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Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Simple Selfmade Sesame Hen – Budgetbytes.com


This Simple Sesame Hen recipe is really easy that you just’ll be tempted to toss these take-out menus (critically, I can’t keep in mind the final time I ordered sesame hen since I first posted this recipe practically 12 years in the past!!) The deliciously candy and savory sauce takes only some substances, all of which you’ll be able to preserve available indefinitely (I at all times preserve my ginger within the freezer). You recognize, simply in case you want a few of this hen, like, now. Oh, and this take-out fake-out recipe is one among my favorites in my weekly meal prep, too.

Overhead view of sesame chicken in bowls with rice.Overhead view of sesame chicken in bowls with rice.

“Um, wow. Simply improbable. My husband made it in his forged iron skillet and we doubled the batch – we’re unhappy we didn’t triple it! Really easy and engaging!”

Mary Farrow

Simple Sesame Hen Recipe

In case you’re unfamiliar with this Chinese language-American quick meals traditional, sesame hen is small items of tender hen which have been coated in an egg and cornstarch, deep-fried till crispy, after which coated in a deliciously candy, salty, and tangy sauce. The sauce additionally has a light-weight however toasty taste, because of sesame seeds.

Nonetheless, I particularly wrote this recipe for these of you on the market who hate deep frying as a lot as I do. My recipe makes use of a really small quantity of oil to prepare dinner the hen, and due to that, you don’t get tremendous crispy edges as you’d with a deep fry…however the trade-off is WELL value it, for my part. No leftover oil to cope with, no cooking oil scent filling your own home, and no splattering oil attempting to kill you. So value sacrificing crispy edges (and it’s simply as scrumptious!)😉


Simple Sesame Hen

This Simple Sesame Hen recipe is quicker and tastier than takeout. Tender hen coated in a selfmade candy, savory, and tangy sauce.

Overhead view of easy sesame chicken, topped with sliced green onions in a skillet.Overhead view of easy sesame chicken, topped with sliced green onions in a skillet.

Forestall your display from going darkish

Sauce

  • ¼ cup soy sauce ($0.20)
  • 2 Tbsp water ($0.00)
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil ($0.32)
  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar** ($0.30)
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar ($0.14)
  • 1 tsp grated recent ginger*** ($0.10)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.08)
  • ½ Tbsp cornstarch ($0.03)
  • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds ($0.10)

Hen

  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
  • 1 lb boneless skinless hen thighs* ($3.48)
  • 1 giant egg ($0.67)
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.06)
  • 1 pinch every salt and pepper ($0.05)

For Serving

  • 4 cups cooked jasmine rice ($0.97)
  • 2 entire inexperienced onions ($0.20)

  • First, put together the sauce. In a small bowl stir collectively the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, recent ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and sesame seeds. (Grate the ginger with a small-holed cheese grater). Set the sauce apart.

  • In a big bowl, whisk collectively the egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Trim any extra fats from the hen thighs, then lower them into small 1 inch items. Toss the hen within the egg and cornstarch combination.

  • Add the cooking oil to a big skillet and warmth it over medium flame. Wait till the skillet may be very sizzling, then swirl the skillet to verify the oil coats the complete floor. Add the batter coated hen and unfold it out right into a single layer over the floor of the skillet.

  • Enable the hen items to prepare dinner, undisturbed, till golden brown on the underside. Then, fastidiously flip the hen, breaking apart the items into smaller clumps as you flip. Proceed to prepare dinner the hen till golden brown on the opposite aspect. Stir the hen as little as attainable to keep away from breaking the egg coating from the floor of the hen.

  • As soon as the hen is cooked by means of and golden brown on all sides, pour the sauce over prime. Toss the hen to coat within the sauce. Because the sauce comes as much as a simmer, it should start to thicken. Proceed to softly stir the hen within the sauce till it has thickened, then flip off the warmth.

  • Serve the hen over a mattress of rice and sprinkle the sliced inexperienced onions over prime.

See how we calculate recipe prices right here.


  • Non Stick Cookware

  • Grater

  • Shade Reducing Boards

*I exploit hen thighs for this recipe as a result of they keep juicy and tremendous tender with out concern of drying out, and so they’re very budget-friendly. You need to use hen breast if most well-liked; simply watch out to not overcook the hen.
**Brown sugar gives sweetness to stability the salt of the soy sauce and the acidity of the vinegar. Brown sugar has a deep taste in comparison with the extra one-dimensional taste of white sugar. You can even use honey instead of the brown sugar.
***Ginger provides the sauce zing! You’ll want to use recent ginger, not dried ginger, because it has a way more peppery taste. Maintain recent ginger in your freezer to at all times have it available with out it going dangerous.
The dietary data contains the cooked jasmine rice and sliced inexperienced onions.

Serving: 1servingEnergy: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 30gFats: 18gSodium: 945mgFiber: 1g

Learn our full vitamin disclaimer right here.

the way to make Sesame Hen step-by-step photographs

The ingredients for sesame chicken.The ingredients for sesame chicken.

Collect your entire substances.

Soy sauce, sesame seeds and seasonings in a bowl.Soy sauce, sesame seeds and seasonings in a bowl.

Prep the sauce: Make the sauce first, so it’s able to go if you want it. In a bowl, stir collectively 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp grated recent ginger, 2 minced cloves of garlic, ½ Tbsp cornstarch, and 1 Tbsp sesame seeds.

A hand holding a bottle of toasted sesame oil.A hand holding a bottle of toasted sesame oil.

Let’s simply speak about this toasted sesame oil for a second. It’s essential to get the type that’s toasted to get the tremendous vibrant nutty taste that you really want in your sesame hen. Not all manufacturers really say “toasted” on the bottle, however you possibly can acknowledge the toasted selection by its deep brown colour. Common sesame oil would be the colour of straw, like vegetable oil. You need the brown stuff. 😉 It’s often within the worldwide meals aisle, as a substitute of the baking aisle with the opposite oils.

Diced raw chicken thighs on a meat preparation mat.Diced raw chicken thighs on a meat preparation mat.

Minimize the hen: Subsequent, trim any additional fats off of 1 pound of boneless, skinless hen thighs, then lower them into small one inch cubes. One pound for me was about three hen thighs.

A cracked egg, corn starch, and seasonings in a mixing bowl.A cracked egg, corn starch, and seasonings in a mixing bowl.

Make the cornstarch combine: Add 1 giant egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a medium bowl.

Raw diced chicken breast in a bowl with the cornstarch and egg mixture.Raw diced chicken breast in a bowl with the cornstarch and egg mixture.

Coat the hen: Whisk the egg and cornstarch collectively till it’s mild and frothy. It might appear thick at first, however because the cornstarch dissolves within the egg, it should skinny out and get good and frothy. Add the cubed hen thighs and stir them to coat within the egg combination.

This mix of cornstarch and egg coats the hen, conserving it tender and offering one thing for the sauce to seize onto. This method of coating meat in a cornstarch combination known as “velveting.”

Coated chicken thigh pieces cooking in a skillet.Coated chicken thigh pieces cooking in a skillet.

Prepare dinner the hen: Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil to a big skillet and warmth it over medium. Wait till it is extremely sizzling. That is VERY vital. The skillet should be highly regarded! As soon as highly regarded, swirl the skillet to verify the oil coats the complete floor, add the hen, and ensure it’s unfold out right into a single layer. Let the hen prepare dinner, undisturbed, till golden brown on the underside. It would form of prepare dinner right into a single spherical pancake, however don’t fear, we’ll break up the items subsequent.

Browned chicken thigh pieces in a skillet.Browned chicken thigh pieces in a skillet.

Then fastidiously flip the hen items, breaking them up barely into smaller items as you flip. Prepare dinner on the opposite aspect till browned and cooked by means of. Be certain that to not stir them an excessive amount of, or you possibly can trigger the egg to return off the hen. You’ll be able to see that a few of the hen items are nonetheless form of caught collectively at this level. That’s okay. Simply don’t over stir.

The sesame and soy sauce mix added to the cooked chicken thigh pieces in a skillet to make sesame chicken.The sesame and soy sauce mix added to the cooked chicken thigh pieces in a skillet to make sesame chicken.

Add the sauce and serve: Lastly, add the ready sauce and stir to coat. Proceed to fastidiously stir the hen because the sauce begins to simmer and thicken. As soon as it’s thickened, flip off the warmth.

Sprinkle some sliced inexperienced onions over prime and serve with heat jasmine rice. It doesn’t get higher than this. Simple sesame hen…finished in about half-hour, and NO DELIVERY FEE! 😁

Overhead close up of homemade sesame chicken in a skillet with a serving spoon.Overhead close up of homemade sesame chicken in a skillet with a serving spoon.

serving options

I like serving my straightforward sesame hen with a aspect of jasmine rice and just a little steamed broccoli. It’s an excellent easy meal that may be very satisfying and shops nicely for meal prep! In case you’re searching for some enjoyable sides, I believe it additionally pairs splendidly with my refreshing crunchy cabbage salad or a light-weight and tangy sesame cucumber salad. For one thing heat, a bowl of dumpling soup can be scrumptious. And should you’re within the temper for one thing additional flavorful, strive utilizing coconut rice to essentially spherical out the meal!

Storage and Reheating

Retailer any leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3-4 days. The hen may also freeze nicely in a freezer-safe container for as much as 3 months. Let it thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating. I often simply reheat my leftovers within the microwave for a fast and straightforward meal! Simply be certain that the hen is heated all over earlier than serving.

Our Simple Sesame Hen recipe was initially revealed 8/4/13. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be higher than ever 3/17/25.

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