Surprise the family tonight with this delicious and easy sesame chicken. It’s smothered in a thick, flavour-packed sauce. Making it at home means you control the ingredients and it tastes far better than a takeaway.
Easy sesame chicken
This easy sesame chicken is one of my go-to dishes when a Chinese-style meal is on the menu. It combines classic Asian flavours — ginger, garlic, soy and sesame — and the balance can be adjusted to suit your taste. The chicken is tender and coated in a light tempura-style batter, fried until golden and tossed in a glossy sauce for a crowd-pleasing result.
The chicken is marinated briefly in a batter made with cornflour (cornstarch) and egg, which helps break down the fibres and keeps the results soft and juicy. After frying, the pieces are coated in a thick, savoury sauce and finished with sesame seeds for texture and aroma.
If you prefer seafood, you can swap the chicken for shrimp or prawns and follow the same method. Serve with noodles or rice to make the most of the sauce.
I like to serve this with vegetable lo mein or egg fried rice so none of the sauce goes to waste.
How to make easy sesame chicken
Get the complete ingredient list and full instructions in the recipe card below. Read through the preparation steps first — once everything is ready this dish comes together quickly.
Preparation
Preparation is the key. Chop and measure everything before you start frying. With the ingredients prepped, you can have sesame chicken on the table in about 20–30 minutes. The basic prep involves making the batter, cutting the chicken and mixing the sauce.
- Make the batter: Break 2 eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and 4 tablespoons cornflour/cornstarch. Whisk until smooth. The batter should be fairly thick; if it is too runny, add cornflour a teaspoon at a time until a spoon leaves a trail in the batter.
- Cut the chicken: Cut breasts into bite-sized pieces and mix them into the batter. Leave to stand for 10 minutes to tenderise. Allow roughly 110g / 4oz chicken per person and increase if needed.
- Mix the sauce: Dissolve the chicken stock cubes in boiling water and allow to cool slightly. Add dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. Make a smooth paste with 2 teaspoons cornflour and a little cold water, then stir it into the stock to thicken once heated.
Make the sesame chicken
- Heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or a neutral frying oil) in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat.
- Fry the battered chicken in small batches so the pan retains its temperature and each piece crisps evenly. When transferring from bowl to pan, let excess batter drip back into the bowl to avoid clumping.
- Keep pieces separate while frying. Cook until golden brown and no longer pink inside — cut a piece to check if unsure.
- Drain cooked chicken on kitchen paper and keep warm while you finish the sauce.
- Pour the reserved sauce mixture into the same pan and bring to a simmer. Stir frequently until it thickens — a spoon should leave a trail when the sauce is ready.
- Add the fried chicken to the pan and toss gently so each piece is evenly coated in the glossy sauce.
- Heat through briefly, transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately with noodles or rice.
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Related recipes
For more Asian-inspired dishes, look through other Chinese-style mains. A few popular options include duck in garlic sauce, salt and pepper chicken, sweet and sour chicken, and sticky orange chicken.
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Duck in garlic sauce with vegetables
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Salt and pepper chicken
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Sweet and sour chicken
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Sticky orange chicken
📋 The recipe
Easy sesame chicken
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Mixing jug
- Wok or frying pan
- Spatula
Ingredients
Sesame chicken
- 1 pound (450g) chicken breasts (allow 4oz / 110g per person)
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil for frying
Tempura batter
- 2 large eggs
- 4 to 6 tablespoons cornflour / cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sesame chicken sauce
- 2 cups chicken stock (made with stock cubes)
- 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornflour / cornstarch (for thickening)
Instructions
Preparation
- Mix batter: Break 2 eggs into a mixing bowl and add 4 tablespoons cornflour and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk until smooth and thick. Add more cornflour a teaspoon at a time if needed until a spoon leaves a trail.
- Cut and coat chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and mix into the batter. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
- Mix the sauce: Dissolve the stock cubes in 2 cups boiling water. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. Mix 2 teaspoons cornflour with a little cold water to form a paste and stir into the stock mixture; set aside.
Sesame chicken
- Heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the battered chicken in small batches and stir-fry until golden and cooked through.
- Drain cooked chicken on paper towel and keep warm.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the pan and bring to a boil, stirring until it thickens.
- Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat evenly.
- Stir over low heat until heated through, then transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with vegetable lo mein or egg fried rice.
Notes
Nutrition is estimated assuming the full recipe is consumed. This is a generous recipe so leftovers are possible. Adjust seasoning and sugar to taste.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates – 13.4 g
| Protein – 36.8 g
| Fat – 19.6 g
| Sodium – 1677 mg
Nutrition information is provided for guidance only and may vary depending on brands and portion sizes.
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