Shortcut Sesame Chicken

Square overhead shot of a bowl of sesame chicken with rice

5 from 1 vote

This sesame chicken recipe takes advantage of store-bought shortcuts for an easy dinner that's better than Chinese takeout – and ready in less than30 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Chinese

Keyword honey sesame chicken, sesame chicken, sesame chicken recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings - 6 people

Calories 429kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (24 ounce) bag frozen popcorn chicken (such as Tyson brand)

FOR THE SAUCE:

⅓ cup less-sodium soy sauce
½ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Optional, for serving: cooked rice; sliced green onions; sesame seeds

Instructions

Bake the chicken according to the package instructions.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a large measuring cup (or small bowl), whisk together the soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Thai sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, cornstarch, and garlic powder.
When there are about 5 minutes left in the chicken’s cooking time, heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sauce mixture to the skillet; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking frequently, for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat, add the baked chicken to the pan, and toss to coat with the sauce.
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with rice, if desired.

Notes

If the sauce gets too thick while simmering, use water or chicken broth to thin the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency.
For a thicker sauce, simmer a little bit longer, or gradually add a little bit more cornstarch.
Don't omit the sesame oil. This particular oil gives the dish its signature Asian flavor, which is toasty, nutty, and very unique. Other oils (such as vegetable oil or canola oil) will not achieve the same taste.
Garnish the finished dish with sesame seeds (toasted or untoasted is fine), as well as scallions. These add texture and flavor that make the homemade meal taste like an authentic sesame chicken recipe!
The sauce is fairly salty on its own, so wait until you taste it to decide if it needs any additional salt and pepper.
Instead of using frozen popcorn chicken, try frozen chicken tenders or frozen chicken nuggets. You can dice the larger pieces of chicken into smaller bite-size pieces.
If you have the time, you can bread and fry your own boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs from scratch to use in this recipe.
For a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half so that you're preparing less chicken and less sauce. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.

Nutrition