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Honey sesame chicken is a really simple and delicious take-out style dish that can be made in the air fryer. The chicken is seasoned with a few common Asian ingredients and coated in potato starch before being air fried. This recipe is perfect for those quick weeknight meals.
Honey Sesame Chicken: A Sweet and Savory Asian Delight
Honey Sesame Chicken combines crispy fried chicken with a glossy, sweet, and savory sauce. The star ingredients, honey and sesame, create a perfect balance of natural sweetness and nutty depth. This dish is elevated by a hint of soy sauce and garlic, adding umami to the mix. The chicken stays tender inside with a crunchy coating that soaks up the sticky sauce beautifully. Topped with toasted sesame seeds, it’s a crowd-pleaser for family dinners or special occasions. Perfect with steamed rice, Honey Sesame Chicken is a flavorful classic that’s easy to recreate at home.
The Evolution of Chinese Takeout: From Tradition to Global Phenomenon
Chinese takeout began as humble immigrant fare in the 19th century. Chinese immigrants adapted dishes to local tastes. Popular dishes like General Tso’s Chicken and Chow Mein emerged during this period. Over time, Chinese takeout became known for quick, flavorful, and affordable meals. Iconic red-and-white boxes symbolize this cuisine worldwide. Today, Chinese takeout blends authentic regional dishes with creative fusion innovations. It reflects the resilience and creativity of Chinese food culture. This evolution makes it a global favorite.
Key ingredients/steps for honey sesame chicken
Five spice powder: Five spice powder is a combination of cinnamon, fennel, star anise, peppercorns and other spices. That being said, it is a very strong spice used in traditional Chinese cooking and a little goes a long way.
Shaoxing rice wine: Shaoxing rice wine is a very popular rice wine used to marinate meats. It helps tenderize the meat and can be substituted with sake.
Corn starch: I like to add corn starch in the marinade because it acts as a thickening agent which makes the coating process easier.
Potato starch: Potato starch is usually my coating starch of choice because it is a coarse grain of starch which adds to the crispiness of the chicken. This is not necessary and can be substituted with corn starch.
Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is also one of those ingredients that you don’t need to add much of to get amazing flavor from. I always add sesame oil at the very end because once sesame oil is cooked, it loses its aroma.
Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ lbs chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ tsp five spice powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 large egg
Coating
- ½ cup potato starch
Sauce ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp water
Garnish
- sesame seeds
- green onions
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes and marinate in all the chicken ingredients.1½ lbs chicken thighs, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine, ½ tsp five spice powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 large egg
- Allow the chicken to marinate for a few hours, but if you don't have time just skip this step.
- Coat completely in potato starch then place in the air fryer, spray with oil, and air fry at 400F for 12 minutes.½ cup potato starch
- Once the chicken is done cooking, throw the sauce ingredients in a pan over med-high heat and allow to simmer.¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp corn starch, 2 tbsp water
- Add the chicken in the pan then turn up the heat to high and toss.
- Once chicken is thoroughly coated in sauce, add a drizzle of sesame oil and top with green onions and sesame seeds to serve.sesame seeds, green onions
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