Name: Chinese Honey Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 700 g (1 ½ lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces; 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry; ¼ tsp ground white pepper; 1 large egg; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 65 g (½ cup) cornstarch; 30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour; about 1 litre (4 cups) neutral oil, such as peanut, rapeseed (canola) or sunflower; 85 g (¼ cup) runny honey; 2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar; 60 ml (¼ cup) water or low-sodium chicken stock; 2 tsp cornstarch; 1 tsp neutral oil; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger; 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp (9 g) sesame seeds, toasted; 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

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Honey sesame chicken is bite-sized pieces of chicken in a thin, crisp cornstarch coating, tossed at the last moment in a glossy sauce of honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger, then showered with toasted sesame seeds. Made at home, it’s less sweet than most takeaway versions, and the coating stays crisp for longer because the sauce is thick enough to cling rather than soak in.

The whole thing takes about an hour, including 15 minutes of marinating. The two things that make the difference are a short marinade that seasons the chicken all the way through, and a second, hotter fry that sets the crust.

Serves 4 with rice.

Where this dish comes from

Honey sesame chicken belongs to the family of Chinese takeaway dishes developed in restaurants in North America, Britain and Australia, alongside sesame chicken and General Tso’s chicken. Chinese home cooking has plenty of honey-glazed and sweet-and-sour dishes, but this exact recipe is a restaurant creation outside China rather than a traditional regional dish. It’s no less good for that.

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

700 g (1 ½ lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces
1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
¼ tsp ground white pepper
1 large egg
1 tbsp cornstarch

Coating and frying

65 g (½ cup) cornstarch
30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
About 1 litre (4 cups) neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut, rapeseed (canola) or sunflower

Honey sesame sauce

85 g (¼ cup) runny honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
60 ml (¼ cup) water or low-sodium chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp neutral oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

To finish

1 tbsp (9 g) sesame seeds, toasted
2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

A few ingredient notes

Thighs or breast. Thighs are juicier and forgive an extra minute in the oil. Breast works if you prefer it; cut it slightly larger, about 3 cm (1 ¼ in), and fry for a minute less.

Cornstarch and flour. Cornstarch alone gives the lightest, crispest shell; a little flour helps it brown and keeps it from feeling chalky. Potato starch is an excellent swap for the cornstarch and fries up even crunchier.

Honey. A mild, runny honey such as clover or acacia is best. Strongly flavoured honeys like buckwheat or chestnut can take over.

Shaoxing wine is an amber Chinese rice wine that adds depth to the marinade. Dry sherry is the usual substitute; or leave it out and add an extra teaspoon of soy sauce.

Method

Marinate. Mix the chicken with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, egg and 1 tbsp cornstarch until every piece is coated in a thin, sticky layer. Leave for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
Mix the sauce. In a jug, stir together the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water and 2 tsp cornstarch until smooth. Set it next to the stove with the garlic, ginger and sesame oil.
Heat the oil. Pour the oil into a wok or heavy pot to a depth of about 4 cm (1 ½ in), filling it no more than a third full. Heat to 175°C (350°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, a wooden chopstick dipped in should fizz steadily with small bubbles.
Coat the chicken. Mix the 65 g cornstarch and flour in a wide bowl. Add the chicken a handful at a time, tossing and pressing so each piece is fully coated. Shake off the excess and set the pieces on a tray.
First fry. Fry in 2 or 3 batches for 4–5 minutes, turning, until pale golden and cooked through (74°C / 165°F in the thickest piece). Lift out onto a wire rack.
Second fry. Raise the oil temperature to 190°C (375°F). Return all the chicken, in two batches if your pot is small, and fry for 1–1 ½ minutes until deep golden and audibly crisp. Drain on the rack.
Make the sauce. In a clean wok or large frying pan, heat 1 tsp oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, without browning. Stir the sauce mixture again, pour it in and let it bubble for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it turns thick and glossy and coats a spoon. Take it off the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
Toss and serve. Add the chicken and toss for 20–30 seconds until every piece is coated. Scatter with the sesame seeds and spring onions and serve straight away.

To toast the sesame seeds, shake them in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes until golden and fragrant. Tip them onto a plate at once, since they burn quickly in the hot pan.

Why fry twice?

The first fry cooks the chicken through at a moderate temperature without burning the coating. Resting for a few minutes lets steam escape from inside. The short second fry at a higher heat drives off the last of the surface moisture and turns the shell hard and crisp, so it survives contact with the sauce. If you skip it, the dish is still good, but it softens within a few minutes.

Looking for more? See our easy chicken dinner recipes from around the world, sorted by time.

Common mistakes

Frying too much at once. The oil temperature drops, the coating absorbs oil and turns greasy. Fry in batches and let the oil come back up to heat between them.
Sauce too thin. A runny sauce soaks into the coating. It should be thick enough to leave a trail when you drag a spoon through it. If it isn’t, simmer for 30 seconds more.
Sauce too thick. If it turns gluey as it cools, loosen it with 1 tbsp hot water.
Boiling the honey hard. Honey scorches easily and turns bitter. Keep the sauce at a steady bubble, not a fierce boil.
Saucing too early. Toss the chicken only when everyone is ready to eat. Even the crispest coating starts to soften after 10 minutes in sauce.

Without deep-frying

Shallow frying: use 120 ml (½ cup) oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Skip the second fry; the result is a little less crisp.

Air fryer: after coating, spray the pieces generously with oil. Cook in a single layer at 200°C (400°F) for 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and 74°C (165°F) inside.

Oven: arrange on an oiled rack set over a baking tray, spray with oil and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 18–22 minutes, turning once.

Air-fried and oven-baked coatings are paler and drier than fried ones, so toss them in the sauce gently and serve immediately.

Substitutions

Gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce, dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine (which usually contains wheat), and replace the flour with more cornstarch or potato starch.
Less sweet: cut the honey to 60 g (3 tbsp) and add 1 tsp more rice vinegar.
Spicy: add 1–2 tsp chilli garlic sauce or a pinch of chilli flakes to the sauce.
Other proteins: firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes, or large peeled prawns (shrimp) both work. Prawns need only 2 minutes in the oil.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

You can marinate the chicken and mix the sauce up to 8 hours ahead and keep both covered in the fridge, which leaves only the frying for the last 30 minutes.

Fried, sauced chicken is at its best on the day it’s made. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 days. To reheat, spread the pieces on a tray and warm in a 200°C (400°F) oven or an air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 8–10 minutes until hot through (74°C / 165°F). The coating won’t be as crisp as it was fresh, but it’s much better than the microwave, which makes it soft and chewy. If you know you’ll have leftovers, keep some chicken and sauce separate and combine them after reheating.

What to serve with it

Steamed jasmine rice is the obvious partner, with something green to cut the sweetness: stir-fried broccoli or bok choy with garlic, blanched green beans, or a smashed cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar, chilli and a few drops of sesame oil. Plain egg-fried rice or noodles work well too.

If you like crisp, sauced chicken, our crispy Korean fried chicken uses a similar double-fry and a spicy-sweet glaze. For another takeaway favourite made at home, try our oven-baked doner kebab, and for a party snack worth the effort, our Brazilian chicken coxinha.