Honey Sesame Chicken: Crispy Bites in a Sticky Takeout-Style Sauce

Ingredients

Chicken thighs stay juicier, but breasts give the classic takeout texture. Cut pieces about 1 inch so they cook quickly and evenly.

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch
• Neutral oil for pan-frying
• Sauce: 1/4 cup (85 g) honey, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• Sliced green onions to finish

Method

Toss the chicken with the egg and salt, then with the cornstarch until each piece is coated. Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches, without crowding, for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden, crisp and cooked to 165°F. Drain on a rack.

Pour off all but a teaspoon of oil, lower the heat to medium and add the garlic for 20 seconds. Add the honey, soy sauce, vinegar and ketchup, bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until thick and glossy. Turn off the heat, add the chicken, sesame oil and sesame seeds, and toss quickly. Serve right away, while the coating is crisp.

Baked and air-fryer versions

For less oil, bake or air-fry the coated chicken, then toss in the sauce.

Keeping the sauce from burning

Honey sauces thicken and brown quickly. Keep the heat at medium once the honey goes in, have the slurry ready, and take the pan off the heat before adding the chicken. If the sauce thickens too much, loosen it with a tablespoon of water. Toasting sesame seeds separately in a dry pan, until fragrant and golden, gives far more flavor than raw seeds.

Which honey to use

A light, mild honey gives the classic flavor: Clover or Orange Blossom, which adds a citrus note that works well with sesame. Pure Raw gives a rounder, warmer sauce. Avoid very dark honeys here; they can make the sauce taste bitter against the sesame oil.

What to serve with it

Steamed white or brown rice, fried rice, noodles, steamed broccoli, snap peas or a cucumber salad. For variations on the theme, try honey garlic chicken or honey walnut shrimp.

Make-ahead and leftovers

To get ahead, cut and coat the chicken up to a few hours early and keep it in the fridge on a tray, and mix the sauce in a jar. Frying and tossing then takes about 15 minutes. Leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, though the coating softens. Reheat in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes rather than the microwave to bring back some crunch, and refresh the sauce with a splash of water.