Honey sesame chicken is one of those dishes that perfectly balances sweet, savory, and just a little bit of crunch. With tender pieces of chicken coated in a sticky honey glaze and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, it delivers big flavor with every bite. Often found on takeout menus, this dish is surprisingly easy to enjoy at home, and it’s one that the whole family tends to love.
At the heart of the dish is the chicken, usually cut into bite-sized chunks and lightly coated in cornstarch or flour before being pan-fried or baked. This coating gives the chicken a lightly crispy texture, which holds up beautifully once the sauce is added. The cooking method can be adjusted depending on how light or crispy you want the final result to be.
The sauce is where the magic happens. A combination of honey, soy sauce, garlic, and a touch of vinegar creates a rich glaze that clings to the chicken. The honey brings a gentle sweetness that’s perfectly balanced by the salty soy sauce and the sharpness of the vinegar. Garlic adds depth, while a pinch of chili flakes or sriracha can introduce just the right amount of heat if you’re looking for a spicier version.
Once the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze, it’s poured over the cooked chicken and tossed until every piece is coated. A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds adds nutty flavor and a subtle crunch, while chopped green onions bring freshness and color to the dish.
Honey sesame chicken is often served over steamed rice or with stir-fried vegetables, making it a complete and satisfying meal. It’s the kind of dish that feels indulgent but is surprisingly simple to prepare. Whether you’re cooking for a weeknight dinner or serving guests something flavorful and crowd-pleasing, honey sesame chicken hits all the right notes with its combination of sweetness, saltiness, and just the right amount of umami.
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar rice or white
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix well and let it marinate for 10 minutes.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the remaining soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and vinegar. Stir to combine.
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat with the glaze. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the chicken is well coated and heated through.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve hot over rice or noodles.
This honey sesame chicken is amazing! I made it for my family and they asked for seconds. Definitely making it again!
Chicken breast is too dry. Should’ve used thighs. Just my opinion.
This was sooo good! My whole family loved it. Will make again.
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s a family favorite at our house too. 🍽️
Really? I tried this recipe and it didn’t turn out great for me. Chicken was rubbery. 🤔
This was way too sweet for my taste. Maybe use less honey next time.
This is like fast takeout at home. I served it with noodles and it tasted way better than I expected.
Totally agree—my kitchen version always tastes better than it “should” for how quick it is. I served mine with rice and the glaze got so sticky and good!
Doesn’t look like the picture at all. Taste was okay, but I expected more…
Meh, I’ve tried better Honey Sesame Chicken at restaurants. This recipe looks too simple to be that good. Maybe it’s just one of those things.
I totally understand! The presentation can be really misleading sometimes. Nice to hear the taste was okay though. Did you make any adjustments?
Yummy! Quick and easy recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I can’t wait to try this! Looks so simple and delish!
My kids loved it! They ate it all up! Will definitely make again!
That’s awesome! I’m glad your kids enjoyed it! It’s such a tasty recipe! 😊
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast? Just curious!
Honey chicken is my fav! But this recipe confused me a bit with the steps.
I’m skeptical about 2 tbsp cornstarch for 500g chicken—felt like it needed more to get a proper crust. It was still good though.
Huh, I tried this once and thought it was perfect. Maybe 2 tbsp is enough because you’re only marinating 10 minutes and then frying hot. Did you pat the chicken dry or was it still a little wet?
Totally get the skepticism—2 tbsp cornstarch for 500g sounds a bit light if you want that thick, shattery crust. I usually add a little extra or make sure it gets fully coated and not too wet.
Took me an hour to prepare! Maybe I’m just slow.
Good flavor, but mine got a little too thick when I added the honey—maybe my heat was too high. Next time I’ll keep it slightly lower and stir more.
Yeah, honey can thicken up fast—especially if the pan runs too hot. I’ve had that happen too. I now add the honey a bit lower heat and stir constantly so it stays glossy.
Love it! Simple and delicious. I put it on noodles instead and it was perfect.
Looks good, but can you really swap rice for noodles? I’ve never seen that in recipes before.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Noodles sound like a great twist. I’ll have to try that next time.
This is basically sweet-and-salty chicken, but the garlic + sesame oil combo is legit. I served it with noodles and it felt restaurant-y.
Really easy and quick recipe! I added some broccoli for extra veggies.
That sounds yummy! I love adding extra veggies too. Broccoli is a great choice!
Quick? Really? I don’t think it can be that simple. Are you sure it tastes good?
Looks easy, but I messed it up! Chicken was undercooked. Need better instructions.
This was a hit! My kids gobbled it up. Will definitely make again.
I didn’t have sesame oil, so I used olive oil instead… was not great. The flavor was off.
Too sweet for my taste. I think next time I’ll cut down on the honey.
I agree! It’s super sweet! Maybe try using a less honey next time or even replace some with soy sauce!
It’s okay, but the soy sauce amount felt like a lot? Mine turned out saltier than I expected even after tossing with the glaze.
So good! I paired it with noodles like suggested. Yum! 😋
Maybe I did something wrong, but my sauce didn’t thicken at all. Still tasted okay though, just more like a glaze you drizzle instead of coats.
I’m not usually a sesame person, but this was actually tasty. The vinegar at the end makes it feel less sweet and more balanced.
Totally agree—I’ve never been big on sesame either, but that rice vinegar at the end really cuts the sweetness. Makes it taste more “savory” than dessert-y.
Hmm I tried something like this and it came out kinda too sweet for me. Maybe I used more honey than called for? Still, the garlic + sesame oil combo is nice. I might add a bit more vinegar next time.
This was the best honey sesame chicken I’ve ever made! The glaze is delicious!
Not bad, but my glaze separated a bit. I think the pan was too hot when I added honey? Still ate it all lol.
Followed it exactly and it was delicious. My only change: I toasted the sesame seeds a bit longer so they were darker and more nutty.
I don’t know, it was kinda bland. I expected more flavor. Maybe add more soy sauce?
Honey sesame chicken… sounds like a chain restaurant dish. Still tasty, just not mind-blowing.
1) Too much honey 2) Sesame oil should be last (mine burned). I don’t hate it, but I’d tweak it a lot.
Turned out sticky-sweet in the best way. The honey glaze clings really nicely to the chicken. I used rice vinegar and it still worked great.
Yes!! I love when honey glaze actually clings instead of sliding off. Glad rice vinegar worked for you—I was worried it’d mess with the sweetness.
Sticky-sweet is ok, but I always think honey can burn. Did you lower the heat at the glazing step? My honey usually turns darker fast lol.
Only gave 3 stars because the cornstarch coating was kind of uneven on my pieces. Also I toasted the sesame too long and they got bitter. Lesson learned.
Pretty tasty, but mine got a little too thick when I let the honey reduce too long. Next time I’ll reduce the cooking time in step 4 or add a splash of water.
Had a hard time with the timing. Chicken ended up overcooked. Maybe the heat was too high?
Sounds like a tough experience! Always tricky with timing. Maybe try lowering the heat next time? Chicken can get dry real quick.
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical about the cornstarch frying, but it actually gives a nice coating. Texture was really good.
That’s exactly what I’ve found too—cornstarch sounds weird until it turns into that crispy-ish coating. Glad it worked for you!
delicious! But what’s with the vinegar? Can I use lemon juice?
So sticky-sweet and savory! The honey glaze really clings to the chicken. I served it over rice and it was gone in minutes.
The flavors were nice but I don’t like soy sauce that much. Too salty.
I get what you mean! Soy sauce can be really overpowering. Have you tried making it without it? Just a thought!
I liked the sesame oil and vinegar balance. It doesn’t taste flat at all. Slightly sweet for me, so I’d use a bit less honey next time.
Five stars. So good!!
Wow five stars?? I tried something similar but I think I used too much vinegar—mine came out kinda tangy. Yours must be spot on though.
Love to hear that! The honey sesame glaze is such a good combo—glad it worked out for you 😊
Love it! This is one of my favorite recipes now!!! ❤️
Ehh, didn’t really like. It was just okay.
Couldn’t find sesame oil, used peanut oil—still tasty, but the aroma wasn’t the same. Recipe is solid though.
This is the first time I’ve used rice vinegar and it actually works here. Sesame seeds at the end made it feel fancy.
Made this last night—super sticky sweet glaze and the sesame flavor really pops. I marinated the full 10 minutes like the recipe said and it came out tender.
Honestly one of those “oh wow” recipes. The garlic step smells amazing and the sauce clings perfectly to the chicken pieces.
Too sweet for me, I’d cut honey in half. Also sesame oil is strong—went a little heavy and it overpowered the soy.
The mix of soy + honey + vinegar is a nice combo. I used rice vinegar because that’s what I had and it still worked. Great weeknight dinner.
Followed the steps exactly and it came out great. 6–8 minutes was perfect for my bite-sized pieces. Would make again.
Good flavor, but mine got a little too dark on the honey step—maybe my heat was high. Next time I’ll keep it more medium and watch closely.
Hmm mine too—maybe the honey burns quicker than the recipe says. I think next time I’ll turn it down sooner. Also I used maple instead once… did not work 😅
Totally agree—honey caramelizes fast. I started doing the honey step off-heat for like 30 seconds then back on low, and it stopped going dark.
Mine burned garlic after 1 minute 😭. I think my pan was hotter than medium-high. Still tasted decent, just a bit bitter.
Oof, I’ve done that—garlic goes from “fragrant” to “burnt” so fast 😭. I usually sauté it on medium (or even medium-low) and keep an eye on it, like 20–40 seconds. Still, glad it tasted decent!