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This Chinese Honey Sesame Chicken brings together crisp, sesame-coated chicken and a glossy honey-soy sauce for a dinner that feels wonderfully indulgent without requiring deep frying.
Thinly sliced chicken thighs are coated in a flavorful mixture of sesame paste or tahini, soy sauce, salt, and toasted sesame seeds before being covered in flour and baked until cooked through.
A short blast under the broiler adds extra color and crispness to the coating, giving the chicken a satisfying contrast against the sticky sauce.
The sauce is where the dish becomes especially irresistible.
Honey provides mellow sweetness, while soy sauce adds savory depth and sesame oil brings a distinctive nutty aroma.
Chinese cooking wine, rice wine vinegar, chicken broth, and garlic round out the mixture, creating a balanced combination of sweet, salty, tangy, and savory flavors.
Cornstarch mixed with water quickly transforms the sauce into a thick syrup that clings beautifully to every piece of chicken.
To finish, toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions add a little texture and freshness.
The chicken is best served immediately with rice, allowing the grains to soak up some of the extra sauce.
Using chicken thighs helps keep the pieces juicy during baking, while the sesame-flour coating provides plenty of crisp texture without changing the straightforward cooking process.
Sticky Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare the Oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C/430°F with the shelf positioned on the highest level, then spray a baking tray with oil.
- Make the Chicken Coating: Mix the sesame paste and soy sauce in a bowl until loosened and smooth enough to coat the chicken easily, then add the sliced chicken, salt, and toasted sesame seeds and mix to coat.
- Flour the Chicken: Place the plain flour in a separate bowl, coat each piece of chicken in the flour, and shake off any excess before arranging the pieces on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake the Chicken: Bake the coated chicken for 12 minutes, then remove the tray from the oven.
- Prepare the Broiler: Set the broiler/grill to its highest setting and position the oven shelf about 15 cm/6 inches from the heat source.
- Crisp the Chicken: Turn the chicken pieces over, then broil/grill for about 5 minutes until the coating is golden and quite crispy, then remove from the oven.
- Prepare the Sauce: While the chicken cooks, combine all of the sauce ingredients in one bowl and separately mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Cook the Garlic: Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat, add the minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant without allowing it to brown.
- Thicken the Sauce: Pour in the prepared sauce and bring it to a bubble, then add the cornstarch mixture and cook for 30 seconds until the sauce thickens into a thick syrup.
- Remove from Heat: Take the sauce off the stove immediately once it reaches the desired thick, syrupy consistency.
- Coat the Chicken: Pour the hot sauce over the cooked chicken and toss until the pieces are evenly coated.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the chicken with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions, then serve with rice.
Notes
- Slice the chicken thighs into approximately 1.2 cm / 1/2-inch pieces as specified in the source. This creates larger pieces that are less likely to dry out during cooking.
- Chicken thighs are preferred because they remain juicier during baking. Chicken breast can also be used, although the finished chicken may be slightly drier.
- Chinese sesame paste and tahini can be used interchangeably in this recipe. Peanut butter is also an acceptable substitute and adds a subtle nutty flavor while helping bind the coating.
- Use ordinary all-purpose soy sauce rather than light, dark, or sweet soy sauce. Light soy sauce can make the dish too salty, while dark soy sauce has a stronger flavor.
- The baked chicken will not have exactly the same crispness as deep-fried chicken, but the broiling stage helps develop a golden, crispy coating.
- Keep the sauce on the heat only until it thickens into a syrup, then remove it immediately so it does not become unnecessarily thick.
- The nutrition information from the source assumes 4 servings and does not include rice.
Chef’s Secret
For the best balance between crisp coating and sticky sauce, pay close attention to the final broiling stage.
After the initial 12-minute bake, turn the chicken pieces over and place them under the very hot broiler with the shelf positioned about 15 cm/6 inches from the heat source.
The goal is to develop a golden, quite crispy exterior before the sauce is added.
Once the chicken is coated, that crisp surface will naturally soften as it absorbs the syrupy honey-soy sauce.
Removing the sauce from the heat immediately after it thickens also helps maintain the right consistency, allowing it to cling to the chicken rather than becoming overly dense.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the honey sesame chicken immediately over or alongside rice so the grains can soak up the extra sticky sauce.
Finish each serving with the toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions from the recipe for added texture and freshness.
The dish can also be presented family-style on a serving platter, with the garnishes scattered over the top just before serving.
Keep the chicken and sauce together rather than adding the sauce too far in advance, as the coating is most appealing when it still retains some of its freshly crisp texture.
Conclusion
Chinese Honey Sesame Chicken combines golden sesame-coated chicken with a glossy honey-soy sauce for a flavorful homemade dinner.
The baked and broiled chicken provides a satisfying crisp exterior, while the thick sauce brings sweetness, savory depth, tang, and sesame richness.
Finished with toasted sesame seeds and scallions and served with rice, it makes a simple, satisfying meal that comes together in about 30 minutes.
