This Honey Sesame Chicken combines lightly battered crispy chicken, crisp-tender green beans and yellow bell peppers with a homemade sweet and savory honey sesame sauce. Serve it over jasmine rice for an easy takeout-inspired family dinner.
Honey Sesame Chicken is one of those takeout meals that gives you a little bit of everything in one bite. The chicken stays juicy inside with a thin, crispy coating, the vegetables add freshness and crunch, and everything gets tossed in a glossy honey sesame sauce that’s sweet, savory, tangy and nutty.
For this version, I wanted to keep the coating lighter rather than using a thick wet batter. The chicken is marinated first to keep the breast tender, tossed in a simple dry coating and fried until crisp. And instead of reaching for bottled sweet chili sauce, we’re making the honey sesame sauce completely from scratch.
It’s especially good spooned over hot jasmine rice, which catches all that extra sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast keeps this recipe lighter but feel free to use chicken thighs. Cut the chicken into bite-sized, slightly irregular pieces so you get plenty of crispy edges.
Egg White: The egg white goes into the marinade rather than a wet batter. It helps the marinade and coating cling to the chicken while keeping the finished breading light.
Soy Sauce: Adds saltiness and savory flavor to both the marinade and honey sesame sauce.
Shaoxing Wine: Adds depth and that subtle restaurant-style flavor to the chicken. Dry sherry is the best substitute if you can’t find it.
Sesame Oil: A little goes into both the marinade and sauce for a rich, toasted sesame flavor.
Cornstarch: Used to help tenderize the chicken, create the light crispy coating and thicken the sauce.
Baking Soda: Just a small amount helps tenderize the chicken breast so it stays juicy after frying.
All-Purpose Flour: Combined with cornstarch for a thin, crisp coating rather than a heavy breading.
Green Beans: Fresh green beans add crunch and make the dish feel lighter and fresher.
Yellow Bell Pepper: Adds sweetness, color and another crisp texture.
Honey: The main source of sweetness and the star of the honey sesame sauce.
Oyster Sauce: Gives the sauce a deeper savory flavor so it doesn’t taste overly sweet.
Rice Vinegar & Lemon Juice: The acidity balances the honey and sugar and keeps the sauce bright rather than overly sweet.
Garlic & Ginger: Fresh garlic and ginger give the sauce much more flavor than relying on bottled sauces.
Sesame Seeds: Toasted sesame seeds finish the dish and reinforce that sesame flavor.
How to Make Honey Sesame Chicken
Marinate the Chicken
Cut 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and add them to a large bowl.
Add 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cornstarch and ½ teaspoon white pepper.
Toss until every piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Prepare the Honey Sesame Sauce
While the chicken marinates, whisk together ½ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup honey, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons sesame oil.
Set the sauce aside. Keep the fresh garlic and ginger separate because we’ll sauté those before adding the sauce.
Make the Light Chicken Coating
In a shallow bowl, combine ¾ cup cornstarch, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess moisture to drip away.
Add the chicken to the dry mixture and toss until each piece has a thin coating. Shake off any excess. We aren’t looking for a thick breading here—the light coating is what gives the chicken those delicate crispy edges.
Fry the Chicken
Add about 2 inches of neutral frying oil to a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet and heat to 350°F.
Working in batches, add the chicken in a single layer and fry for approximately 4–5 minutes, or until lightly golden, crisp and cooked through.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Adding too much chicken at once lowers the temperature of the oil and prevents the coating from getting properly crisp.
Transfer the chicken to a wire rack and continue with the remaining batches.
Stir-Fry the Vegetables
Heat about 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
Add 8 ounces of trimmed and halved green beans and 1 chopped yellow bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, just until crisp-tender.
Add 3 green onions cut into 1½–2-inch pieces during the final 30 seconds.
Transfer the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
Make the Honey Sesame Sauce
Reduce the heat to medium and add a small splash of oil if the skillet is dry.
Add 3 finely minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Pour in the prepared honey sesame sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook until the sauce becomes glossy and lightly thickened.
Bring Everything Together
Return the vegetables and crispy chicken to the skillet.
Quickly toss everything together until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated in the honey sesame sauce. Don’t allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce—you want to preserve as much of that crispy coating as possible.
Remove from the heat and finish with 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds.
Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice.
Recipe Tips
Keep the coating light. This chicken isn’t supposed to have a thick, puffy crust. Shake off the excess coating before frying so you get a thin, crispy exterior.
Maintain the oil temperature. Keep the oil as close to 350°F as possible. Oil that’s too cool can make the coating greasy, while oil that’s too hot can brown the outside before the chicken cooks through.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Frying in batches gives the chicken room to crisp instead of steaming.
Use a wire rack. Let the fried chicken drain on a wire rack instead of piling it onto paper towels. This allows air to circulate underneath and helps prevent the bottom from becoming soggy.
Keep some crunch in the vegetables. The green beans and peppers should be crisp-tender, not completely soft.
Don’t over-thicken the sauce. You want it glossy and thick enough to cling to the chicken, not so thick that it becomes gummy.
Sauce the chicken last. Once crispy chicken meets sauce, the clock starts ticking. Toss everything together right before serving for the best texture.
What to Serve with Honey Sesame Chicken
Steamed jasmine rice is my favorite choice for this recipe. The rice is simple enough to let the honey sesame chicken shine while soaking up any extra sauce.
For a bigger takeout-inspired spread, you could serve it with fried rice or lo mein. Steamed broccoli, bok choy or a fresh cucumber salad would also work well if you want to add more vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work and stay especially juicy.
Why use a dry coating instead of a wet batter?
A dry flour-and-cornstarch coating gives the chicken a thinner, more delicate crust. I wanted the finished dish to feel lighter rather than having a thick, puffy batter competing with the vegetables and sauce.
Do I need to double-fry the chicken?
No. Frying once at 350°F gives the lightly coated chicken plenty of crispness. If you prefer it especially crispy, you can give it a second quick fry at 375°F for 45–60 seconds.
Can I make this with sweet chili sauce?
You can, but it will change the flavor. Sweet chili sauce already contains sugar, vinegar, garlic and chili. Making the sauce from scratch lets the honey and sesame flavors remain the focus and gives you more control over the sweetness and acidity.
Can I make Honey Sesame Chicken ahead of time?
You can prepare the vegetables, sauce and marinade ahead of time, but I recommend frying and saucing the chicken shortly before serving. Fried chicken naturally loses its crispness once it sits in sauce.
How do I know when the chicken is cooked?
The coating should be lightly golden and crisp, and the center of the chicken should reach 165°F.
Recipe
Honey Sesame Chicken
Course: 0 Dinner Series, Chicken, Dinner, Kid FriendlyDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes25
minutes30
minutesTender pieces of chicken breast are lightly coated and fried until crisp, then tossed with green beans and yellow bell peppers in a homemade honey sesame sauce. This sweet, savory and slightly tangy takeout-inspired dinner is especially good served over hot jasmine rice.
Ingredients
- Chicken Marinade
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon white pepper
- Light Dry Coating
¾ cup cornstarch
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
- Honey Sesame Sauce
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- Cornstarch Slurry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
- Vegetables & Finish
8 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 green onions, cut into 1½–2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Neutral oil, for frying and stir-frying
Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Directions
- Add the chicken, egg white, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, baking soda, cornstarch and white pepper to a large bowl. Toss thoroughly, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Whisk together the chicken broth, honey, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Combine the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, salt and white pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Allow excess marinade to drip from the chicken, then toss the pieces in the dry coating. Shake off any excess so the chicken has a thin, even coating.
- Heat approximately 2 inches of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to 350°F.
- Working in batches, fry the chicken in a single layer for 4–5 minutes, or until lightly golden, crisp and cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack.
- Discard all but a tablespoon of the oil in the skillet. Add the green beans and yellow bell pepper and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender. Add the green onions during the final 30 seconds. Remove the vegetables and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add a small amount of oil if necessary, followed by the garlic and ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the prepared honey sesame sauce and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and water. Gradually stir the slurry into the sauce and simmer until glossy and lightly thickened.
- Return the vegetables and fried chicken to the skillet. Toss quickly until evenly coated in the sauce.
- Remove from the heat, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately over jasmine rice.
Notes
- 1. For the crispiest chicken, keep the coating thin, maintain the frying oil at approximately 350°F and avoid overcrowding the pan.
2. Cook the vegetables only until crisp-tender. Once you add the chicken to the sauce, toss it quickly and serve immediately so the coating retains as much of its crisp texture as possible.
