This lighter Sesame Chicken recipe features chicken breast bites in a sweet, savory, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce topped with sesame seeds and green onions.
Sesame Chicken
Sesame Chicken, known for its battered and deep-fried chicken and sweet- savory flavor profile, is popular in Chinese-American cuisine. It’s typically high in sugar, calories and carbs thanks to the sauce and deep frying. My lighter take uses chicken breasts, a sugar-free substitute, and just enough oil to get it crisp. Then, the chicken is coated in a glossy, sticky sauce and finished with a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. This recipe includes the rice, but you can also swap it for brown fried rice or cauliflower fried rice to make it feel more like Chinese takeout. Tommy loves sesame chicken and gave my healthier version two thumbs up! More healthy Chinese-inspired dishes you should try are Kung Pao Tofu, Broccoli Beef, and Orange Chicken.
What Is Sesame Chicken?
Sesame Chicken is a Chinese-American dish, like General Tso’s Chicken or Orange Chicken, that focuses on balancing sweet and savory flavors with a bit of tang. The sauce’s sweetness is often balanced with a hint of acidity and saltiness, making it incredibly addictive.
Why You’ll Love This Sesame Chicken Recipe
This dish is a favorite on Chinese takeout menus in the US, but it’s also simple to make at home. The key to a great Sesame Chicken lies in achieving the perfect crispy texture on the chicken and getting the sauce to the right level of sweetness and thickness. I think I achieved that here, and since Tommy orders it quite often, his seal of approval made me confident you will love it, too.
- Crispy Chicken: I’m usually a dark meat girl, but I loved these crisp bite-sized chicken breast pieces that are tender on the inside and coated in the best sauce.
- Healthier than Takeout: My version is lighter than traditional recipes without all the added sugar.
- Dietary Restrictions: It’s high-protein, dairy-free, gluten-free (if made with tamari), and Weight Watchers-friendly.
If you make this sesame chicken recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!
Sesame Chicken Ingredients
This easy sesame chicken recipe has two parts: the chicken and the sauce. First, we’ll talk about what you’ll need for the chicken. The recipe card contains the exact measurements.
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts to reduce the calories. If you prefer, you can use skinless chicken thighs.
- Seasoning: Season the chicken with kosher salt, black pepper, and ginger powder.
- Arrowroot or Corn starch gives the chicken a thicker coating, which gets crispy when pan-fried.
- Oil: I use avocado and toasted sesame oil to cook the meat. The avocado oil has a higher smoke point, and the sesame adds a good toasty flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes for a bit of spice
- Garlic enhances the flavor and gives the dish an amazing aroma.
- White Rice: Serve the sesame chicken over rice to soak up the sauce.
- Scallions for color
And here are all the ingredients for the Sesame Chicken Sauce.
- Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce is the base of this sauce. Gluten-free tamari also works.
- Sweetener: I used monk fruit, a low-calorie, low-carb sweetener, but any kind, like coconut sugar or honey, will work too.
- Tomato Paste some recipes call for ketchup but tomato paste gives the sauce a more complex flavor.
- Seasoned Rice Vinegar has more flavor and sweetness than regular vinegar, but you can substitute regular rice vinegar if that’s all you have.
- Toasted Sesame Oil and Sesame Seeds provide nutty flavor.
- Ginger: Use fresh ginger for a stronger, better flavor.
- Slurry: To thicken the sauce, create a slurry with arrowroot or cornstarch and water.
How to Make Sesame Chicken
Season and cook the chicken, make the sauce, and combine everything for the best sesame chicken that will satisfy your takeout craving. See the recipe card below for the complete instructions.
- Season the Chicken: Place the cubed chicken on a cutting board and drizzle with sesame oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, ginger, and cornstarch.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil when hot. Cook half of the chicken in an even layer until golden brown, flipping halfway. The chicken will get crisper if you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Sesame Chicken Sauce: In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar, tomato paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and ginger. In another bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
- Add sesame oil, red pepper, and garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in half of the sauce and cook for a minute.
- Chicken and Slurry: Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the remaining sauce, and slowly drizzle in the slurry. Cook for 2 more minutes.
Variations
- Chicken: Substitute boneless, skinless thighs.
- Keep it mild and omit the red chili pepper flakes.
- Gluten-Free: Swap soy sauce with tamari.
- Soy-Free: Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Vinegar: Replace seasoned rice vinegar with regular.
Serving Suggestions
Sesame chicken is commonly served with steamed rice or noodles, allowing the sauce to soak into the grains or noodles. For variation, serve it with brown fried rice, cauliflower fried rice, or steamed or stir-fried vegetables like broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas or bell peppers.
Storage
Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw the container in the fridge the day before eating and microwave it until warm.
More Stir-Fry Chicken Dishes You’ll Love
- Chicken and Broccoli
- Chicken and Zucchini Stir-Fry
- Kung Pao Chicken Zoodles
- Chicken Vegetable Stir-Fry
- Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Sesame Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- large deep skillet or wok
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small 1/2-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot, or cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic, about 4 cloves
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 2 scallions, sliced
Sauce
- 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce, or gluten-free tamari
- 3 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener, coconut sugar, honey or sweetener of choice
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 2 ½ tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot, or cornstarch
- ¼ cup filtered water
Instructions
- Combine cubed chicken with salt, pepper, ginger, arrowroot, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. I like to lay it flat on a cutting board and sprinkle the oil first and mix. Then I evenly distribute the powders and seasonings and mix well to evenly combine.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. When hot add half of the avocado oil and let it heat up for 1 minute.
- Add half of the chicken in an even layer to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway until golden brown. It’s best to cook in batches not to overcrowd the pan so chicken can crisp up. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce by mixing the soy sauce, sugar, tomato paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and ginger together in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Make the slurry by combing the tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot flour and water together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil to the pan along with red chili pepper flakes and garlic. Cook 30 seconds, stirring the pan frequently, until fragrant.
- Add half of the sauce to the pan and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring the bottom of the pan frequently.
- Return the chicken back into the pan and toss to combine. Add the remainder of the sauce into the pan. Slowly drizzle in the arrowroot slurry and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Serve with cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
