Description

Quick & Easy Honey Sesame Chicken is a deliciously crispy fried chicken dish coated in a sweet and savory honey sesame sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this recipe uses boneless chicken thighs coated in cornstarch for extra crunch, then fried to golden perfection before coating in a thick, flavorful sauce made with honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, and aromatic seasonings.

Ingredients

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Chicken and Coating

1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, diced into 1.5-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch for coating chicken (plus extra if needed)
1/3 cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
1/2 green onion, finely chopped (for garnish)

Sauce

1/2 cup honey (plain liquid kind)
2.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine or dry sherry wine (or dry white wine or chicken broth for non-alcoholic version)
2 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider/white vinegar
3/4 cup water at room temperature

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Instructions

Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, cornstarch, minced garlic, Shaoxing cooking wine, rice vinegar, and water. Stir well until evenly mixed and set aside for later.
Coat the Chicken: Dice the chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss to season. Add cornstarch and coat each piece evenly, adding more cornstarch if necessary to ensure a good coating.
Fry the Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces in small batches, cooking for about 6-8 minutes total per batch, flipping halfway through until golden brown and crispy. Remove the fried chicken and drain on a wire rack or paper towels to remove excess oil.
Cook the Sauce: Remove any excess oil from the pan, then pour in the prepared sauce mixture. Simmer the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently until it thickens to a glossy consistency.
Toss Chicken in Sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the pan with the thickened sauce. Toss gently to coat all pieces evenly with the sauce. Remove from heat immediately after coating.
Serve: Garnish with finely chopped green onions and serve hot. Enjoy your quick and flavorful honey sesame chicken!

Notes

To Air Fry the Chicken: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or neutral oil. Place coated chicken in a single layer without overlapping. Lightly spray chicken with oil. Air fry at 400°F for 10-14 minutes until crispy without flipping.
You can substitute potato starch for cornstarch if preferred for coating and sauce thickening.
For a non-alcoholic version, replace Shaoxing cooking wine with dry white wine or chicken broth.
Use neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil for frying to avoid overpowering flavors.
Serve with steamed rice and a side of stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/3 of recipe)
Calories: 450 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 700 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 30 g
Cholesterol: 95 mg