Sesame Chicken (The BEST Recipe with Video!!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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This is the best Sesame Chicken recipe with crispy chicken in sweet and savory sesame chicken sauce. It tastes just like Chinese restaurants and takes only 20 mins to make. Serve the chicken with steamed rice for an authentic homemade Chinese meal.

Sesame Chicken (The BEST Recipe with Video!!) - Rasa Malaysia (1)

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Table of Contents

Sesame Chicken Recipe

What is Sesame Chicken?

It’s one of the most popular Chinese recipes found in Chinese restaurants and takeouts in the United States.

Everyone loves this deep-fried and crispy chicken coated with a sweet and savory sesame sauce.

Garnished with white sesame seeds, the crispy chicken and sauce pairs perfectly with a bowl of steamed rice.

This is the BEST recipe you will find online! It’s easy, authentic and tastes the same, if not better than Chinese restaurants!

Sesame Chicken (The BEST Recipe with Video!!) - Rasa Malaysia (3)

Other Recipes You Might Like

  • Honey Sesame Chicken
  • Honey Chicken
  • Lemon Chicken
  • Orange Chicken
  • General Tso’s Chicken

Sesame Chicken Sauce

The sweet and savory sesame sauce is the star of the dish. It calls for the following ingredients:

  • Soy sauce
  • Rice vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Water

How to Make Sesame Chicken?

It’s very easy to make the dish at home. First, prep the chicken, frying batter and the sauce.

Next, coat the chicken with the batter and deep fry. The final step is to make the sauce and coat the chicken with it.

This homemade recipe is very easy and fail-proof and takes less than 20 minutes to make.

Cooking Tips

For the best results that is the same as the best Chinese restaurants, please follow my cooking tips below:

  • For the crispiest chicken, follow my batter recipe and coat the chicken evenly. The frying batter produces crispy, light and airy chicken. Shake off the excess batter before deep frying the chicken.
  • Use chicken breast meat for the best flavor.
  • Do not drown the chicken with too much sesame sauce. Too much sauce will make the chicken soggy and not crispy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sesame Chicken the Same As General Tso’s Chicken?

General Tso’s Chicken is a completely different dish with a spicy and dark sauce.

Sesame sauce is sweet and savory in taste but not spicy. Both dishes are equally delicious!

Sesame Chicken (The BEST Recipe with Video!!) - Rasa Malaysia (4)

Can I Use Air Fryer for This Recipe?

For the best results, you should deep-fry the chicken. However, you can use an air fryer to air fry the chicken.

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 304 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

This meal is best served with steamed rice or noodles. For a wholesome Chinese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

How to Cook Sesame Chicken?

Please refer to the recipe card and video for detailed step-by-step method on how to make this recipe.

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Sesame Chicken

Easy, healthy and homemade Chinese Sesame Chicken recipe with sesame sauce. This is the BEST recipe you'll find online and tastes just like takeout restaurants.

4.62 from 307 votes

Print

By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 4 people

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Total 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. (230g) boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
  • oil (for deep-frying)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • white sesame seeds (for garnishing)

Frying Batter:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/3 cup cold water
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 pinch salt

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1/3 cup water

Instructions

  • Mix all the ingredients in the Sauce until well combined. Set aside.

  • Mix all the ingredients in Frying Batter in a bowl until well combined, stir a few times to make sure there are no lumps and the batter is smooth. Add the chicken into the batter, stir to evenly coat with the batter.

  • Heat 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) of the oil in a wok or a stockpot to 350°F (175°C) for deep-frying. Gently drop the chicken into the oil and loosen them up immediately with a spatula to prevent the chicken from clumping together.

  • Deep-fry the chicken to golden brown. Remove the chicken from the oil with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying the chicken on a dish lined with paper towels. Discard the oil.

  • Heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic before adding the Sauce.

  • As soon as the Sauce thickens, add the fried chicken into the wok or skillet. Stir continuously until all the ingredients are well coated with the sauce. Dish out, garnish with the white sesame, and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.

My batter is very thick because it will make the chicken extra crispy, even after adding the sauce. If it's too thick to work with, add 1-2 tablespoons water to loosen it up.

Course: Chicken Recipes

Cuisine: Chinese

Keywords: Sesame Chicken Recipe

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sesame Chicken

Amount Per Serving (4 people)

Calories 304Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 36mg12%

Sodium 595mg26%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 15g30%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Sesame Chicken (The BEST Recipe with Video!!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

What is sesame chicken batter made of? ›

Prepare the battered chicken: Sift flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, vegetable oil, and dash sesame oil; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Is sesame chicken a Chinese food? ›

Sesame chicken is a dish commonly found in Chinese restaurants throughout the United States and Canada. The dish is similar to General Tso's chicken but the taste of the Chinese-based chicken is sweet rather than spicy.

What's the difference between General Chow chicken and sesame chicken? ›

General Tso's chicken is a spicy and tangy dish made with a mix of chicken breast and thighs, while sesame chicken is a sweeter option made with succulent chicken thighs. Whether you're in the mood for something spicy or sweet, both dishes offer a delicious and crispy meal that's sure to satisfy your cravings.”

What is the difference between honey sesame chicken and orange chicken? ›

What is the difference between orange chicken and sesame chicken at Panda Express? Both dishes use breaded and deep-fried white meat chicken. Orange chicken sauce contains orange juice whereas sesame chicken does not.

What does Chinese sesame chicken have in it? ›

For the Sauce: Combine soy sauce, wine, vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame seed oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir with a fork until cornstarch is dissolved and no lumps remain. Set aside. Combine oil, garlic, ginger, and minced scallions in a large skillet and place over medium heat.

What country invented sesame chicken? ›

The dish hails from the southern Chinese region of Guangdong. It's claimed to have begun in the 1980s, when Hong Kong's now-defunct Red Chamber Restaurant created a dish combining sesame oil and sesame seeds. The dish's popularity eventually expanded to Northern China, where it is still popular today.

What is the difference between General Tso's and sesame chicken sauce? ›

Sesame chicken vs General Tso

There are slight differences between the two. Sesame chicken features toasted sesame seeds and is milder when it comes to spice. General Tso's chicken has a stronger kick and sweeter flavor thanks to the addition of ketchup in the sauce.

What ethnicity is sesame chicken? ›

Sesame Chicken is an Asian-American dish that was invented in North America and still appears on Chinese take-out menus to this day.

Is sesame chicken better than orange chicken? ›

In my opinion it's has a more savory flavor compared to the tangy sauce of orange chicken. For some reason I've found sesame chicken to go better with noddles or rice than orange chicken. They're both great dishes though.

Why is sesame chicken so sweet? ›

These are then packed with extra flavor from fresh and lightly spicy garlic and ginger, and of course, the holy trinity that gives sesame chicken its signature sweetness: brown sugar, honey, and ketchup. Yes, ketchup. Often, we think of ketchup merely as a hamburger topping.

What is happy family Chinese food? ›

Happy Family is a dish that combines various meats with fresh vegetables in a light brown Chinese sauce. Typically the meat will be chicken, beef or pork as well as seafood - usually shrimp. This great combination of meats make it a favourite on the takeout menus as you get lots of protein within the one order.

What is better Szechuan chicken or General Tso's? ›

General Tso's chicken is about the most dangerous Chinese dish on the menu—dark meat battered and deep-fried, then cooked with vegetables in a sweet, spicy sauce. Szechuan chicken, made with leaner, white meat and sautéed with vegetables, is a far better choice.

Why is my sesame chicken pink? ›

Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh.

What is the difference between General Tso and kung pao? ›

Kung pao chicken and General Tso's chicken are similar in that they are both chicken-based dishes with a hint of chili, but the primary difference is that latter is deep-fried and coated with a syrupy sweet and sour sauce, and the former is coated with a gentle, more balanced sauce.

Is sesame chicken good for you? ›

Sesame chicken paired with fried rice can be a nutritious meal if it's prepared with certain things in mind. It offers energy-supporting carbs and muscle-building protein.

What is Chinese chicken batter made of? ›

Make batter: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Drizzle in sesame oil. Gradually add water, whisking constantly until smooth; batter should be the consistency of cream. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.

What is chicken batter made of? ›

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together potato starch, all-purpose flour, black pepper, baking powder, salt, paprika, and cayenne, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the water until a smooth batter forms, about 30 seconds.

What is batter made of? ›

batter, mixture of flour and liquid with other ingredients, such as leavening agents, shortening, sugar, salt, eggs, and various flavourings, used to make baked goods and other food products. Similar mixtures—called doughs—are thick and flexible, allowing them to be shaped and rolled.

What is sesame flour made of? ›

Defatted peeled sesame seeds in powder foam which is high in protein and has emulsifying functions. It is used for various products as vegetable protein material.

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