Bowl of Delicious

20-Minute Sesame Chicken

January 16, 2019 By Elizabeth Leave a Comment

This 20-Minute Sesame Chicken is a cinch to make with NO DEEP FRYING required! Serve it with steamed rice or quinoa and broccoli or green beans for a complete, delicious weeknight meal.

The benefits to living a small town are numerous: wide open spaces, familiar faces wherever you go, minimal traffic…

But a glaring downside where I live is not having good Chinese takeout options within a 45 minute drive. And sometimes, I just want Chinese food NOW.

One of my favorite Chinese restaurant recipes is sesame chicken. It’s sticky, salty, sweet, crunchy, and absolutely addictive.

Usually, sesame chicken is deep fried, then coated in a sweet, soy sauce and sesame oil based sauce.

Don’t get me wrong: I love me some fried chicken. But when I’m cooking at home, I’m not usually one to deep fry things from scratch. There’s too much mess, too much oil, too much terrifying splatter, and it makes your house smell like oil.

So here’s a fun way to make a crunchy coating on the chicken without deep frying!

Just coat the chicken in a thick batter consisting of: egg, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. The batter sticks to the chicken and crisps up in just a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick or cast-iron skillet.

Easy!

My other complaint about sesame chicken is that sometimes it’s just TOO sweet. Like, WAY too sweet. I do love a little bit of sweetness in stir-fry sauces, and I think it’s absolutely necessary to get that well-rounded flavor balance of sweet, acidic, salty, umami that makes some Chinese recipes so addictive!

If you search the internet for “sesame chicken recipes,” you’re sure to find a lot that use a half cup or MORE of sugar in the sauce.

In my opinion, that’s WAY TOO MUCH sugar! Not only is it less healthy, but it overwhelms the balance of the rest of the flavors.

For this sesame sauce, I used 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to get a well-balanced sweetness that wasn’t too sweet and had a deeper flavor than just adding plain white sugar.

You can also use honey instead of the maple syrup, if you prefer.

More on the sauce: please don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. I didn’t have to shop for anything new for it since I already had all of it in my pantry or fridge, and I bet you have a lot of it too.

I added a little sriracha hot sauce in there for some spiciness, but feel free to leave it out if you prefer.

And the addition of sesame seeds directly in the sauce adds to the delicious crunchy texture of this sesame chicken stir fry recipe.

I served this sesame chicken with steamed rice and green beans, and topped everything with some more toasted sesame seeds. It would be great garnished with green onions or cilantro, or even with cauliflower rice, zoodles, or in a lettuce wrap for a lower carb version.

If you like this 20-Minute Sesame Chicken recipe, you’ll love this Skinny Pineapple Chicken with Cashews, this Skinny Orange Sesame Chicken, and these Chicken and Cashew Lettuce Wraps.

And make sure you check out this awesome list of the 7 Best Chinese Stir Fry Sauces so you can up your Chinese food game from the comfort of your own home!…

Olive Oil Scrambled Eggs with Feta and Tomatoes

These Olive Oil Scrambled Eggs with Feta and Tomatoes are SO easy to whip up in only 10 minutes with a handful of ingredients! This is a low-carb, vegetarian, gluten-free recipe that’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Any Greek person will tell you that eating feta cheese with scrambled eggs is the ONLY way…

Beet Salad with Feta, Cucumbers, and Dill

This Beet Salad with Feta, Cucumbers, and Dill takes only 10 minutes to throw together and is packed with sweet, tangy, and salty flavors. It’s a delicious vegetarian, gluten-free side dish! This beet salad couldn’t be simpler to make. Beets (roasted, canned, red, or golden) are mixed with salty, crumbled feta cheese, sweet and crunchy cucumbers,…

This Beef Barley Soup is packed with vegetables, including mushrooms, peas, potatoes, and carrots. It's hearty and packed with flavor, and using already cooked beef cuts down on cooking time.

Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms

This Beef Barley Soup is PACKED with good-for-you vegetables, like mushrooms, peas, carrots, and potatoes. Using already cooked beef, such as leftover prime rib or pot roast, cuts down on the cooking time. I know, I know. Leftover prime rib in a SOUP? Blasphemy. But you guys, I made SO MUCH PRIME RIB for Christmas…

These Rosemary Greyhound Cocktails are made in batch, so they're easy to mix in advance for a party. This recipe uses grapefruit juice, vodka, and rosemary simple syrup- you can use seltzer for a virgin alternative.

Rosemary Greyhound Cocktails (made in batch)

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. The opinions and text are all mine. I LOVE these NEW Hillshire® Snacking Social Platters – a collection of chef-curated meats, cheeses, and other snacks that come on a nifty serving platter ready to go! It’s like a charcuterie board, but…

Vasilopita, or Greek New Year's Bread, is a sweet yeasted egg bread scented with orange and traditionally served on New Year's day. A coin is hidden inside and whoever gets it has good luck for the year.

Vasilopita (Greek New Year’s Bread)

Growing up, I can’t remember a New Year’s day that didn’t involve Vasilopita. This Greek New Year’s Bread is sweet and moist, baked with eggs and milk, scented with orange zest, and topped with toasty sesame seeds. It’s brushed with an egg wash before baking and a pattern is carved into it with a sharp…

Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with Ham and Kale

If you’re looking for a super cheap, super nutrient-packed, delicious crockpot meal, look no further than this Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with Ham and Kale. It’s warm, cozy, freezable, and hearty. It makes a TON. And it’s a great way to use up any leftover ham you may have! Yes, I said it. The…

This Orange Olive Oil Cake is scented with cardamom and cinnamon is super moist and baked with yogurt and honey, with no refined sugar.

Cardamom Spiced Orange Olive Oil Cake

This Orange Olive Oil Cake is scented with warming cardamom and cinnamon and SUPER moist! It’s baked with Greek yogurt and honey, and it’s dense – almost like a pound cake. AND it contains no refined sugar! Once you’ve tried baking with olive oil, you may never go back. The Greeks and Italians have been…

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

This Vegetarian Tortilla Soup (actually, it’s vegan, too!) is a delicious, healthy, veggie-packed, gluten-free recipe that’s perfect for cold weather. It’s packed with sweet potatoes and black beans, with a special ingredient added to help thicken it. I especially love eating this tortilla soup around the holidays, partially because I LOVE Mexican food at this…

This Creamy One-Pot Pasta with Sausage recipe is packed with a whole pound of spinach and only takes 30 minutes to make. It's covered in a creamy, luxurious sauce that clings to every bite.

Creamy One-Pot Pasta with Sausage with Spinach

Behold: the miracle that is one-pot pasta. Specifically, this luxuriously creamy one-pot pasta with sausage and spinach. This 30-minute meal is a cinch to make and tastes AMAZING, and is packed with a whole POUND of good-for-you spinach! Honestly, I’m not sure how I’ve gone so long as a food blogger without posting a one-pot…

Broccoli Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Cranberries

This Broccoli Salad is packed full of delicious, healthy ingredients like sweet apples, crunchy walnuts, and tart cranberries, tossed in a sweet and creamy dressing. It’s a major nutritional powerhouse and tastes absolutely amazing, and it’s the perfect make-ahead side or meal-prep lunch since it keeps well in the fridge for a few days. This…

$This easy Tex Mex Tuna Noodle Casserole is made in a skillet and packed with flavor and veggies! It's hearty and comforting, and the fresh frozen egg noodles take it over the top.$

Tex Mex Tuna Noodle Casserole

This post is sponsored by Reames® and SheKnows Media. All opinions are my own. Tuna casserole is one of my favorite comfort foods, and I love to do a Tex-Mex twist on an American classic. This Tex Mex Tuna Noodle Casserole is bursting with flavor, packed with veggies, and can be made in a skillet…

Greek Green Beans (Fasolakia)

Greek Green Beans (Fasolakia) are one of the most simple yet wonderful Mediterranean recipes in existence. The beans cook up velvety tender in a tomato and garlic based sauce, and are tossed with fresh lemon juice, dill, and plenty of extra-virgin olive oil just before serving. Greek-style green beans really seem much more like a “stew”…

These Greek Lamb Tacos come together in only 30 minutes and are packed full of Mediterranean flavor! Topped with homemade tzatziki sauce and fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and feta cheese.

Greek Lamb Tacos with Tzatziki Sauce

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mission®. All opinions are entirely my own. These Greek Lamb Tacos come together in only 30 minutes and are perfect for the whole family! They’re packed with Mediterranean flavor and topped with a homemade tzatziki sauce, fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and feta cheese. These lamb…

This Instant Pot Pot Roast cooks to melt-in-your-mouth perfection, along with mashed potatoes and gravy that all cook at once in your pressure cooker!

Instant Pot Pot Roast (and an exclusive ButcherBox Promotion!)

This post contains affiliate links. I’m writing this post NOT ONLY to bring you this delicious Instant Pot Pot Roast (with mashed potatoes and gravy that all cook at once!), but also to let you know I’m partnering with ButcherBox to bring Bowl of Delicious readers an exclusive deal you’ll love! And I’m talking about…

This veggie-packed Lo Mein with Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs recipe comes together in only 20 minutes! It's the perfect kid-friendly meal for busy weeknights.

20-Minute Lo Mein with Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs

This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. All comments and opinions are my own. This 20-Minute Lo Mein with Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs should be your new go-to for a family friendly, veggie-packed meal on busy weeknights. It’s a cinch to throw together and the flavor combination is so delicious! Around the holidays, I always…

Making classic turkey gravy from scratch from the drippings at the bottom of the roasting pan is so easy and SO much better than store-bought gravy! Whip up a batch in only 15 minutes with this easy recipe.

How to Make Classic Turkey Gravy from Drippings

Homemade Turkey Gravy made from the drippings of roast turkey is an absolute MUST at my Thanksgiving table. It’s easy to whip up a batch of classic turkey gravy in only 15 minutes, and it tastes SO much better than store-bought! I like to think of all the parts of the Thanksgiving meal as vehicles…

Too busy to cook?