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20 Minute Honey Sesame Chicken

Apr 14, 2023 | 1 comment

Crispy, pan-fried chicken tossed with a sticky, glossy sauce makes this 20-minute honey sesame chicken recipe a sure-fire favourite the whole family will love. Serve with steamed rice or veggies for a fakeaway to rival your favourite restaurant.

Honey sesame chicken topped with cilantro and scallions on a pink plate.

Sweet and sour was always my favourite takeaway order as a child, and this recipe feels like a slightly more sophisticated version of that dish. Sweet honey, salty soy sauce and deeply umami sesame oil come together to make a seriously delicious sauce tossed with crispy pan-fried, juicy chicken thigh pieces.

Served with steamed rice and fresh scallions and cilantro, it makes for a very speedy fakeaway that’s also perfect for weeknights.

Traditionally the chicken in this recipe would be battered and deep-fried, but here we’ll just pan-fry the chicken pieces. It works just as well and the cornstarch coating helps to create a light and crispy crust, without the stress and faff of deep-frying. Plus, it’s a whole lot healthier.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Super quick and easy – it takes just 20 minutes to make.
  • Full of sweet and salty flavours the whole family will love.
  • A great, better-for-you alternative to a typical takeaway.

Ingredients

Nothing in the ingredients list is tricky to find, you can find everything at a regular grocery store.

Ingredients for honey sesame chicken laid out on a white marble background and labelled.
  • Chicken thighs. Skinless, boneless and free-range. I like to use this cut because it’s juicier than chicken breast or tenderloin, but you can use them if you like.
  • Vegetable oil. You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point to cook your chicken pieces – sunflower, rapeseed, canola, peanut or avocado are good options. Just stay away from olive oil as it can burn.
  • Cornstarch (cornflour). This ingredient serves two purposes – it gives the chicken a light and crispy crust, and it’s also used to thicken up the honey sesame sauce. If you can’t find it, use regular plain flour.
  • The sauce. Use maple syrup instead of honey if you don’t have honey, and swap the rice vinegar for regular white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

How to make it

Toss your chicken with cornstarch and a little salt, then mix the honey sesame sauce. Pan-fry the chicken in a little vegetable oil until golden all over, then remove from the pan. Stir the honey sesame sauce over medium heat until sticky, thick and glossy.

PRO TIP: The reason we’re mixing the sauce separately first, rather than mixing all the ingredients in the pan, is that if you add cornflour straight into a hot pan it can become lumpy. Mixing it with the liquid first will stop this from happening.

Add the chicken to the pan again, and toss it through the gorgeous sauce. Serve with rice and sprinkle with more sesame seeds, sliced scallions and cilantro for a wonderful quick fakeaway feast.

Got a question?

Can I use chicken breast?

You can – the chicken just may not be quite as juicy as it’s a leaner cut.

Can I make this in advance?

You can, and it keeps well for 3 days, stored in the fridge in a covered container. You won’t retain any crispiness on your chicken after storing it in the sauce, so just keep that in mind. You can also freeze it, then defrost it in the microwave (or overnight in the fridge).

What could I add to the recipe?

I love to add steamed Asian greens (like pak choi or bok choi), or you could toss steamed or broiled broccoli through the sauce with the chicken to add extra greens.

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It’s filled with my absolute favourite takeaway dishes you can make at home!

From a quick pad thai and saag paneer, to Korean fried chicken, beef rendang and chicken satay, you’ll love exploring the book.

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Honey sesame chicken topped with cilantro and scallions on a pink plate.

20 Minute Honey Sesame Chicken


  • Author: Kate Alexandra
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Low Fat

Description

Crispy, pan-fried chicken tossed with a sticky, glossy sauce makes this 20-minute honey sesame chicken recipe a sure-fire favourite the whole family will love. Serve with steamed rice or veggies for a fakeaway to rival your favourite restaurant.


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the chicken –

  • 400g/14oz free-range skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 1/4 cup sunflower oil (or peanut oil, avocado oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil – just not olive oil)

For the honey sesame sauce –

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/2 cup water

To serve –

  • 2 scallions, finely sliced
  • A handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 cup long-grain rice
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Make the rice (optional). Add 1 cup of rice, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/2 cups of water to a small saucepan and set it over high heat. Once you see the water starting to get foamy on top, pop a lid on the pan (or use a wooden board or plate), turn the heat to low and let it cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the pan from the heat (still with the lid on) and let it sit until you’re ready to serve. 
  2. Prepare the chicken. Chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, then add them to a large bowl. Add 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and 1/3 cup of cornstarch, then toss well so that all the chicken is coated. Set aside.  
  3. Mix the sauce. Add 1/3 cup of honey, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water to a small bowl. Use a fork to whisk together and combine, then set aside. 
  4. Cook the chicken. Set a large, high-sided frying pan or skillet over high heat, then add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Once it’s hot, add the chicken and pan fry for about 5 minutes on each side, until it’s starting to look golden. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a wire rack above a tray, or just on a plate.
  5. Mix the chicken with the sauce. Discard the excess oil from the pan, add the sauce and set the heat to low. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir for 2 minutes as it thickens up. Return the cooked chicken to the pan, then toss it through the sauce so every piece is well coated.
  6. Garnish and serve. If you’re serving the chicken with rice, divide your cooked rice between plates. Top with the chicken, then finish with the sliced scallions, cilantro leaves and the remaining tablespoon of sesame seeds and eat right away. 

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: I like using chicken thighs because they stay nice and juicy, but you can also use chicken breast or tenderloin. We mix the sauce ingredients separately first before adding to the pan so that the cornstarch doesn’t go lumpy. 

SUBSTITUTIONS: You could use maple syrup in place of honey, and if you can’t find rice vinegar, use apple cider vinegar or regular white wine vinegar. If you don’t have cornstarch (cornflour), just use regular plain flour.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The chicken will keep well for 3 days, stored in the fridge in a covered container. You won’t retain any crispiness on your chicken after storing it in the sauce, so just keep that in mind. You can also freeze it, then defrost it in the microwave (or overnight in the fridge).

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS: Try stirring steamed or broiled broccoli through the chicken and sauce at the end, to get some veggies in, or serve with steamed bok choi or pak choi on the side.

  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: fakeaways
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: chinese

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 100g

Keywords: sesame chicken, crispy honey chicken bites

Welcome!

I’m Kate, the creator behind Dished. I love creating flavour packed, simple (ish) recipes for you, designed for every day and special occasions.

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1 Comment

  1. Magda

    Delicious! I tossed in some broccoli for a bit of green and it worked perfectly

    Reply

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