Though I don’t get takeout often, I love to order Chinese food. It’s a convenient splurge that I know my whole family will enjoy. In addition to ordering my family’s go-tos (beef and broccoli and lo mein), I always get an order of my favorite sesame chicken.
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After several tests at home, I was able to create this exciting new recipe. It’s a 30-minute weeknight dish that has the crispy texture I love in sesame chicken, as well as the thick, saucy goodness of the tangy sweet-savory sesame sauce. Since perfecting this easy sesame chicken recipe, my kids have been asking for it often and cheer every time it’s cooking on the stovetop.
Recipe Highlights
Flavorful and high in protein: I like to break up the monotony of weeknight dinners by adding this delicious and ultra flavorful chicken dish to my meal plans. It’s easy for home cooks to make and provides 36 grams of protein per serving. It’s also a good source of vitamins and minerals (like B vitamins and potassium) while being low in saturated fat.
Crispy chicken without frying: With a simple batter and an easy saute method, this recipe dishes out crispy and saucy sesame chicken without deep frying in vegetable oil.
Simple ingredients: There’s no need for speciality ingredients or equipment. Make this take-out favorite at home with everyday pantry ingredients.
Standout Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients to round up:
- Chicken – use high-quality chicken breast or boneless skinless chicken thighs, or a mix
- Coconut aminos – I call for coconut aminos, a flavorful condiment that is naturally gluten free and low sodium compared to soy sauce. If soy sauce or tamari are what’s available, it’s fine to use those, just use half the amount called for in the recipe mixed with an equal amount for water. For example, to replace ¼ cup coconut aminos, use 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
- Honey – most sesame chicken recipes call for brown sugar or sugar-sweetened ingredients like ketchup, but I prefer pure honey instead. It gives the sauce a nice sweetness while also being able to cut out refined sugars and cut back on total added sugars a bit.
- Toasted sesame oil – even though only 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil is needed for the sauce, don’t skip this flavorful oil. It adds so much authentic flavor to this dish.
- Rice vinegar – vinegar helps balance the sweetness and fat in the sauce, giving it an important acidic component. May use apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar in a pinch.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Equipment To Gather
This easy sesame chicken recipe doesn’t require any special equipment. Here’s what to gather:
- Large nonstick skillet – a large nonstick skillet is helpful for spacing out the pieces of chicken as much as possible and achieving a nice crispy browning on the coating. If a large nonstick skillet isn’t available, instead cook the batches in a smaller nonstick skillet in two or three batches.
- Flat spatula – it’s helpful to have a wide flat silicone or metal spatula for flipping the chicken over. Then, use the edge of the flipper to gently break the chicken pieces apart without breaking off the crispy coating on the chicken.
- Glass measuring cup and small whisk – I use a 2-cup glass measuring cup to whisk together the sauce ingredients. This makes it easy to pour the sauce into the skillet later. A small bowl and fork also will work in place of a glass measuring cup and whisk.
- Paper towels – it’s a good idea to pat the chicken dry before tossing it with the batter, which helps the batter stick to the pieces better. I also set the chicken on a paper towel-lined plate to rest and drain while the sauce is thickening in the skillet.
How To Make No Fry Sesame Chicken
Making sesame chicken at home does’t have to be intimidating. It all cooks in one pan.
- Coat the chicken. In a large bowl, mix the cornstarch and egg batter. Don’t be surprised that the batter is quite thick, similar to a pastry batter. It may not seem like there will be enough batter to coat the chicken, but there will be. Toss the chicken pieces until well coated and let them sit in the batter while the oil heats in the skillet.
- Brown the chicken. Place the chicken pieces in the skillet and spread them out as much as possible (or cook the chicken in two batches). It’s okay if the batter causes some of the chicken pieces to stick together. I break up the pieces when I flip them over. Once the chicken is nicely browned on one side, flip it over with a spatula (flipping over several pieces at once), and then use the edge of the flipper to break the chicken pieces apart, disturbing them as little as possible so as not to break off too much of the crispy crust. Continue to cook the chicken until it is browned on the other side and cooked through.
- Mix the sauce. While the chicken is cooking, I whisk together the sauce ingredients in a glass measuring cup.
- Thicken the sauce. Once the non-fried chicken pieces are browned, I remove them to a paper towel-lined plate. Then I add the sauce to the same skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once the sauce starts to bubble, it thickens quickly, due to the cornstarch in the sauce.
- Toss it together. When the sauce is nice and thick, I return the chicken pieces to the skillet. I quickly toss the chicken in the sauce until well coated. Then I immediately remove the skillet from the heat. I serve the sesame chicken right away so it’s crispy and warm. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Don’t Have A Large Enough Skillet?
I pull out my favorite large enamel-coated nonstick skillet to make this recipe. It’s important that the chicken pieces have some room to space out in the skillet, so if a large skillet is available, cook the chicken in two or three batches. It’s also helpful to use a skillet with a nonstick surface, which makes it easy to cook dishes like this, and easy to clean afterwards.
My Favorite Side Dish Pairings
I always make some cooked white rice or fried rice to serve with this sesame chicken, whether it’s quick pressure cooker rice or microwaveable packets.
Since this dish doesn’t have built-in veggies (like bell peppers or snow peas), I usually add a veggie side, such as air fryer green beans, sautéed broccolini, or perfectly tender cooked zucchini.
Refrigerate And Reheat
This dish makes a flavorful high-protein lunch. Store portions in airtight meal prep containers to enjoy throughout the week. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, simply microwave the leftovers until heated through. Or, for better texture, reheat leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. If needed, add a little oil to the skillet to prevent sticking, and add a tablespoon of water to help loosen the sauce a bit as it reheats.
Sesame Chicken Recipe (No Fry Method)
This no-fry stovetop recipe for sesame chicken is simple and results in crispy and saucy coated chicken pieces that are so delicious. Make this 30-minute recipe for a flavorful, high-protein weeknight dinner that pairs well with rice and cooked veggies.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup coconut aminos*
- 3 tablespoons pure honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Optional for Serving: Hot cooked rice, sesame seeds, sliced green onions
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- Cut the chicken into about 1-inch pieces, making them as uniform in size as possible (this helps the chicken cook evenly in the skillet). Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water, and the egg. The mixture will look like a pastry batter. Add the chicken pieces to the batter and stir until well coated.
- In a very large nonstick or enamel-coated cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat the 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, swirl the skillet to distribute the oil all around. (NOTE: If you don’t have a very large skillet, cook the chicken in two batches.)
- Add the chicken pieces to the skillet in an even layer, spacing the chicken pieces out as much as possible. (NOTE: It’s OK if the batter causes some of the chicken to stick together. You will break up the pieces when you flip them over.) Cook the chicken, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Then, using a silicone flipper, turn the chicken over and use the edge of the flipper to break the pieces up, being careful to break off as little of the crispy crust as possible. Distribute the chicken again in a single layer and let it cook undisturbed on the other side until golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large glass measure or medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients (coconut aminos through sesame seeds) until well combined.
- When the chicken is done cooking, remove the pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate or baking sheet and set aside.
- To the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the sauce and heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to simmer and thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Return the chicken pieces to the skillet and quickly toss just until coated in the sauce.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and serve the chicken over rice and garnished with sliced scallions and additional sesame seeds, if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Notes
* May use soy sauce in place of coconut aminos. If doing so, use 2 tablespoons soy sauce mixed with 2 tablespoon water to replace the ¼ cup coconut aminos.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe or ~ 1 1/2 cups chicken
- Calories: 318
- Fat: 11 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 564 mg
- Carbohydrate: 21 g
- (Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 12 g)
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 134 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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