Sticky Sesame Chicken: Better Than Takeout in 30 Minutes

⏱ Prep: 10 min 🔥Cook: 20 min 👤Serves: 4 💰Cost: Under $15

Sticky sesame chicken recipe is the Friday night dinner that makes you stop ordering takeout. Boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces, coated in seasoned cornstarch, pan-fried until golden and crispy, then tossed in a sauce of honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger that reduces in the same pan into a thick, glossy, caramelized glaze that clings to every piece. Thirty minutes. One pan. The sauce is the whole recipe, sweet, savory, slightly tangy and nutty with sesame and it will make you want to put it on everything else in your fridge.

Sticky sesame chicken is Chinese-American in origin, a dish developed in Chinese-American restaurants in the United States that has become one of the most searched and most saved Asian recipes on every platform. This version keeps the soul of the dish but uses better ingredients, real sesame oil, fresh ginger and garlic, proper soy sauce, and produces a result that restaurant versions rarely achieve.

Ingredients for Sticky sesame chicken

For the chicken

• 1½ lbs (680g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces. Thighs stay juicy through the high-heat pan-fry and sauce reduction where breast dries out. Cut pieces uniform for even cooking.
• ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch, the coating that produces the crispy exterior. Do not substitute with flour, cornstarch fries crispier and holds its texture better under the sticky sauce. Pat the chicken completely dry before coating, wet chicken makes the cornstarch paste rather than coat.
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or avocado oil, for frying

For the sticky sesame sauce

• ⅓ cup (80ml) low-sodium soy sauce, low-sodium only, the sauce reduces significantly and concentrates the salt. Regular soy makes this dish aggressively salty.
• 3 tablespoons honey, the primary sweetener and the ingredient responsible for the sticky caramelized glaze. Pure honey, not a blend.
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark. Adds molasses depth that honey alone cannot provide and helps the sauce caramelize.
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, adds the essential acidity that balances the sweetness and keeps the sauce from being cloying. Do not substitute with white vinegar, too sharp.
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil toasted, not plain. Added at the end off the heat, high heat destroys the nutty fragrance.
• 2 tablespoons ketchup, the unexpected ingredient that adds body, slight sweetness and a specific umami depth confirmed across multiple top sources. Do not omit.
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, optional but adds a deep savory richness that elevates the sauce significantly
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated, or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon sriracha, optional for heat. Adjust to preference.
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, the slurry that thickens the sauce to the correct sticky consistency

To finish and serve

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, scattered over at the end while the sauce is still hot so they adhere
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Steamed jasmine rice
• Steamed broccoli or bok choy alongside, the sauce drips onto the vegetables and is extraordinary

Let’s cook

1. Make the sauce first. Whisk together soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, oyster sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger and sriracha in a bowl until completely smooth. Set aside. Mix the cornstarch slurry in a separate small bowl, 1 tablespoon cornstarch stirred into 2 tablespoons cold water until no lumps remain. Keep both beside the stove.Making the sauce before cooking is non-negotiable for a 30-minute recipe. Once the chicken is in the pan everything happens fast having the sauce ready to pour means you are in control rather than scrambling.
2. Coat the chicken. Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels, this is the single most important step for crispy chicken. In a large bowl combine cornstarch, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Add the dried chicken pieces and toss until every piece is evenly coated, shake off any excess. The coating should be light and even, not thick and clumpy.Dry chicken + cornstarch = crispy. Wet chicken + cornstarch = paste that falls off in the pan and produces steamed grey chicken rather than golden crispy pieces.
3. Fry the chicken. Heat the oil in a large wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer, work in two batches if needed, do not crowd. Cook for 3–4 minutes without moving until the bottom is golden and crispy. Flip and cook 2–3 more minutes until golden all over and cooked through to 165°F (74°C). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain any excess oil from the pan, leave just a thin film.The pan must be genuinely hot before the chicken goes in. Drop a small piece of cornstarch-coated chicken, it should sizzle immediately and aggressively. If it does not, wait. An under-hot pan produces soggy, oil-soaked chicken that the sauce cannot rescue.
4. Make the sticky sauce. Return the pan to medium heat. Pour in the sauce mixture. Stir and bring to a simmer, it will bubble and begin smelling extraordinary within 60 seconds. Simmer for 2 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry one more time (it settles) and pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens noticeably and coats the back of a spoon in a thick, glossy layer.Watch the sauce closely during the thickening stage. It goes from thin to thick to too thick in about 90 seconds. When it coats a spoon and drips off slowly in thick ribbons, that is the correct consistency. Add a splash of water if it thickens too much.
5. Combine. Return the fried chicken to the pan. Toss to coat every piece in the sticky sauce, use tongs or two spoons and turn each piece until completely lacquered. Remove from heat. Stir in the toasted sesame oil now, off the heat preserves its fragrance.
6. Serve immediately. Scatter toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions over the top. Serve over steamed jasmine rice with steamed broccoli or bok choy alongside, the sauce drips onto the rice and vegetables and is the best part of the whole bowl.

The difference

Ketchup is the ingredient most people see in the sauce list and raise an eyebrow at, and the ingredient that makes this sauce distinctly better than versions without it. It adds body, a specific sweetness and a tomato-forward umami depth that rounds the sauce without being identifiable as ketchup in the finished dish. Multiple top sources confirm it as a core ingredient, 3 tablespoons ketchup combined with soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar and sesame oil produces the characteristic sticky Asian sauce that defines this dish. The cornstarch slurry is the other key technique, it is what separates a glossy, perfectly thickened sticky sauce from a thin, watery one that slides off the chicken and pools at the bottom of the plate.

Add it after the sauce has been simmering for 2 minutes, not at the beginning and stir constantly as it goes in. The sauce thickens within 60–90 seconds of adding the slurry.

Make it ahead

Claire’s note

The sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 1 week in a sealed jar, make a large batch and use it through the week on salmon, tofu, shrimp or pork. The chicken is best cooked fresh but the cornstarch-coated uncooked pieces can be prepared and refrigerated on a plate for up to 4 hours before frying. The sauce thickens further in the fridge, reheat gently in the pan with a splash of water and it loosens back to the correct consistency. For meal prep: cook the full recipe, store the chicken and sauce separately and combine only when reheating, this keeps the chicken crispier for longer. Reheat in a hot pan, not the microwave, for the best texture.

Keep going

Sticky sesame chicken is the gateway into Chinese-inspired cooking at home, once you have the sesame oil, rice vinegar and oyster sauce in your pantry the full range opens up. The same pantry goes into char siu chicken, the Asian crunch salad dressing and the Korean beef bowl. For the complete picture of Asian cooking at home, the techniques, the pantry and every recipe, the Asian recipes collection has everything.

Add sticky sesame chicken to your weekly meal planner, make a double batch of the sauce Sunday and use it three different ways before Friday. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.

Sticky Sesame Chicken

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• Author: Claire Bennett
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Non-Vegetarian

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Description

A delicious and easy-to-make sticky sesame chicken that’s better than takeout, featuring a sweet and savory sauce coated on crispy chicken thighs.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1½ lbs (680g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces
• ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or avocado oil, for frying
• ⅓ cup (80ml) low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Steamed jasmine rice (for serving)
• Steamed broccoli or bok choy (for serving)

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Instructions

1. Make the sauce: Whisk together soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, oyster sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sriracha until smooth.
2. Mix the cornstarch slurry in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water until no lumps remain.
3. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fully cooked.
5. Return the pan to medium heat and pour in the sauce. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
7. Return the fried chicken to the pan and toss to coat in the sticky sauce.
8. Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and spring onions over steamed rice with broccoli or bok choy.

Notes

The sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 1 week. For meal prep, store chicken and sauce separately to keep the chicken crispy.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Pan-Frying
• Cuisine: Chinese-American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Fat: 17g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 30g
• Cholesterol: 120mg