Description

This Quick & Easy Honey Sesame Chicken recipe features tender, boneless chicken thighs coated in a crispy starch layer and tossed in a glossy, sweet-savory honey sesame sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s an ideal weeknight dinner that combines simple ingredients into a satisfying dish full of flavor and a perfect balance of sweetness and umami.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch (for coating chicken)
⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil (for frying)

Sauce

½ cup honey (plain liquid kind)
2.5 tablespoons regular soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
½ tablespoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Shaoxing Cooking Wine or dry sherry wine (or dry white wine or chicken broth for non-alcoholic version)
2 teaspoons rice vinegar or apple cider/white vinegar
¾ cup water (room temperature)
½ green onion, finely chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Prepare the chicken: Cut the skinless boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Season them evenly with ½ teaspoon salt, then coat the pieces thoroughly with ¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch. This coating helps create a crispy texture when fried.
Heat the oil: In a large skillet or frying pan, pour in ⅓ cup vegetable oil and heat it over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, around 350°F if using a thermometer. The oil should be ready to crisp the chicken quickly.
Fry the chicken: Add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer to the hot oil. Fry them for about 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup honey, 2.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, ½ tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch, minced garlic, 2 teaspoons Shaoxing cooking wine (or substitute), 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, and ¾ cup room temperature water until smooth.
Cook the sauce: Pour the sauce mixture into the same skillet used for the chicken over medium heat. Stir constantly as the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, which will take about 3 to 4 minutes. The starch will help thicken the sauce while blending the flavors.
Toss chicken in sauce: Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and gently toss them in the honey sesame sauce until fully coated and heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the chopped green onion and sesame seeds over the coated chicken. Serve immediately while hot as a main dish with steamed rice or your favorite sides.

Notes

This recipe uses chicken thighs for tenderness, but chicken breast can be substituted with slight adjustments in cooking time to avoid drying out.
For a gluten-free version, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce and ensure the starch and other ingredients are gluten-free.
Adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of honey and sugar according to your taste preference.
To reduce oil absorption, ensure the oil is hot enough before frying.
The cornstarch coating creates a crispy texture which contrasts beautifully with the sticky sauce.

Keywords: Honey Sesame Chicken, Asian Chicken Recipe, Easy Chicken Dinner, Crispy Chicken Thighs, Sweet and Savory Chicken