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4.8 from 87 votes

Easy Chinese Honey Sesame Chicken

Crispy oven baked chicken chicken with a sesame crust tossed in a sticky sauce. Really easy and absolutely irresistible! If you can't find sesame paste or tahini, substitute with peanut butter. Seriously! (Refer to Note 2)

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 3 -4
Calories: 425 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Chicken
  • 1 lb / 500g chicken thighs , cut into 1.2cm/ 1/2" slices (Note 1)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp sesame paste or tahini (Note 2)
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds , toasted
  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • Oil spray
Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoshing / Shaoxing wine) or sherry (or use chicken broth/stock)
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth / stock
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar or Chinese black vinegar (or ordinary white vinegar)
  • 3 1/2 tbsp honey
  • 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce , all purpose ordinary (Note 3)
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
Cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
To Cook
  • 2 tsp oil (vegetable, canola, peanut)
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
Garnish
  • 1 scallion/shallot stem , sliced
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds , toasted

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 200C/430F with shelf placed on the highest level. Spray baking tray with oil.
  2. Mix sesame paste and soy sauce in a bowl (to loosen it up, easier to coat chicken). Add chicken, salt and sesame seeds.
  3. Place flour in a separate bowl and coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Place chicken on baking tray.
  4. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven.
  5. Flick to broiler/grill as high as it will go with shelf about 15cm/6" from the heat source.
  6. Turn chicken. Broiler/grill for 5 minutes until golden and quite crispy (Note 4), then remove.
  7. Meanwhile, mix together Sauce in one bowl and Cornstarch in another.
  8. Heat oil in a wok or skillet (I used a skillet) over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
  9. Add Sauce and bring to bubble. Add Cornstarch and cook for 30 seconds until it thickens into a thick syrup.
  10. Remove the Sauce immediately from the stove and pour over the chicken.
  11. Toss chicken in Sauce then sprinkle over Sesame Seeds and Shallots/Scallions to serve. Serve with rice.

Notes

  • The chicken is sliced rather than diced so that way they are larger pieces that dry out during the cooking period. I use chicken thighs because they are juicier than breast. It can be made with breast but the flesh will be slightly drier.
  • Sesame paste is a Chinese ingredient that can be found at Asian grocery stores. I honestly cannot tell the difference between it and Tahini (the sesame paste used for hummus). PEANUT BUTTER is also an adequate substitute. I promise! It adds a bit of nutty flavour and acts as the same binding agent.
  • Please do not use LIGHT or DARK soy sauce. Use an all purpose ordinary soy sauce. I use Kikkoman. You will know it is an all purpose one because it won't have "light", "dark" or "sweet" soy sauce on the label. Light soy sauce is too salty for this dish and the flavour of dark soy sauce is too intense.
  • Fact is, baking chicken will not be as crispy as deep frying. But it's far healthier and it is still crispy! If you want to go all out, use the same coating but deep fry the chicken in oil. For extra extra crunch, fry it twice.
  • I used to have my own recipe from scratch but then I saw this one from Woks of Life. It tasted even better so this recipe is a bit of a mash up of mine and theirs! :)
  •  Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. Rice not included.

Nutrition Information

Serving 222g Calories 425cal (21%) Carbohydrates 26.3g (9%) Protein 40.1g (80%) Fat 17.2g (26%) Saturated Fat 3.8g (19%) Cholesterol 111mg (37%) Sodium 1043mg (43%) Potassium 420mg (12%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 13.5g (27%) Vitamin A 50IU (1%) Vitamin C 0.8mg (1%) Calcium 60mg (6%) Iron 3.1mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3-4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 425

% Daily Value*

Serving 222g
Calories 425cal 21%
Carbohydrates 26.3g 9%
Protein 40.1g 80%
Fat 17.2g 26%
Saturated Fat 3.8g 19%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Sodium 1043mg 43%
Potassium 420mg 9%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 13.5g 27%
Vitamin A 50IU 1%
Vitamin C 0.8mg 1%
Calcium 60mg 6%
Iron 3.1mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.