honey sesame chicken

this honey sesame chicken is crispy, sticky, and packed with flavour – tender chicken coated in spices, air fried until golden, then tossed in a delicious sweet savory honey sesame sauce. better than takeout and so easy to make at home!

Want something stickier and spicier? Try my Korean fried chicken (yangnyeom chicken) with its glossy sweet-spicy sauce.

why you will love this honey sesame chicken recipe

• healthier than takeout – this honey sesame chicken air fryer recipe is much healthier than deep-fried restaurant versions! it’s a much lighter option made in the air fryer, and you control exactly what goes in the sauce, so it’s much healthier but is still packed with flavour.

• quick and easy weeknight dinner or lunch – this quick honey sesame chicken recipe comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy days or weeknights. the honey sesame chicken marinade takes just minutes to prepare, the air fryer does most of the work, and the sauce comes together while the chicken cooks.

• versatile and customisable as part of your meal – the honey sesame chicken flavor works well with so many different sides! you can serve this honey sesame chicken with egg fried rice or make honey sesame chicken lettuce wraps for a low-carb option, or even make honey sesame chicken noodles if you want something a bit more substantial.

learn how to make this honey sesame chicken dish

to make this honey sesame chicken dinner recipe, we’re going to start off by cutting boneless chicken breast into smaller pieces. then, to the chicken, we’ll add a mixture of spices, as well as some vinegar, hot sauce, soy sauce and oil to keep the chicken tender and add flavour. once the spices have been mixed in, we’ll add cornstarch to the chicken for our coating. then, we’ll air fry the honey sesame chicken until golden, and make the honey sesame chicken sauce.

for the honey sesame chicken sauce, we’ll begin by cooking garlic and onion in butter in a pan. add a mix of sauces, spices, sesame oil and honey, then add cornstarch and water to thicken up the sauce. add the cooked chicken to the honey sesame chicken sauce, and we’re done!

honey sesame chicken ingredients

• chicken – i like to use boneless chicken breast for this honey sesame garlic chicken recipe, cut into smaller pieces. you can also make honey sesame chicken thighs if you’d prefer that over using chicken breast.

• spices – the honey sesame chicken seasoning mix is a mixture of spices and sauces. we’ll be using a mix of garlic powder, red chilli flakes, cumin seeds, black pepper, paprika and salt, as well as white vinegar, hot sauce and light soy sauce. you can adjust these to your taste. the honey sesame chicken glaze also uses hot sauce, light soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika and red chilli flakes.

• oil – i like to add a small amount of a neutral oil to the honey sesame chicken marinade before cooking the chicken in the air fryer. you can add some extra oil spray before cooking as well if you like.

• cornstarch- i like to add some cornstarch or cornflour to the chicken mixture before cooking in the air fryer to make the chicken a little bit crispy. i also use some cornstarch in the honey sesame chicken glaze to thicken up the sauce.

• butter – i like to use salted butter in the honey sesame chicken sauce. you can also use unsalted butter and then add salt to your taste.

• garlic – i like to use fresh minced garlic in this honey sesame garlic chicken recipe for the best flavour.

• spring onion or green onion – i use the white part in the sauce and then garnish the finished honey sesame chicken dish with the green part before serving.

• ketchup – adding ketchup to the sauce helps add a nice sweet and tangy flavour.

• rice vinegar – a small amount of rice vinegar in the honey sesame chicken sauce adds a nice subtle tang to balance out the sweetness.

• sesame oil – adds that distinctive nutty, toasted sesame flavour to the sauce.

• honey – to help sweeten the honey sesame chicken sauce.

• water – mix water into cornstarch to create a cornstarch slurry that will thicken the sauce to that perfect sticky consistency.

• sesame seeds – for garnish and extra sesame flavour before serving.

tools:

• mixing bowl – for the honey sesame chicken marinade.

• air fryer – essential for this honey sesame chicken air fryer recipe.

• pan – for making the honey sesame chicken sauce.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: in a large bowl, add chicken breast, cut into small pieces, and then add all of the seasonings: garlic powder, black pepper, cumin seeds, red chilli flakes, paprika and salt. then, add white vinegar, hot sauce, light soy sauce and oil and mix all of this into the chicken pieces until coated.

step two: then, to the same bowl, add cornstarch. mix this into the seasoned chicken until completely coated.

step three: preheat the air fryer. spray the air fryer basket with oil or line the air fryer basket.. place the coated chicken in a single layer in the basket. don’t overcrowd – work in batches if needed.

step four: (optional) spray the tops of the chicken pieces lightly with oil.

step five: air fry for 10-13 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through or switching sides halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and crispy.

step six: while the chicken cooks, we’ll move on to the honey sesame chicken sauce recipe – start off by melting butter in a pan over medium heat, and adding minced garlic and the chopped white part of a spring onion.

step seven: cook the garlic and the spring onion in the butter over low-medium heat until it becomes a light golden colour.

step eight: add the seasonings – the garlic powder, black pepper, red chilli flakes and paprika and mix them in. then, add the ketchup, light soy sauce, hot sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil and mix all of this until combined.

step nine: remove the pan from the heat and add the honey. mix the honey into the sauce until combined and smooth.

step ten: add the cooked chicken to the honey sesame chicken sauce and mix it into the sauce until coated.

step eleven: mix water and cornstarch to make a cornstarch slurry and add this to the pan. mix it in and let the sauce cook over low-medium heat until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

step twelve: serve your honey sesame chicken with rice or noodles, or with your choice of vegetables. garnish with extra sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

step thirteen: let’s eat!

tips and notes

• cut chicken into roughly equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly in the air fryer . make sure you don’t cut your chicken into chunks that are too thick or big. thick/big pieces of chicken will take longer to cook.

• i prefer to use chicken breast for this honey sesame chicken recipe, but chicken thighs are usually a bit juicier, so you can use thighs if you like.

• adjust any spices and seasonings to your taste – i tried to keep this honey sesame chicken recipe pretty balanced in terms of spice. but if you’RE WORRIED that this honey sesame chicken MIGHT BE TOO SPICY for you (or if you’D prefer it to be spicier), I WOULD recommend adjusting some of the seasonings (like the red chilli flakes or the hot sauce).

• thoroughly mix the sauces and spices into the chicken before adding the cornstarch. this will ensure that the chicken is evenly coated with the spices, and the flavour is consistent throughout.

• don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. cook the chicken in batches if needed to ensure the chicken gets crispy on all sides.

• this is optional, but you can spray the chicken with oil before air frying – this will help achieve a crispier result.

• feel free to adjust any of the spices in the honey sesame chicken glaze as well.

• if you’d like a sweeter honey sesame chicken sauce, you can add more honey if you like. or if the sauce is too sweet for you, feel free to reduce the amount of honey.

• the honey sesame chicken sauce thickens quickly once you add the cornstarch slurry, so watch it carefully and remove the pan from the heat as soon as the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

• toss the chicken in sauce right before serving. if the chicken sits in the sauce for too long, the crispy coating will soften. if you want to make honey sesame chicken meal prep bowls for weekly meal prep, i’d recommend storing the chicken and sauce separately and combining them when ready to eat.

frequently asked questions

1. what is honey sesame chicken ?

   – honey sesame chicken is a popular asian inspired dish featuring crispy chicken coated in a sweet and savory sauce made with honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. t’s similar to sesame chicken but sweeter thanks to the honey.

2. what does honey sesame chicken taste like ?

   – honey sesame chicken tastes like a perfect balance of sweet and savory! the honey provides sweetness, soy sauce adds umami saltiness, and sesame oil brings nutty depth. it’s sticky, slightly garlicky, and incredibly flavourful!

3. is this honey sesame chicken easy to make ?

   – yes! this honey sesame chicken is incredibly easy to make, only uses simple ingredients and has no complicated steps. you could make this easy recipe in 30 minutes for a quick lunch or dinner! if you really want to make this honey sesame chicken recipe easy and quick, you could also use frozen store-bought crispy chicken and air fry that and then toss it in the sauce for an extra quick meal.

4. can i use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast to make honey sesame chicken bowls ?

   – yes, you can absolutely use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. in fact, chicken thighs tend to be juicier and more tender, with more flavour too. just make sure they’re cut into the same small-sized pieces to make cooking easier.

5. is this honey sesame chicken fried in oil ?

   – this honey sesame chicken is not fried in oil – i make this honey sesame chicken in the air fryer. if you’d prefer to fry the honey sesame chicken to make it extra crispy, you can definitely do this!

6. can i make this honey sesame chicken in the oven instead of the air fryer ?

   – yes, you can, but just keep in mind that there may be some differences in texture. just spray the chicken with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) until golden and crispy.

7. how can i make this honey sesame chicken healthy ?

   – this honey sesame chicken recipe is already much healthier and lighter than the deep-fried version! if you want to make this as part of a full balanced meal, you can serve this honey sesame chicken with veggies of your choice as well as with rice or noodles. alternatively, for an even lighter and low-carb option, you can make honey sesame chicken lettuce cups and serve them with extra veggies!

8. can i adjust the amount of honey in the honey sesame chicken sauce recipe ?

   – yes, you can increase the amount of honey or reduce the amount of honey in the sauce depending on how sweet you want it. feel free to adjust any of the spices/seasonings in the sauce as well according to your taste.

9. can i make this honey sesame chicken ahead of time ?

   – this honey sesame chicken is best served fresh, but if made in advance, i’d recommend storing the chicken and the sauce separately. reheat the chicken in the air fryer until hot and crispy again, reheat the sauce in a pan with an extra splash of water and toss the chicken in the sauce before serving.

10. can i make this honey sesame chicken grilled instead of in the air fryer ?

    – yes, you can. if you want to make grilled honey sesame chicken instead, just marinate the chicken as stated in the recipe, skip the cornstarch, and grill for 6-7 minutes per side. brush with the honey sesame glaze while grilling.

11. what’s the difference between honey sesame chicken vs sesame chicken ?

    – the difference between honey sesame chicken and sesame chicken comes down to sweetness. honey sesame has more pronounced sweetness from the honey, while traditional sesame chicken is more savoury with just a touch of sugar.

12. what’s the difference between honey sesame chicken vs orange chicken ?

    – orange chicken has a bright citrus flavour from orange juice/zest and is tangier, while honey sesame is sweeter and has a more nutty sesame flavour.

13. how can i make honey sesame chicken lunch bowls ?

    – serve this honey sesame chicken with fried rice, steamed vegetables and edamame, and drizzle with extra sauce or any sauce of your choice for the perfect honey sesame chicken lunch bowl. ]

14. can i use this recipe to make honey sesame chicken tenders instead ?

    – absolutely! just keep an eye on cooking times as the timings will differ depending on the size of your chicken pieces.

15. can i make this honey sesame chicken with broccoli ?

    – absolutely! honey sesame chicken and broccoli would be a great combo, but you can also just serve this with any vegetables you like, e.g. honey sesame chicken and green beans would also work really well together!

16. what other sides would work well with this instead of rice ?

    – honey sesame chicken and rice is a classic combo, but if you’re looking for some other ideas, here are some great options:

    • honey sesame chicken with noodles and your favourite vegetables

    • honey sesame chicken ramen

    • honey sesame chicken salad with crispy chicken over a mix of vegetables and drizzled with extra sauce

17. is honey sesame chicken bad for you ?

    – compared to deep-fried versions, this honey sesame chicken is homemade and cooked in the air fryer, so it’s much lighter! you can make it even healthier by serving this honey sesame chicken with green beans and brown rice and extra vegetables.

recipe