Crispy Sesame Chicken (without Deep Frying)

Making restaurant-style crispy sesame chicken without a ton of sugar or deep frying. The chicken is juicy and tender with a chewy coating and a flavorful sauce full of umami. You can’t miss this dish! {Gluten-Free Adaptable}

Sesame chicken is a popular dish on Chinese takeout menus. But did you know that you can easily make it at home?

You typically see two types of sesame chicken recipes. The first type replicates the takeout-style crispy sesame chicken but requires you to deep fry the chicken. The second type uses a simple stir fry approach, but doesn’t give you that crunchy surface. This recipe provides a better solution, so you can create the perfect crispy, crunchy chicken without deep frying.

Why this recipe

Now here is the trick to creating crispy chicken with a crunchy coating that is like the takeout you’d get from a Chinese restaurant, without making a mess.

• The killer coating for extra crispy chicken

Simply use the formula: oil + salt + egg + cornstarch

Not only does it season the chicken and make it flavorful, but it also yields an extra crispy exterior, even after you coat it with sauce.

• How to make crispy chicken with less oil

The answer is by pan-frying, which requires just 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil to coat your skillet. Simply cook the chicken one side at a time until golden brown, and transfer it to a plate for a minute to cool. Taste a piece of chicken. You’ll be surprised at the juicy and flavorful interior and super crunchy coating.

• Extra flavorful sauce with less sugar

This recipe uses cooking wine, Chinkiang vinegar, and plenty of fresh herbs to create an extra fragrant sauce that is rich and delicious. Many recipes out there use half a cup (or a whole cup!) of sugar. This one uses just a quarter cup, but I guarantee the results will be amazing.

Sesame chicken ingredients

Which cut of chicken to use

My favorite cut for sesame chicken is chicken thigh. It results in very juicy tender chicken bites with the crust properly crisped up. However, you can use chicken breast as well. The chicken will end up a bit less tender but will be flavorful as well.

chinkiang vinegar

Chinkiang vinegar is also called black vinegar. It has a dry, tart flavor that is balanced by a malty umami and accented by a slightly woody and smoky aroma. The malty umami is what makes Chinkiang vinegar special, as it gives dishes and sauces a characteristic flavor and fragrance, in addition to its sourness. You can learn more about this ingredient HERE.

I used Chinkiang vinegar in my recipe to give the sauce a bit of an extra tangy taste with a ton of umami. But if you don’t have this ingredient on hand or need to make the dish gluten-free, you can replace it with rice vinegar.

You can easily find Chinkiang vinegar in large Asian markets or Chinese grocery stores. You can also purchase it on Amazon.

Set up

When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:

• Marinated chicken
• Mixed sauce
• Sliced aromatics (garlic and onion)

When you get everything ready beforehand, your cooking will take no time and you’ll be less likely to forget to add important ingredients.

How to make sesame chicken

Making sesame chicken is super easy:

1. Pan fry the chicken until crispy
2. Take the chicken out of the pan and let it cool slightly (very important, the chicken will keep crisping up as it cools)
3. Saute the aromatics
4. Add the sauce
5. Add back the chicken and mix them together
6. Garnish with a bit more green onion and serve

How to serve sesame chicken

Sesame chicken is very easy to make and it makes a great one-bowl meal served over steamed rice.

You can also serve it with other side dishes to make a multi-course dinner. For example:

Ready to make some killer sesame chicken at home? Happy cooking and I hope you enjoy the dish as much as I do!

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Crispy Sesame Chicken (without Deep Frying)