstarch-salt/pepper mixture then cooked as instructed. I found that this gave me a texture more like what I was looking for.
I’ll have to try that! Thanks for the tip. :)
Not bad, but this recipe is assuming you already have the ingredients as nobody purchases a pinch of said items.
Therefore it’s not really a $5 meal, unless by chance you already have an assortment of misc ingredients. Not being negative. I just clicked in here from google and the title was $5 which this isn’t.
Likewise, if you included the full price of the whole packages or containers of each ingredient it wouldn’t be accurate either. Almost no one buys every single ingredient every time they make a recipe. There will always be leftover ingredients and partial packages used. If I use one or two eggs per recipe, I’m not going to include the price for the whole dozen in each recipe because I only paid that full price once, nor do I want to count it as “free” the next time simply because I already had them on hand. The method used above (pricing out only the amount used) is what the food service industry uses to calculate recipe costs for profit and loss purposes. I include only the cost of what is used and try to discard or waste as little of my leftovers as possible. That way, cost of the remainder of the ingredients is accounted for in future recipes. Neither way is perfect, but this is the method that I find to be most realistic. :)
What a ridiculous comment.
Hi!
I was wondering if there was any way that I might be able to make this with pre-cooked chicken from a rotisserie?
Thanks in advance!
Hmm, I’m not sure how that would work. It might over cook if you cook it again in the skillet, and I’m not sure how you’d cut it into pieces. Rotisserie tends to be better for shredding.
Eating this right now – totally delicious! I used chicken breast. I had some trouble with the sesame seeds sticking to the pan instead of the chicken, any troubleshooting ideas?
Hmmm, I’m not sure. You could always leave the sesame seeds out of the sauce and just sprinkle them over top at the end, though. It wouldn’t affect the flavor.
I never comment on any sites but I tried this recipe and a few others I am absolutely hooked, thanks for all the detail you put into your site, it makes cooking so much fun and not so intimidating lol.
I’ve been wanting to make this ever since I saw it. Very tasty! I thought it was going to taste similar to a teriyaki sauce but the rice wine vinegar took it in a different direction in a good way. It gave it a nice tang! And it wasn’t too sweet – again thanks to the rice wine vinegar.
The only thing I did differently was to only use half of the sesame seeds and I added a little salt at the end.
Another great recipe Beth! Thank you!
You’ve got water for free. Pretty cool! Can I move into your place and just lay in the bath all day? ;]
If I carried it out to the fourth or fifth decimal, it probably wouldn’t be “free” anymore. ;)
The chicken was fantastic! This was a second recipe I’ve been done from your site and I loved it so much. I also prepared a crunchy asian salad and it was very tasty. Thank you, ones again :)
I made this tonight for dinner with some roasted brussel’s sprouts and couscous and it was incredible. The chicken is so flavorful, and it really didn’t take much effort!
I just bought your cookbook this weekend and I’m so excited to try the recipes in there. I’ve been following your blog for a while and basically learned how to cook by following your excellent instructions.
Thank you so much.
THIS WAS A GREAT HIT IN MY HOME TONIGHT!!!!! THE KIDS AND THE HUBBY LOVED IT AND CAME BACK FOR SECONDS. WILL DEFINATELY DO AGAIN.
Yummy and super duper easy!! Does indeed taste like take out :) It’s opened my eyes to other cooking possibilities! :D
On lazy days I just fry up some frozen chicken nuggets mix up the sauce and once they’re nice and crispy I add in the sauce and voila!
Seriously good stuff. My husband practically purred when he ate it. He went back for second and thirds.
So easy and so delicious. I’ve made this several times and it has become a family favorite.
This is prolly a really basic problem, but literally every time i use a cornstarch marinade, the cornstarch always separates, clumps and coagulates. What am I doing incorrectly?? happened with this recipe.
This happens after you add it to the skillet?
Tried this for the first time. By the time I had scraped the last of the sauce into the pan it was practically burning. I guess I had it a little too hot!
Texture is good but the sauce just didn’t turn out.
loved the flavor. Definitely thought it was toooooooo much sesame seeds. Other then that-delish. Will be cutting the sesame seeds ratio in half next time
This recipe came out great and the chicken tasted wonderful.
Kids helped make it and everyone had two-three helpings, so thumbs Way way up.
This is the best blog everr
My 4th time making and this recipe always comes out perfect! Love it!!
if there are leftovers is it good reheated
The texture changes (it gets soft), but the flavor is still pretty good.
I’ve eaten this straight out of the refrigerator. It’s pretty much just as delicious when cold.
this is a great recipe just the way it is…and I’m sure way better the Chinese take out. A keeper
This is an excellent recipe! I toasted my sesame seeds….I am not easily impressed, this impressed me…thank you :)
This is one of my favorite recipes and my kids love it! Even my picky 3 year old loves this meal. Quick, easy and doesn’t break the bank!
This was really good. The family loved it. I did double the sauce. I’m so happy to have found you in Relish magazine.
hey this looks delicious!Having guests for dinner tomorrow and this will do perfectly. Can i fry the chicken in advance,make the sauce too and put it together tomorrow before serving? Will the breading become gluggy? If not, how do you suggest i reheat the chicken?
No, this one would probably not do well made in advance. The breading will definitely get soft. The dish comes together very quickly, though!
When I saw this recipe I begged my hubby to make it. ( I am not the cook in the family.) He read the reviews first and made sure he doubled the sauce and took it off the heat before adding the sauce. It was amazing! I have been GF for 4 years and haven’t had sesame chicken since I was diagnosed with celiac. This filled my void and was so delicious. He also added some hot honey to it. Yum!
Made this tonight for diner and the results were spectacular! Best sesame chicken I’ve ever had.
I made this tonight for dinner along with your coconut rice recipe, and it was delicious! I will definitely make this again.
great recipe, but short on sauce, I would add 1 cup chicken broth and more cornstarch to the sauce.
Why not just double the sauce recipe? I would think chicken broth would change the flavor completely.
I agree with Jake P. Pretty good recipe but the temp should be turned way down before adding sauce. Mine just clumped into gummy pieces as soon as it hit the hot skillet and didn’t adhere to the chicken. I should have known better – I make other Asian sauces at lower temp. But recipe should mention to lower heat for rushed (like me) or novices. Next time I’ll lower heat and also add another Tbsp. of Soy sauce and another Tbsp. of water to sauce mixture. I used 2 large chicken breasts cut in 2″ pieces and the egg mixture worked well but took about 13 minutes to golden brown on high temp. The chicken was tender and flavorful. The sauce tasted good but was clumpy goo. Will definitely make again with the above changes. Beats the take-out – less salt & sugar and honestly is just as fast as going to pick up dinner. Made exactly 4 servings with frozen Asian Veggies & TJ’s frozen Brown Rice. Thanks for the recipe.
Pretty good but next time I will make double the sauce-there wasn’t enough to really coat the rice,
Very easy to make and so flavorful! Delicious dish, I will be making all the time now!
Very good recipe, better than take out. Too sweet for my tastes, but admittedly so is take out sesame chicken – I will use a little less brown sugar next time.
Adding a tablespoon of Sambel oelek to the sauce gave it a mild kick.
This was amazing. Even my kids liked it (which is rare!). I will definitely be making this again.
I just made this tonight and I never comment on anything, but this was soo delicious. . I followed everything exactly but added peppers and onions and a little bit of honey.. I’ve tried other recipes but this 1 is the best.. my husband and my son love it too.
Will I be able to substitute brown sugar with white sugar, rice vinegar with white balsamic, and cornstarch with flour?
No, unfortunately that will taste quite different and have a different texture.
OMG. Go do a Google search for a recipe that has those ingredients. One of my pet peeves — people who substitute everything in a recipe (and odds are, then give it a poor review). Geesh.
I LOVE sesame chicken, and honestly, this recipe is VERY simple to make. Even though the chicken thighs were small, I had to use seven pieces to stretch it out. I couldn’t find toasted sesame oil, so I had to use regular sesame oil, and the chicken tasted just like sesame! I served the sesame chicken over a bed of regular rice-since jasmine rice comes in a five pound bag, and it wasn’t cheap. My sister and I LOVE your blog. Thank you for this recipe, Beth! :-)
Love this recipe. So simple and absolutely as good (if not better) than take out. I double the sauce and I tend to use chicken breast because that’s what I have.
Hey Beth,
Gave this recipe a crack tonight. Results were quite good! The girlfriend loved it with the jasmine rice.
Just some observations:
-The egg batter calls for 1 tbsp of cornstarch in the ingredients section, but the instructions section for that step say 2 tbsp. It threw me for a loop, but 1 egg and 1 tbsp seemed to be a decent ratio.
-I don’t think it was quite listed, but perhaps turning off the heat to the skillet and using the residual heat to thicken the sesame sauce would work. I think my skillet was too hot and instantly carmallized some of the sauce. The sweet crunchy bits were still good though, but it meant I couldn’t toss the chicken easily.
All in all, love the recipe. 5/5 for taste, 3/5 for budget (because getting a bunch of Asian food oils and sauces isn’t part of my bulk purchases), and 4/5 for being relatively easy to make.
Thanks Beth!
Hmm, are you looking at the 1 Tbsp cornstarch listed for the sauce? The ingredient list has 2 Tbsp listed for the batter and another 1 Tbsp listed under sauce. Oh well, as long as the 1 Tbsp still worked out well for you, I guess it’s all good! :D
I’m looking forward to making the sesame chicken next week. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find toasted sesame oil, so is it possible that I can use regular sesame oil? My sister and I LOVE your blog!! Thanks!
Regular sesame oil is much more mild than toasted, so it probably won’t lend the same strong sesame flavor to the sauce. It will be more like a teriyaki sauce. :)
Used chicken breast and extra batter and sauce; used toasted almond slivers since I didn’t have sesame seed. Delicious, will definitely do it again.
This was really, really good. I made it with chicken breasts. The only thing I messed up was the egg batter. I should have patted the chicken with a paper towel before mixing it into the batter because it sloughed off midway through cooking. I also will make a little bit more sauce as well. Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
The egg also tends to slide off if the heat in the skillet is not high enough. :)
Probably the best recipe I’ve tried thus far! Definitely making this a regular dish.
It was pretty good! I’m not sure if I used too much chicken, but I found there wasn’t enough sauce. However, it turned out okay and my boyfriend enjoyed it. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks!
I’m still in the process of cooking it but I double the egg batter because I had more chicken pieces. It looks as though I’m making egg foo young. I must have done something wrong.
Tried this tonight as a quick dinner…. OMG!! It was delicious and SO easy! Hubby asked if it was takeout…lol…will be a regular meal at our house for sure!!
Hi Beth!
I’ve been a fan of your recipes for a really long time, and I’ve always pleased a crowd with them :)
How long should I cook the chicken? I have this weird phobia about under cooking meat. Thanks!
It’s really going to depend on a few things (type of skillet, size of chicken, heat of skillet), so I can only give you an estimate (7-10 minutes), but here are some tips. Make sure the chunks of chicken are not huge. Keep them to about 1 inch pieces. Make sure the skillet is nice and hot before adding the chicken and make sure you have a skillet big enough to hold all the chicken without over crowding (the chicken pieces should fit in one layer on the bottom of the skillet with a little room to move around). You will know the chicken is done when the pieces are firm and the breading is golden brown. :) The more you cook chicken, the more comfortable you’ll get with telling when it’s “done”. The texture tells you a lot!
Beth!
I tried this tonight for my family and they loved it! Thank you so much for the chicken tip you gave me :) I had to ask my mother if it was cooked fully, but she told me you were right and it was good! Beth, you’re amazing!!!
Awesome! So glad it worked! :)
I made it. They liked it. I made a double batch, and I agree it needed a smidge of honey. I used about 1/2 Tbsp in the double batch, and a sprinkle of salt.
I have no idea why I am so shocked. Every time I select something from this site to prepare, not only is easy but the taste is amazing!! Tonight I cooked the sesame chicken and I fell in love. I did add extra indgrdient such as honey, crushed red bell peppers and onion salt! Hands down my favorite!
Great recipe. Thank you. Marry me, Bet!
This really did taste like take out. I’m starting to question weather I need to eat out ever again.
I was wondering if you have any good tips/tricks/recipes for making donuts. My husband is a huge fan and I would love to impress him with some home-made skills.
Thanks!
I haven’t tried making donuts… yet! :)
Tried it out today and it was super yummy! The sauce was not quite enough to coat all my chicken pieces so next time I shall try doubling the qty of the sauce. Just like to check if I were to cook and freeze the chicken with the sauce, will it be gummy after reheating? Thanks for the great recipe!
Sauces thickened with cornstarch generally don’t freeze well. They tend to separate upon reheating. :(
try arrowroot or tapioca starch… They freeze well and are used in most Asian recipes.
I was looking for a recipe for Furikake chicken (famous in Hawaii) and I think the coating will work beautifully for both this recipe and for Furikake chicken. And no frying! Thank you!
I really need to learn my lesson, I come on this site (long time reader first time commentator) try something labeled “Easy”, and BY GOLLY it is the EASIEST meal I’ve ever prepared, and yet time and time again I am utterly surprised! I am an an amateur cook, and I’ve learned so many cooking methods through this site because I don’t have to do it the experienced chef complicated way, and I’m ok with that because I need to be able to cook quickly for me and my partner.
Any who, I digress. This recipe is too easy, super flavorful, reheated excellently. Loved it!
P.S. Love your food photography.
As a celiac, I thought sesame chicken was a thing of the past for me. With one substitution (gf soy sauce instead of regular) this is a gluten free bonanza!
I’ve been making this a lot lately. SO easy and delicious. I’ve been roasting broccoli in the oven lately while it I cook the chicken & then add the broccoli to the stir fry at the last minute. Delicious.
Roasted broccoli is my favorite!! Fresh broccoli is on sale at my local grocery store for 67 cents/lb this week, so we are going to be eating quite a bit of it, I think :)
Made this for supper tonight. There are maybe half a dozen pieces left. I also made vegetable fried rice to go with it. Delish! We live in the country. No delivery or take out here. It won’t be missed any longer.
This was delicious! I used chicken breasts because that’s what I had on hand, and dusted the chicken pieces in cornstarch before adding to the egg mixture, to help the egg batter stick. Because I used a little extra cornstarch in this step, I omitted it from the sauce and had excellent results: crispy chicken lightly coated in delicious, sticky sauce.
Next time, I’ll probably add a dash of red chili flakes or sriracha to the sauce, but the dish had excellent flavor as is. Steamed broccoli w/ garlic and chili flakes rounded out the meal.
I can’t tell you how much I love love love all your recipe. You are the best !
This was pretty great! The only thing I did differently was dredge the chicken in flour before coating it in the batter – it made it stick way better, and had a better crust.
Loved this receipe!! My husband and I both loved it. Great flavor and easy to follow directions. The only thing that I did have to do is double the sauce in order to get that lovely coating just right.
This was delish! It was not that syrupy-sweet sesame chicken that you get from takeout either. It was nice and flavorful and not at all greasy. I used chicken breasts instead of thighs because we can always get them for $2/lb. at one of the supermarkets in Charlotte.
The only thing I might do different next time is make it in my non-stick skillet because some of the coating and sauce stuck, but after cooling a bit I was able to scrape it up and mix it in with the rice so no real harm done!
Great recipe, but I have to double the sauce recipe to get it coat the chicken the way it looks in the photos.
This is my boyfriend’s new favorite thing for me to cook! We beefed it up by adding in some vegetables (bell peppers, onion, mushroom, snap peas, broccoli). So delicious and so easy to cook!
Thank you for not using exclamation marks all over the place like a lot of cooks do with their recipes. It drives me nuts.
I finally made this dish last night and it was so delicious! I love the texture the cornstarch/egg mixture creates. I will have to double the recipe next time as it was so good we had no leftovers! Darn it! I served mine with steamed jasmine rice and seared bok choy. Yum!!
How many calories is this per serving?
I butchered this meal last night due to poor cooking utensils. So today, I went and bought everything new and it’s turning out mighty fine I might say! Thank you!
In my rushing around I only dredged the chicken in corn starch and it was okay, egg not missed. I added some canned mandarin oranges around the edges for color and one more way to get nutrition in my family. Roasted cauliflower and broccoli in the oven with some of the sauce over it. I made a double batch of sauce for this purpose.
Wonderful website and awesome recipes!!!!!
Wonderful! My husband and kids loved this! Thank you for a great alternative to take out.
When making the sauce everything was fine until I added the cornstarch and the whole mixture became cloudy? Which resulted my chicken to be dull in color and not as “glossy” help!
Yes, cornstarch will be cloudy, but as it cooks it becomes clear and glossy. :) So, it may have just needed to be in the hot skillet for a few seconds more.
I love to cook but am on a serious budget. I am so happy I found your blog. I want to make this recipe for dinner tonight but I am unsure if I have the right kind of sesame oil
is pure dark sesame oil the correct kind?
If it is dark in color, it’s probably toasted. It should have a strong, toasty/nutty aroma. Unfortunately, they don’t always label it as “toasted”. Regular sesame oil is light in color (like vegetable oil) and doesn’t have nearly as much flavor or aroma.
I discovered this jewel a few months ago. Absolutely perfect!! My 4 yr old grandson requests it all the time & always clears his plate. The rest of my family makes sure there are never any leftovers!! :) Thank you sooooo much for this recipe!!
I made this yesterday. Sesame chicken is probably my favorite dish on any menu. This was super easy and delicious!! I didn’t mix the corn flour with the egg. I dredged in the corn flour and then dipped in egg. Everything else was as per recipe! I had no problems with scrambled egg or the batter falling off. The sauce was delicious and thickened up nicely. I cannot wait to make this again!!
I made this last evening and it was awesome. I did throw in some sweet onions since I wasn’t sure about a stir fry with just chicken and sauce. My family raved about it.
Amazing! I followed the recipe to a tee and it came out perfectly. I served it with rice and green beans dressed with more soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a bit of sugar. Yum!
This was so DELICIOUS!! It literally took me about 20 min from start to finish! It was a great meal and I really enjoyed that it wasn’t the typical overly greasy & fried chinese food.
Some of my coating fell off also when I added the sauce. I think next time I’m just going to coat each chicken piece in flour & egg and then drop it in the pan to cook, rather than throwing the entire egg mixture.
Thank you for the amazing recipes!!
Another super tasty and easy recipe. Thank you so much for all the great chicken thigh recipes. I was able to get some organic thighs on mega sale (1.99/lb vs 10.99/lb) and stocked up. Now I can’t wait to go through the other recipes on your site.
First saw this recipe posted on Pinterest, where it is tagged as “gluten-free.” So tired of over-eager bloggers tagging their recipes GF when the posted recipe is, in fact, NOT gluten-free. Soy sauce is brewed from wheat. Depending on brewing method, etc., many (if not most) commercially available soy sauces can and do contain gluten. If you’re going to tag the recipe as GF, you should indicate that the recipe calls for Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (which is derived from rice).
Yes, I need to contact Pinterest about that… their system automatically “tags” recipes as gluten free or vegetarian and it’s often wrong. :( I didn’t tag it as gluten free myself.
Gluten-Free soy sauce is readily available at most grocery stores. That’s what we use (I bought it at Safeway). Made this recipe for the first time tonight and it was delish! thank you!! I only had regular sesame oil on hand but next time I’ll try it with the toasted.
I had some trouble with the chicken coating, I’m not sure exactly how thick it is supposed to be but I felt like most of mine ended up falling off. :( Could this be due to my oil not being hot enough? I also think I might have stirred it a little too much. I liked the flavor though. Does anyone know if there is a good substitute for toasted sesame oil?
The coating does tend to slide off if the skillet is not hot enough. Toasted sesame oil is a pretty unique flavor, so there isn’t really anything that I can think of that could be a good substitute.
Another great recipe from Budget Bytes! Reminded us of the sesame chicken from Pei Wei. Thanks for sharing!
Yummo!!!!
Easy, cheap and delicious recipe. I was able to shave off a dollar by butchering a couple chicken myself. I was really intimidated by cutting up a whole chicken but it wasn’t that bad. Nothing like a couple of YouTube videos to get you through the process. If I can do it, anyone can.
Not sure if you still see the comments on these old pages but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the site. As a young adult male who has never cooked much before and doesn’t have the largest budget to work with, I really love how doable these recipes are.
In my first week of starting to cook for myself, I’ve made black bean quesadillas and this sesame chicken recipe. Despite not being anything close to a great cook, the quesadillas turned out ok and the sesame chicken turned out fantastic. I’m sure I made a few rookie mistakes, but WOW, thank you so much! The sesame chicken I made thanks to you is so amazing. I’m going to enjoy it for the next few days! And in the more distant future of course.
Awesome! That’s what I always hope to hear. :)
I also just want to say thanks.
I love cooking, but on a college budget it can be very challenging. I make this on a weekly basis, I can’t thank you enough :)
I made this last week and it was delicious! We ate all of it and my son was still asking for more of the “yummy chicken” the next day. I’m all about prepping my meals in advance since my husband and I both work. I didn’t see it anywhere else in the comments, so I wanted to share that it works fine to prep the sauce and egg mix a few days in advance (separate bowls of course) to save some time. I was worried that the texture of the egg mix would get funky but after a few whisks it turned out just fine. I think the sauce was even better because the flavors had a chance to blend together. We’re making this again tonight – thank you for the great recipe!
Hi Beth,
Because I only cook for two (and often just for one) I was wondering if this recipe is freezable? At what point would you stop the cooking and freeze, I’m assuming you make the sauce the day of eating.
This one probably wouldn’t be very good for freezing. Cornstarch thickened sauces separate after freezing and the texture of the “breading” would change. You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for about a week, but overall the recipe is super fast so it’s best to just make it fresh.
Beth do you think cut up rotisserie chicken would work for this, provided I cook in skillet at high temp to brown?
Hmmm, it might work! I’ve never tried the velveting technique (cornstarch and egg) with chicken that is already cooked, but since it’s such a fast cooking process, it might work! If you try it out, let me know how it turns out.
I just tried using cooked chicken, and it came out great! Just be sure not to overcook it, and it should be fine.
Made this tonight. I’m an ijit, and didn’t read all the directions…so, it took longer than it should have, b/c I was browning only a bit of chicken at a time, taking it out, blah blah blah. And, since I double every recipe known to man (7 ppl in the family) that took a bit.
But…oh, but.
Phenominal. Husband hoovered it, kids loved it, and even the not quite one year old needed more!
This was seriously PHENOMENAL. My husband and I were so amazed with how good this was. Honestly, better than take-out and most asian restaurants I have been to (yes, even PF Changs, which I love!) Okay, now on to the tips.
I did double the sauce per the previous comments suggestions. I added a smidge more soy sauce and a less sesame seeds because 2 tbsp was PLENTY for the sauce even when doubled. I also did not pour the chicken into the pan with all the batter. I simply coated it like you would any other fried chicken, placed each piece in the veggie oil and turned them over after about 3 minutes. They did stick together a little (what I am assuming everyone is calling the “omelet” problem) but they broke into individual pieces just fine if you separated them with a spatula. SO. GOOD.
Whoops, forgot one thing! I also omitted the ginger since I simply didn’t have any, and it didn’t detriment the taste in the slightest. (I’m also not a huge fan of ginger in the first place!)
:)
Delicious! Didn’t have a single issue. Used a wok, coconut oil for frying. Added a smidge of crushed red pepper. Awesome. No “omelet” problems.
After reading some of the reviews (which is sometimes helpful to see where others went wrong) I noticed a big problem people had was the temperature of the oil. Keeping this in mind, I got the oil just right and mine turned out amazing!!! Just like the pictures. Next time, I will add some sauted onions to the rice, maybe even mushrooms. I may also make some extra sauce without the cornstarch to drizzle over the dish at the end. All in all, it was GREAT! Better than the Chinese place my husband said :)
I made this recipe once and screwed up the texture because I didn’t follow the directions properly. Nonetheless, it was delicious, but I didn’t feel it had enough sauce. So, this time, I’m going to do it again, and follow the instructions correctly, and double the sauce. I am expecting this to be amazing!
I kind of messed this one up because I had so much chicken and I tried to brown it all together in one skillet instead of batches. Also, I may have had too much batter so it kind of got “omelet-y” I finally started up a second burner and transferred almost half of the chicken to a second skillet. BTW, It took me forever to trim the fat (but then again I had a lot of chicken). And I wish I had minced the garlic and ginger first. I waited too long to do that and I ended up scrambling to get my all my ingredients in. The second skillet came out better but I haven’t attempted this recipe again because I hate the fat trimming and cutting into bite sizes.
You could just use skinless chicken breasts next time.. I love the flavor of thighs but detest the fat trimming too
Finally tried this for the first time a couple weeks ago! I made it in my wok with 3 chicken thighs and ended up with a bit of the “scrambled egg bottoms” other people saw but it tasted delicious. This time I’m using a regular pan and less of the egg mixture and the chicken pieces are looking much better.
Your slow cooker chicken burrito bowls have become like a religion for me, so I tried this for something new. Aside from the fact that I clearly need new sesame seeds and oil (tasted off…just don’t use them enough!) I had a similar “chicken sticking” and “not enough sauce” issue. I didn’t use a nonstick pan, but it looks like you did? Maybe that would help on my next attempt! I liked the taste, though, even with the slightly “off” sesame!
It was good, but a little bit salty. I think next time I’ll cut back. Also, the egg coating the meat ended up kind of making itself into scrambled eggs instead of staying as a “breading” on the meat. :/ Not sure why mine came out different because I followed the directions to the T!
I think the egg mixture tends to slide off and cook on its own if the heat is not high enough. Everyone’s range is a little different when it comes to low-medium-high heat, so you may have to experiment with it some. :)
Can you omit the egg?
Yes, but the texture won’t be quite the same. It will be more like straight stir fried chicken. The sauce is where most of the flavor comes from, though, so if you can’t eat eggs I’m sure it will still be great!
Super easy, and SO tasty! Ended up making extra sauce to pour over our rice and veggie (sugar snap peas). Everyone LOVED it!
This was so incredibly easy and delicious that I am officially never getting take-out again. Thank you:)
To save time I bought Tyson’s Anytizer Chicken bites (the frozen kind). I cooked them in the oven first, made the sauce and once the chicken was finished I heated up a skillet put the chicken in and added the sauce to help warm and thicken the sauce. Topped some brown rice with the mixture and nom nom
Any chance you could try your hand at Orange Zest Chicken or Sweet and Sour Chicken next? Pretty please?
Yes, I think that’s a great idea!
I’m going to try this next week. I made the Italian Wonderpot tonight and it is awesome!
WOW! This looks so delicious! I am going to try this for dinner this weekend. Love the pictures and thanks for sharing the recipe!! Cindra
Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ve been making this and your dragon noodles this at once a week each ever since I discovered your blog! I usually add an extra tablespoon of brown sugar and some crushed red pepper flakes because the first time I made this it was much too rice vinegar-y. My bf is impressed with my cooking skills (quite the accomplishment for me) thanks to you!
This was a hit with my whole family – the only problem was we wanted more. Thank you for a great recipe.
Made this tonight, was perfect! Best recipe I have found in months!
Just finished dinner. This was easy to make and very good. Will make it again!!
I followed the recipe exactly with all the correct ingredients and it was WONDERFUL!
I did make everything before I put the chicken in my cast iron skillet so I did not have to think anymore while drinking my wine :>) My husb liked it and said I could make it again. Compliment to you! Thanks, always looking for easy, fast, chicken recipes.
I really want to try this recipe today but I can find Sesame seed oil anywhere in stores. Can it be replaced with regular olive oil?
Well, you can replace it with regular vegetable or canola oil, but the toasted sesame oil is very flavorful, so you will be missing some of the flavor. If you haven’t yet, check the Asian section of larger grocery stores. It’s often sold there.
Made this last night and it was wonderful. Very easy and I had most of the ingredients on hand which was a bonus!
We liked this a lot more than the kind we get from takeout. It was lighter, and we knew that we were eating chicken and not some weird chicken nugget.
I think I had more chicken than the recipe called for, because the batter didn’t cover my chicken well enough. To counter this, I doubled the sauce which worked well. Next time I will also double the coating batter.
To balance the meal we lightly sauteed some green beans and a red pepper. It complimented the chicken dish well.
Thanks for a wonderful meal!
Gosh golly, this was so tasty! I made it once before for my family and I had problems with the breading (it didn’t really stick to the chicken), like many before me did, but this time I made sure the oil was good and hot and I only stirred it once to flip the pieces. It turned out crispy and delicious! I used 2 nice big chicken breasts. I also cut some snow peas into quarters and on a diagonal (to make them pretty) and added them to the chicken shortly before adding the sauce (which I made a double batch of…I like things saucy!). Scooped it over some rice, and topped the whole thing off with a healthy swirl of Sriracha (because when does Sriracha not improve food?). I can’t wait to eat this tomorrow :D
Mmmmm. This is really good. I was skeptical, as mine didn’t look lie the pictures until the very end, but it came together amazingly!
I made this with tofu instead of chicken last night, but otherwise followed the recipe, and it was quite tasty. The sesame sauce got very thick for me, so next time I will decrease the amount of cornstarch a little to make it easier to coat the tofu with the sauce before it turns into yummy jelly.
I just made this for dinner tonight. It was so easy and FANTASTIC!! Who needs take out? This is going into my keeper file. Thanks! :-)
While this recipe was easy to make, it didn’t turn out how I expected. There wasn’t enough sauce. It globbed up in the skillet. The chicken wasn’t dark brown either. It was kind of bland. I make another dish with sesame oil and soy sauce, and it has so much flavor. I don’t know why this turned out so blah. I will have to try it again.
Yum! The flavors were great. I would have given it 5 stars but I had trouble breading my chicken. Definitely will be making again and trying to figure out how to get rid of the egg/omelet problem at the beginning. What type of non-stick pan do you use?
That’s a Caphalon skillet that I got 10+ years ago. It’s great. Other readers have found through troubleshooting that higher heat helps prevent the omelet effect. ;)
Just curious, are all the measurements in the sauce supposed to be TABLEspoons, or are some intended to be teaspoons? Just wanted to check before I try this out for dinner. Thanks!
Yes, they’re all tablespoons. :) In all of my recipes Tbsp = tablespoon and tsp = teaspoon.
Tried the Italian Wonderpot last night and the Sesame Chicken tonight. Two thumbs up from my kids. Your blog is going to get regular visits from me in the future!
Wow – easy and delicious. We recently moved to a small town and one of the things my kids miss is Chinese delivery. Now I can give them one of their favorite Chinese meals. My son just asked if we can have this every week. Thanks!
This was such an easy, yummy recipe! I liked to eat the Paleo-way, and this was such an easy recipe to convert. I just subbed arrowroot for the cornstarch, coconut aminos for the soy sauce, and coconut sugar for the brown sugar. The chicken was crisp, yet held on to the sauce amazingly.
Fantastically delicious. This recipe is asked for over and over again in my house. It is super easy and consistent each time. I’ve never had the problem with the egg not sticking to the chicken.
I have to say that I love this meal. Even when I don’t have it on my list I end up making it anyways. Just so yummy! My 2 little girls love it. My husband loves it. I totally love it. So fast to make! WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!
Made the sauce with a bit less cornstarch. I steamed a bunch of veggies in a pan, then added the sauce and stirred until hot and thickened. Served over some rice and it made a terrific veggie dinner.
Great recipe. Simple quick and tasty. Some tips for everyone out there experience issues with your egg batter sticking. Make sure your pan is hot enough. This is a very common mistake with frying. The food will stick and never let go. So be sure that 1. The pan is to temp. and then the oil is as well before adding the chicken, Also, make sure you BEAT those dang eggs not just stir them around.
This is so delicious! Better than the Chinese I’ve had at restaurants. Anyone who thinks this isn’t muy bueno, isn’t doing it right! Making again, and again & again!
I made this recipe for myself and a friend the other night and it came out perfectly. I loved the egg-ness of the batter and while my sauce was not as dark or as thick as i would have liked, the flavor was awesome. After the chicken was cooked I threw in some thawed frozen broccoli, which worked really well. I added a little soy sauce to my bowl and of course a few dashes of sriracha! I will definitely be making this again!
Thank you for this superb recipe. I’ve cooked it three times and my family and I love it.
The pictures do look very different from the real thing. The pictures look like regular, crunchy sesame chicken, but in reality it’s just grilled chicken on top of a fried egg. Definately just go for takeout. Or a different recipe.
Hey Beth, I just made these tonight for the first time. They turned out DELICIOUS. Better than any Chinese restaurant any day. They also looked just like yours, so I’m not sure what the others are having issues with. Everything I’ve had from your site has been delicious. Thanks for the recipes!
This is unrelated to the recipe – which, I think I said somewhere above, is one of my favorites of all time – but, Beth, I love whatever program it is you use to put your recipes in a printable format. With a lot of other websites I used to use, I had to copy and paste into a word doc to get everything print-friendly (even when using their “print-friendly” version), but yours is a dream. Just another reason that basically your site is the only recipe source I use anymore! Thanks for what you do!
Great! It’s a plugin called Easy Recipe Plus that a lot of other blogs use as well. I’m so glad I found it! :D
Oh my, this recipe is the bomb! Never again will I subject myself to buying sesame chicken from a restaurant when I can easily make it myself. I love this website!
I’ve made this twice in the last week. I can’t get enough!
Dude. I don’t even like chicken that much, but this is excellent. We doubled the batter and sauce AND used coconut oil, which was so delicious. Too bad frying food is such a pain — my smoke detector is too sensitive. Thanks for the recipe!
Just made this dish and it is gooood! I made it in 3 batches: 1. Using just egg whites for the chicken coating ( because of past reviews) 2. Exactly as the recipe states. 3. With cooked leftover chicken. I like it exactly as the recipe states (except for tripling the sauce) Not sure why people had a problem with the egg mixture. As long as your oil is hot enough it’s fine. FYI my leftover chicken breast that was already cooked, worked almost as well as raw, although I added a bit more oil when cooking.
…oh i forgot to mention, I made you Bok Choy recipe as a side dish…
Three for three!!
I made this recipe last saturday night for company. I doubled the chicken (used breasts), and doubled the batter and sauce (and tripled the rice amount). I cooked the chicken in a large skillet in two batches.
It was sooo delish and a huge hit!! Even after we ate seconds (and in some cases thirds) I had enough left for two lunches the next day.
The next day my guests contacted me for the recipe, they liked it so much.
Two for two so far, way to go Budget Bytes!!
I was wondering if there was way to alter just a bit to get orange sesame chicken? Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks!
I’ve been brainstorming on how to make orange chicken… I don’t think it’s a quick fix, so I’m going to have to do some experiments. :)
I made some orange chicken and broccoli from scratch on the fly once, and like a nincompoop, I didn’t write down what I did, so I’ve never been able to recreate it again. I definitely did reduce a cup of orange juice which was most of the orange flavor, although I don’t remember how much I let it reduce. So maybe an OJ reduction (1 cup to 1/4 cup), or using frozen OJ concentrate?
I tried using OJ concentrate once and it was just gross, but I’m thinking that maybe I got the ratio of some of the other ingredients wrong. I definitely need to try again! :)
Reporting back on Operation Orange Chicken. I made the sessame chicken tonight, along with the double sauce others have recommended. Changes to the Sesame Chicken recipe were I omitted the sesame seeds, then zested an orange into the sauce and substituted the water for the same amount of fresh squeezed OJ. These were the only changes I made. The orange flavor came through pretty well, although I feel like it still needs a little something.
Made this tonight for my family of 5 (including two big eaters) and it was a hit. I doubled the chicken/egg/cornstarch and tripled the sauce, and it worked out about right. After reading some of the comments, I made sure my pan was good and hot before putting the chicken in, and I cooked the chicken in 3 batches to give it plenty of room to spread out so it would fry and not steam. Used more garlic, ginger, and green onion but otherwise stuck with the recipe as written. The hardest part was trimming the thighs and cutting them into pieces. The thighs I used seem to have lots of gristly and fatty bits that I knew my kids would object to if I didn’t trim them. Even so, it’s a winner of a recipe and I’ll definitely file it away for future use!
I think the flavor is good, but there’s too much cornstarch! This prevents any sauce from forming. I like a little sauce at the least.
I tried this last night and while it tasted great, I didn’t get it to be as brown or crispy as the picture showed. I am pretty sure I followed the recipe exactly, but is there something I could have done incorrectly?
I love your website! This recipe is simple, quick and delicious. It is on a steady rotation at my house. I like to use it as an end of the shopping week meal since it doesn’t need a lot of fresh veggies. I’m making it tonight!
This was excellent! My only complaint is that I didn’t get it to brown up the way I wanted. That’s probably my fault because I used two eggs instead of one. (Read the recipe wrong.) The result was less crispy and more creamy. Not always a bad thing…
I made this for New Year’s and it was fantastic. It had so much flavor and was a huge it. I used breasts instead of thighs and increased the whole recipe evenly by 50% (one egg plus one egg white). Everyone loved it. I will be making it again. What a fantastic introduction to your wonderful blog!
WE LOVED THIS RECIPE! You are a goddess ;) We plan on making this again this week with the leftover thighs and we’re adding steamed broccoli. Can’t wait!
Made this tonite and eating it as I type. The results are in and…..OMG double OMG so good. I left out the egg and just used the corn starch. My smart alec 4 yr old would have definitely had something to say about scrambled eggs at the bottom. Cornstarch by itself worked fine. The family is silently eating 2nds. Thanks this was a hit!!
Absolutely delicious! This was a real hit and I felt so professional making this :) Easy to follow directions, too. I served this with veggies prepared in my wok- yum! Thanks for a great recipe.
My husband and I just finished this :) it was delicious! Next time I will probably double the batch of sauce as this barely covered a pound of chicken for me.
Thank you!!!
I made this for my family of four last night. It literally came out exactly as shown, each step of the way. IT WAS DELICIOUS! I’m definitely making this again! It is a crowd pleaser!
Hi Beth, I just made this dish for dinner tonight (with a couple of minor modifications) and it turned out great. Like others suggested, I skipped the egg and doubled the sauce recipe. For the sauce, I put in one table spoon less of the soy sauce and half table spoon more of the brown sugar to get the perfect balance of sweet and salty. I love your blog! You’ve really inspired me to cook for my family which hasn’t been all that easy lately with a newborn.. Your recipes are so easy and delicious that even with a new baby I’m able to find time to make delicious meals and not waste money on inferior take out. Thanks and keep up the good work!
Made this today for the first time. Used apple cider vinegar and it was still great. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Not sure how many times I’ve cooked this, but it’s great. Just cooked it again tonight, and it was my best batch!
It’s perfect for settling a cheap Chinese food craving and is rated highly by my spouse!
As with every recipe I’ve tried from your site. – it’s wonderful!
Turned out perfectly! We will be making this again and again!
Also, we used apple cider vinegar and regular olive oil since I had no sesame oil, and it was still awesome.
I have no idea how anyone got ‘bland’ out of this- it was completely fabulous! And so easy to make, too! I’m still just learning to cook, and me and my bf love Asian food, so it’s wonderful to have a delicious recipe we can make without getting takeout! Thank you! <3
Wow, where do you shop? There’s no way I can make this so cheap. It would be at least double the price.
Just at my local grocery store (it’s local, not a national chain). Prices do vary across the country, but I’ve definitely gotten good at pricing over the last few years. :) It takes practice and a trained eye to make sure you’re getting good prices.
Another delicious recipe! I had the “chicken omelet” problem as well, but I’m pretty sure it was because I didn’t let the pan/oil get hot enough before adding the chicken. (I was cooking while hungry and imagining delicious results). It still turned out really yummy.
For those who are complaining about this dish being bland, the toasted vs. regular sesame oil really does make a big difference in flavor. I forgot the ginger and garlic, and mine still had a bunch of flavor from the toasted sesame oil.
Thanks as always Beth!
I just made this recipe and it is yummy! I improvised and used ponzu instead of soy sauce because, well, I forgot to buy soy sauce! and I also used spicy chili sesame oil. Either way, it tastes good and NOT bland at all.
horrible bland taste, nothing like the picture. My wife cooked it to the recipe and I was questioning it the whole time. mainly becuase the ingregients. tasteless at best and not worht the money for the products. reasearch cooks that know what they are doing away from this site, being cost effective never changes the flavor, 1/3 rd of the world is in poverty after all!
Thanks for the reply, i’ll increase the heat next time and let you know how it goes. :)
I came to the comments to post about my problems with the egg and it seems that a few other people have had the same problem. The egg mixture seems to not stick to the chicken and fell straight to the bottom and it looked like I was making some sort of chicken omelette. Some people have suggested that I should stir the chicken more/earlier in the cooking process but you say in your recipe that if you stir too much then the batter may come off the chicken?
Also, is the mixture that ended up at the bottom of my frying pan what should be surrounding the chicken? a kind of soft not crispy batter?
I’m a pretty inexperienced cook and i’m a former picky eater so I literally don’t know what the majority of recipes are supposed to look like at the end of cooking.
The end result was still pretty tasty even though I messed up the egg batter.
I would also try increasing the heat. If the pan is hot enough the egg will solidify right away and won’t have time to slide off the chicken… this is my theory, anyway, because I didn’t have that problem myself. It should be kind of crispy, but not as much as it would be if it were deep fried. Increasing the heat will also help with that. Just keep practicing and learning as you go. :)
Hey, I know it’s a year later but I just wanted to let you know that I fixed my problem with this recipe(you were rite, I didn’t have the pan hot enough when I was putting the chicken in) and I cook it all the time. As I do with a lot of the other recipes on your site.
So, thanks for all the recipes.
This was really, really good! The only thing is that we waited a little long to stir the chicken at first and I think the egg mixture sank to the bottom, so one side of the chicken was deliciously breaded and crispy and the other sides looked a little bare, but it was so easy I didn’t care! :-) Thank you Beth!! You are saving my grocery budget and giving us delicious recipes to try!
Incredibly delicious and super easy. I used chicken breasts instead of the thighs and everything turned out perfectly. My mom was very impressed. She’s already made the request to have this a couple of times a month! I like more spice & heat in my meals so adding chili paste or Sriracha to just my portion is a perfect solution to keep both of us happy. Thank you!
This sesame chicken is AWESOME! My better half is the cook in the house but today is his “day off” and is out with his buddies, that means I’m cooking. I don’t even remember anything about cooking. I love your easy menu ideas and definitely appreciate the step by step pictures. My chicken didn’t come out looking as beautiful as yours but it tasted so delicious (yum). My small kids (6 yr old and twin 2 yr olds) loved every piece of it. They even licked the plates (that never happens when I cook). I love this website, you have made me a fan with your cooking ideas, keep up the good work, and please keep the recipes coming! :)
I made this and OMG… I had everything in hand except the fresh ginger, but I didn’t mind I used the ginger spice and it came out wonderful. The only thing though was my chicken didn’t exactly turn out great look and texture wise because I didn’t have the oil up high enough in heat that it cooked the egg texture before anything lol.. My fault!! But all in all awesome!!!!!
I made this tonight for me and my husband, and it was excellent! I’m a novice cook who finds cooking stressful, but this was easy to make. After reading the reviews, I did double the sauce and accidentally did the same with the batter (I just didn’t add it all into the pan). A side effect of hungry me after a long day at work! I also used packaged fresh noodles instead of rice and that seemed to work out too – next time, I will try it with the jasmine rice. FYI: I’m actually beginning to enjoy cooking because your recipes are so straight forward and so tasty! I really thought that would never happen (hell had a better chance of freezing over first..). Thank you so much, Beth, and I’ll be sure to purchase your book when it comes out.
Just made this and it’s delicious! Mine didn’t turn out very pretty but it sure tastes good…I’m trying to resist eating it all before everyone else gets home for dinner!
This sesame chicken is amazing. I had to force myself to stop shoveling it in my mouth so my husband would have some left for him when he gets home tonight. This is the first recipe I’ve tried from your website and now I’m excited to try more. Chinese takeout has nothing on this recipe and yours is so much cheaper too!
It turned out very good indeed! I Added two tablespoons of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of Sriracha. I also salted the finished product. These simple changes sent a already great recipe over the top!
Hi Beth, I actually stumbled upon your website on accident. I was looking for microwavable dishes to make because I am in college. However upon exploring I have seen your whole website. I fell in love instantly. Especially since it is all affordable. I love this recipe. I don’t have readily have access to a kitchen, but when I do this is my go to. Great for leftovers, which is what I live off of. Also being a vegetarian I have learned that I can take recipes like this and transform it into something that suits me. Thanks So mucchhh
Made this the other night for 2 people and it was great! I think I’ll be tripling the sauce next time because it was only just enough to cover the chicken. Adding some vegies next time too.
This was great and so delicious! I was a little skeptical of the “easy” label but it actually was!!! Excellent and I’ll definitely be making it again. :)
good recipe, I mistakenly bought 3 1/2 pounds of skin and boned thigh meat so took a bit of extra work.
This is a great recipe, and has gone into our regular rotation.
Randomly found this site looking for a jerk chicken recipe. Ended up making the sesame chicken to feel you out a bit. Last night I made the recipe X5 as we have a family of 7 with 6 aged 13 and over (I have to pretty much as 16-20 servings of everything!!). We had enough for everyone plus two lunch portions today! I’ll be making this more often! I think I’ll make the sauce X10 so the rice will not feel left out! I’ll be trying some other recipes here too. I love cooking good food that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg!
Delicious! Better than a restaurant!! I’ve already made it three times and I LOVE it. It is officially a part of my “GO-TO” recipes. (Many of my other favorites are from this blog, too… Dal Narvana, Butternut Squash Pasta to name 2.) The last time I made this, I think I used too much chicken, so there wasn’t enough of the sauce to saturate it, but it was still delicious and the mistake was mine. So far I”ve only used chicken breast because that’s what I had, and I’m a little scared of thighs, but I bet the flavor is even more impressive with the dark meat. Love this blog!! :)
amazing recipe! made it and loved it! I just made more of the sauce. Thanks for sharing!!
I made this again tonight and I just wanted to tell you how much I love it. My brother lives with me and he eats out almost exclusively, despite the leftovers I leave for him but he tried this and loved it so much that it’s gone. Thanks for a delicious recipe and the work that goes into running your blog. I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know, including my weight watchers meeting.
Made this for dinner tonight and my family LOVED it. Next time I will double the sauce, but other than needing a little more sauce it was perfect! Thanks Budget Bytes.
I made this last night – it was so quick and easy! My husband’s comment: “This is the best food I’ve ever eaten.” And he’s no stranger to good food. This will definitely be a regular at our table from now on!
Made this tonight for me and mom. Not sure what everyone’s issue is with having egg, since ours came out fine. Tried to stay true to the recipe, but had to make a couple on-hand substitutions – Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil instead of Sesame (but our seeds were toasted, so…) – but everything was good. I’d point out to make sure the garlic gets cut *really small* because we found a few big pieces in ours that I wasn’t that happy with. Next time, I’ll probably add a few crushed red pepper flakes.
Mom’s already asked what I’m making tomorrow, so… You may have created a monster.
Love it love it love it! My kids actually ask for it! I’ve made it three times in the last two weeks. I made it with tofu, following the same process and it was also a hit. Good balance of flavor, easy enough!
Planned this again for dinner tonite since we loved it & it was weeknight easy, but still WOW. I took the chicken thighs out of the freezer @ 6 am to thaw. When I got home I got reminded I am not a morning person, I took out thin cut boneless loin pork chops. I was so looking forward to this I decided to roll with it. Did the recipe exactly except the pork for chicken. It was awesome!!! Just as good as the chicken was. This will be making the weeknight rotation often, & I love that I can change up the meat & have great results both ways. Thanks Beth!!
Beth, I don’t know what I would eat without your website! This sauce is so similar to your teriyaki meatballs (my favorite of yours) yet the “batter” makes it taste so different. actually, I think this recipe is even easier so it may be my new go-to when I’m craving Asian flavors. :)
I’d like to make this sauce to go over tempeh and rice…two questions. One: Is it okay to substitute a different kind of vinegar with rice vinegar? I don’t have any but seem to have every other kind! haha. Two: Will it make a difference using pure sesame oil as opposed to toasted? Thanks!
I used apple cider vinegar and regular sesame oil, and it was great ( I’ve done the same with Beth’s teriyaki meatball recipe a million times). hope that helps!
Thanks for sharing! Someone just asked me that today and I hadn’t tried apple cider vinegar, so it’s good to know! :D
We used Balsamic.
I used coconut oil and coconut vinegar and it was fantastic. What a great recipe!
This was so gooood, l haven’t had Asian in forever besides soy sauce and rice and kim. Always was like a death trap for my gluten allergy, which is just wrong lol. The sauce on my end came out very very tasty but almost sparce on the chicken, just doubling the sauce works. In addition a fried rice recipe would be great, l have no clue on that.
Adore your blog!! The prices, easy to search and understand, easy to cook, and very cute. Already made a few- Autumn medley was wonderful. Nowadays everything comes portion-calories-fat etc, so l mentally struggle with the lack off. Thanks:)
I made this tonight for supper. It was delicious, and my husband went absolutely crazy over it. It will definitely become a staple in my household.
The Sesame Chicken looks delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Made this tonight. It came out a little paler than yours, but that may be due to different ingredients. *shrug* I doubled the sauce, and it was delicious!
Mmm this was so good! I stir-fried the chicken with onion and bell pepper :D
I made this for my family today (9/29/13) and it was WONDERFUL! It was light and so full of flavor. Everyone enjoyed it. One of the kids liked it so much for lunch they ate it for dinner too. Thank you!
I didn’t know sesame chicken was this easy!! We loved it. Sauce got nice thick, sticky, perfect flavor. I doubled the sauce because I added udon noodles at the end instead of over rice, it was great!!! I loved the coating on the chicken, when I was mixing it, I thought that can’t possibly be enough, but it was & it turned out perfect. My only tweak to the flavor was a small squirt of Sriracha. Thanks for a great recipe.
My husband and I have made this four times since you posted it, and it came out fabulous every time! I’ve got celiac disease so we subbed gluten free soy sauce for the regular soy sauce, and it worked perfectly. We even swiped the sauce recipe to use for making ginger beef with thin-sliced flank steak, scallions, and ginger root, and it was awesome.
Now my husband is feeling inspired to play with the sauce and see how many other flavors he can create using the basic velvet chicken cooking method and changes to the sauce — lemon chicken is next.
Thank you so much for your blog, we love it!
I have to be honest, I did not like this recipe. The egg was too much. I ended up with cooked egg at the bottom of the skillet and pieces of egg in my chicken. I had to try to pick the egg pieces out and then transfer the chicken to another skillet. Then the sauce was no way near enough for 1 lb of chicken. It didn’t even cover all of it, so i had to make another batch which is really inconvenient when you thought you were finished and your rice is about to get cold. It would have ended up okay if the sauce had actually been good. The second batch of sauce I made, I increased the sugar to 2 tbspn’s. I reduced the vinegar to 1 tbspn and I increased the sesame oil to 1 tbspn. I wanted it sweeter. It didn’t work. The chicken still came out tasting salty with a hint of sesame oil. It wasn’t the flavorful sesame chicken I’m used to. I have another sesame chicken recipe, and although more complicated it is so much better. I will stick with that one next time.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was sooo good!! I used chicken breast and served over brown rice. The only thing I will do next time (oh yeah there will be many more nexts!!) is add a little more liquid to the sauce. Not that the sauce in the recipe provided isn’t totally amazing, I would just like more of it to soak into the rice from the chicken.
Super yummy, and thank you for posting step by step photos. They are very helpful : ) can’t wait to try more of your recipes
PS,
I made your herb tomato soup for lunch and it was amazing as well : )
Okay, so I am absolutely in-freaking-love with you! This week I have made this sesame chicken recipe, the teriyaki meatball recipe, the sweet and sour veggie stir fry, and the egg drop soup!!! They were all super easy and crazy delicious as well as inexpensive! You are now my favorite food blog on the web. :)
This was delicious. My husband also liked it a lot. I doubled the sauce based on other reviews and it was just right. I will definitely be making this again. I am allergic to gluten, and I substituted gluten free tamari for the soy sauce. I was thrilled to find a recipe that has a crisp “breading” without using wheat flour. Thank you so much!!
loved this recipe! I doubled the sauce because I like things sticky and we luckily are able to buy our oils/vinegars/soy sauce in bulk, and it was fantastic
hi beth, i love your recipes and can’t wait to try this. just wanted to let you know this is making the rounds on pinterest on someone else’s site that does not give you credit: http://www.lovewithrecipe.com/recipe/298.html
i recognized this as one of your recipes because of the way the ingredients were listed and googled “budget bytes sesame chicken” and sure enough it popped up.
Thanks for the heads up! I checked it out and the website is foreign (there are Asian characters all over, not sure what country, though) so I probably won’t be able to do much about it :( They have no contact info listed, but I left a comment on the page saying that it was copyrighted. *sigh* Good thing I at least watermark the photos now!
Sitting here eating this right now. It’s outstanding! Used leftovers from a roast chicken and just cooked the pieces long enough to get a crisp exterior. If you’re like me and love sauce, definitely double the recipe for the same amount of chicken.
we like things extra spicy
needed a kick, just bland
not enough sauce
If you know your preferences, why did you not add spice and make more sauce? It is a great recipe and it fits my family when I add some spice and double the sauce.
I made this last night and it was all gone! Since I had eight people, I doubled the ingredients for two lbs. boneless and skinless thighs. I also added more brown sugar for my taste. I did have to adjust the heat while cooking the chicken – it seemed to take a long time to brown. My side dishes were jasmine rice and Dragon noodles, and they all went too! Thanks for your great ideas Beth!
My son Sams 14th Birthday is Weds I can’t wait to try this for him. Thanks
I had a couple problems when I made this — some of my egg batter came off the chicken and cooked on the bottom of the pan, so I had to fish out some scrambed egg bits. I’m sure stirring the chicken a bit more when I first put it in the pan would solve this (I let it sit for a minute this time). Second, when I put the sauce in the pan, it thickened up almost before I could stir it all the way in, so it ended up a little bit goopy before I got the pan off the heat. I’m thinking I just had the heat a smidge too high. Anyways, my boyfriend and I both agreed that the finished product was still delicious, but could be MORE delicious. Hopefully I’ll ace it next time. :)
Did everything but turned out to be light brown. ? What am I Doing wrong?! Ugh
Interesting, I’m not sure! Maybe your soy sauce is just not as dark as mine. Not all brands are the same.
Very impressed with this one. Thanks for posting!
Can leftovers be frozen? How?
They can be frozen, but they will definitely have a softer texture and a different color after reheating. It should still taste good, though! I would just put some rice in a resealable/freezable/microwavable plastic dish, top it with some of the chicken, and then freeze.
This looks delicious! I was on pinterest when I came across the picture only it lead me to this site: http://www.recipebest.com/2013/08/easy-sesame-chicken.html.
It did link to your site, but it had your pics listed. I’ve pinned the recipe from your site. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you!!
Hi there! I was wondering if the batter works okay with chicken that is already cooked? we made a roast chicken yesterday and have tons of leftovers, but I’m scared to do the cornstarch/egg batter with already cooked chicken!
Hmm, I’m really not sure how that would work out! I think you’d only run the risk of overcooking the chicken, but other than that it should work. Since the egg mixture cooks quickly, it might not be that bad. Although cutting the roasted chicken into chunks may be a little tricky.
Made this tonite and it was a huge hit! Have been trying to mimic Pei Wei’s honey seared chicken and this is close. Will be in the family rotation from now on.
LOVE your recipes. Dragon Noodles are made weekly in my house. Two quick questions about this recipe…you said that sesame oil will give a different taste that toasted sesame – but it your photo(the last one) it looks like thats just regular sesame oil…did you use both, or is that just there to confuse me ;). Also, do you think this would work with shrimp? Of course cooking time would go down…what do you think? Thanks!!!
Well, it’s tricky because toasted sesame oil isn’t always labeled as “toasted” :) You can tell you have the toasted kind because A) it’s a deep amber color and B) it’s usually sold in small bottles, and C) it will be sold near the Asian ingredients. Regular, untoasted sesame oil is usually sold near regular vegetable and canola oil and has a light, barely golden color. It also has a much, much more subtle flavor.
I bet it would work with shrimp – I hadn’t thought about that! And yes, the cooking time will be very brief :)
Made this last week and my 3 yr. old complained, “yuck I don’t want brown chicken” (this was before he tasted it). About 5 minutes after the first bite went on to ask for seconds… My 6 yr. old has requested this two more times, since then. Now the 3 yr. old says “Yeah, sesame chicken!” So in the last 10 days have made this 3 times. Definitely a hit with the kids! Love how quick and simple it is.
Made this the other night and we liked the flavors but there was not enough sauce. I think part of the problem was a bunch of it stuck to the hot pan when I poured it over the chicken so perhaps I had the heat too high.
The other thing is, our house still smells like veg. oil a few days later.
Beth, do you think it would work to “bake” the chicken in a dish like you do with your Oven Fajitas? Maybe just make a dry-ish rub with the spices and put some oil in the dish, then mix the chicken and sauce in a pan when it’s done cooking? I might experiement with this idea a bit.
Yep, you could pretty much put this sauce over any chicken cooked by any method. You could cut chicken breast into nuggets and bake them, grill them, or whatever, and then just add the sauce. Someone just commented yesterday that they used the sauce over salmon. Yum!
And yes, it sounds like the heat may have been too high on the skillet and the veg oil hit the smoking point causing a lingering smell. Depending on your skillet and burner type, you’ll probably need to adjust the heat.
do you happen to know the nutritional info to add to a mealtracker website?
No, I’m sorry I don’t have it, but there are several websites that allow you to enter recipe ingredients into a “calculator” that will compute it for you. Check out my FAQ page for a few links to sites that will do that for you.
I made this for dinner tonight with tofu instead of chicken. It turned out wonderful! (I always freeze then thaw my tofu ahead of time to get a different texture)
thanks for the inspiration :)
I love this blog!!! I made this recipe last night! The batter on the chicken made the chicken crispy and delicious! My only complaint was that it was a tad dry. I might suggest making extra sesame sauce to put on your rice. Great recipe!
I made this as well as the soba salad with my best friend, his wife, and a friend whom is critical of everything she eats tonight. They all loved it! My picky eater commented to me afterward how surprisingly tasty everything was. Thank you! You’re a wizard, Beth!
I can’t wait to try this out. By the way I love the name of the site my fathers computer company was called “Bits n Bytes”, made me think of him.
Made this tonight. Was absolutely delicious. Had to double it. Have 3 teenage boys at home. And no leftovers. Quick poll, it’s a “have again” recipe.
I made this dish last night, GONE! All of it! It was so easy to make and delish!
Thank you~
I tweeted at ya earlier, but I also wanted to pop up a review here. This was AWESOME. My housemate sauteed some kale with a small bit of sesame oil and that was a perfect side to the tasty chicken and rice. Next time, I’m going to double the sauce because I sort of love how saucy take-out sesame chicken is and I totally want to recreate that. I was totally impressed by the consistency though – exactly like what you get from the store. For a meal made almost completely from pantry items, this is going on my biweekly rotation for sure!
Wonderful! I only had black sesame seeds, but they worked fine. Everyone loved your dish. I served it with Asian broccoli slaw and corn. Colorful!
I just wanted to say that I’m a really terrible cook, and although this wasn’t super easy for me, it turned out really great and I’m so excited to make it again! Thanks!
I made this tonight and it turned out fantastic. Great recipe.
Just made this – perfect! the cornstarch does give it that “crunchy” effect of take out. I stir fried some broccoli before I cooked the chicken and added it at the end with the sauce – complete 1 pan meal. As always Beth – a home run! Thanks!
I had to leave a note to let you know I really like this recipe! I’ve made it twice this week. :)
The changes I’ve made were to add an extra tbsp water to the sauce, so it’s a little more saucy (I like sauce), and to leave out the egg. I just dust the chicken with corn starch and pepper, and fry crisp. The egg definitely stretches the recipe further, and gives the chicken more of a battered texture, but I prefer it without.
I’ll have to add chili flakes to it next time. :)
I was going to say, to fry it crispy, leave out the egg. I’ve made sweet and sour chicken like this for years, but I don’t mix egg with the cornstarch.
Eating this as I type… soooooooo good!!!
Hi Beth-
I wasn’t able to find toasted sesame oil. Will using plain make a big difference in the flavor?
It will, but I think it will still be good. The toasted sesame oil is responsible for most of the sesame flavor in this dish, but with out it the sauce will just be kind of like teriyaki sauce – still yum!
Just had this for lunch. Oh, my is it ever delicious! Thanks for yet another great recipe!
Instead of dropping $40 on Chinese food, we will be trying this recipe over the weekend. I am dying to try this; I might be fancy and make eggrolls too! ;-) I have tried so many recipes on this blog, and even considering my amateur skills, everything comes out great. Thanks, Beth, for sharing your talents with us. You are awesome.
In response to the vegetarians who commented above, I made this with Quorn vegetarian chicken and it was delicious. The only thing with the veggie “chicken” I would recommend is maybe doubling the sauce so it isn’t too dry.
Made this tonight and it was great! Used a little more than 1lbs of chicken though, so we doubled the sauce. Turned out great! If you want a more mild flavor (such as my parents who freak out over anything remotely flavorful) halving the ginger in the sauce works, and it still tastes good!
Just made this (along with the Egg Drop Soup, after reading the comments), and both came out amazing. The girlfriend is impressed by my cooking skills (which would be nonexistant if not for BudgetBytes). So thank you! Next time, I’m making double.
If only more men understood how insanely impressive it is when a guy can cook! ;)
I just made this tonight, and I’m finding it hard to leave any leftovers. The cornflour and egg batter is a masterstroke, Beth.
This looks and sounds amazing, yum! I will have to try this for my roommates for dinner later this week!
xx
Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it this evening! I just had a quick question though, if I were to used dried ginger instead of the fresh root about how much do you think I should use? Do you think the flavor will still be ok?
Well, dried and fresh ginger actually have fairly different flavors, but if you have to substitute, I’d use about 1/2 tsp of dried for one inch of fresh.
It is so inviting. I will try this in next few days. :)
Made this last night – amazing!
Beth,
This one looks AMAZING! And I really want to give it a go, however I am alergic to gluten/wheat and sadly the SECOND ingredient in soy sauce is wheat. Any suggestions for a substitution for the soy sauce? Or do you have a make it yourself recipe for soy sauce that wouldn’t involve wheat?
As a side note, Love the site, and get your updates to my inbox…which really helps me to keep meal ideas from getting stale and tired.
Keep ’em coming!
I think your best bet is to use Tamari, which, like soy sauce, is a fermented soybean product. The difference is that you can usually find wheat-free (and therefore gluten free) tamari, but be sure to check the label because not all tamari is wheat free. You may have to go to a health food or Asian store to find the tamari, but it will be your best choice for getting a similar flavor to the soy sauce. I hope that helps!
Also braggs liquid aminos is a great substitute and its gluten free!
I found gluten free soy sauce at the Asian market downtown from where I live! Might wanna check at one of those.
That being said, maybe it was the rice vinegar I bought from said market, but this dish was super salty and not as sweet as I’d hoped. I did have to sub for the ginger, though, so that might be what it was, too!
La Choy brand soy sauce is gluten free. I use it all the time.
The wheat in soy sauce is distilled so there should be no gluten present.
In reply to Kim: I made this for my church (potluck) yesterday and we have several people that are gluten intolerant, so I asked them what they use for soy sauce before I made it and was told that LaChoy brand soy sauce is gluten free, my friend even takes it to Chinese resturants and they will use it to cook what ever she is ordering. By the way everyone loved it…great recipe
I would not have thought sesame chicken was this easy to cook! I’ve been craving asian food but the bf isn’t the biggest fan of it… if i make it myself, he has no choice but to eat it! (or to make his own dinner, hah). thank you for the recipe!!
Looks like the real deal. Of course years ago sesame chicken was considered a Hunan dish and came with lots of dried red peppers in it–we still like it that way, so I’ll be spicing this up. And a tip for ginger–while freezing sounds like a good idea, I peel the whole root when I buy it and store the unused portion in a bottle with dry sherry. Since most Chinese style recipes call for a little rice–or other–wine in the marinade, the sherry flavor never hurts. It will keep that way in the fridge for months.
I tried this with a wok, but ended up with cooked egg at the bottom of the pan, and non-coated chicken. If you’re going to use a wok, I’d definitely suggest stirring a lot at the beginning. Otherwise, the flavors are great, and the recipe is a great idea. Will definitely be trying this one again.
Looks good – as a vegetarian, I am thinking I will sub tofu for the chicken…
I am thinking this too – I hope it works! I loved sesame chicken as an omnivore, I think as long as I can nail the sauce it should be good.
I did this! Just fried the tofu (no batter, just a little olive oil on the bottom of the pan) and tossed in the sauce. It was delicious.
My mouth is watering as I read this. So, It is on my must cook list! Thanks!
Good recipe. Velveting chicken is always a great technique for crisp yet gooey chicken.
I feel like you read my mind!! I made sesame chicken last night, and it was just ok. I was wondering what I could do to make it better, and lo and behold, you give me EXACTLY what I need! You’re the best, Beth :) I can’t wait to try this version!
Oh if only this had been posted two days ago! We spent way too much on Chinese takeout! We love Asian inspired meals around here so this will be made soon. For the garlic and the ginger I use my microplane. It has to be one of the most used items in my kitchen. I get a lot of ginger a couple of times a year in our co-op basket so I cut it into useable pieces, peel it with a spoon, and then put it on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer. When it is totally frozen, I put it in a Ziploc bag. Then I can just pull it out, grate what I need from frozen and put it back in the bag. It works great. I don’t know what I would do without my microplane grater!
I swear, there are times where it seems like there’s this weird, Matrix-style conspiracy when it comes to me and your blog. I was just making up the shopping list for the first half of the week, and I was trying to find something to make to go with your egg drop soup. The guys I cook for — or, my father and brother — tend to balk at soup-only meals, and I’ve wanted to work in an Asian meal for a while now.
Lo and behold, you land with this mere hours after I’m done with my list. It’s like the Matrix loaded up the program to keep me happy. Lovely coincidence.
Second half of the week? Totally making egg drop soup and sesame chicken. Bam. Maybe I’ll go crazy and even make some egg rolls. Asian celebration! Much appreciated. -:)
It must be! Because I don’t know where my inspiration comes from (the cosmos?), the ideas just pop into my head ;)
I’m going to think really, really hard about something I want to eat this week, and we’ll see what happens in the coming days. -:O Not to put too much pressure on you, but I expect this to work PERFECTLY.
Wait! On the other hand, if I’m the source your cosmic influence, I won’t get to try new things that I’ve never thought or heard of. HMM. Conflicting. I guess I’ll just go back to relying on happy accidents and coincidence. -:)
I won’t be cooking again till this weekend, but I SWEAR a really cool idea popped into my head right about when you posted that…
Ooooo~. Strange going ons are going on! -:O
I’ve tried your recipe twice now, and while the flavors are amazing, the look and texture of the chicken does not match the pictures. Epic fail and waste of time.
Interesting evaluation. You concede that the dish tastes “amazing” but you call it an “epic fail and waste of time” because your food didn’t LOOK like the food in the picture? Texture critique I get (although I’m scratching my head about how you can tell what the texture would be by looking at the picture). I’m going to try it. Maybe I’ll shut my eyes while I eat if I find the look offensive!
Not good at all! Total epic failure and waste of ingredients.
The reason it didn’t work (cause the same thing happened to me) was the oil wasn’t hot enough when you started. I tried it again waited for the oil to heat up more and look “wavy” and sputter then put the chicken and egg batter in, that time the chicken browned beautifully.
I fucked it up the same way. ARGH DISASTER!