Air Fryer Sesame Chicken

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Air Fryer Sesame Chicken is sweet and sticky with crispy, bite-sized chicken smothered in a homemade sesame sauce! The sauce comes together in minutes and the air fryer results in crispy chicken with minimal oil. It’s so much better than take-out and a little healthier too!

Sesame chicken is a popular choice at a lot of Chinese-inspired take-out restaurants and it’s also one of our favorite meals to get when we treat ourselves to take-out!

Close up view of air fryer sesame chicken served with rice and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.

The one downside is that it’s typically deep-fried. So, ever since I made this healthier version of air fryer orange chicken and air fryer general tso's chicken, I’ve been wanting to try sesame chicken in the air fryer.

My only regret is waiting so long to try it because this sesame chicken is now one of our favorite air fryer meals!

The sauce is super easy to make, and the chicken turns out perfectly tender and crispy. You can have a large batch of healthier sesame chicken ready in less than an hour!

We usually serve it with coconut jasmine rice or Chinese fried rice, but steamed rice also works. Add some sous vide broccoli and you’ve got yourself a delicious dinner to cozy up with on a Friday night!

Check out the air fryer sesame chicken story!

Close up view of sesame chicken with a side of white rice.

Why this recipe works

The chicken is ultra crispy with minimal oil. Instead of frying in oil, the chicken is lightly sprayed with oil and air fried. The hot air circulating in the air fryer does most of the work to make the chicken super crispy.
The recipe calls for chicken thighs, which are a little cheaper than chicken breasts. If you’re looking to save a few dollars and cut back on take-out, you’ll love this easy recipe!
There’s no need to marinate the chicken and the recipe comes together in about 50 minutes! This includes time to make the sauce and air fry the chicken in three batches. It’s so quick and easy, you’ll want to add this recipe to the weekly dinner rotation!

What is an Air Fryer?

The Air Fryer is a healthier alternative to frying foods. It's basically a small, powerful convection oven that sits on your countertop.

It circulates hot air around the food you're cooking, which is what gives it that crisp texture that mimics fried food (without all the grease).

Read more about the health benefits of using an air fryer.

I personally use this Ninja MAX XL Air Fryer because it hold 5.5 quarts, which is more than most. It has worked great so far and we just love how easy it is to use!

Other air fryer recipes

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

You’ll need 1 pound of chicken thighs, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as I find it easier to cut them into small pieces, but if you only have bone-in and skin-on thighs, they totally work too. You can even substitute boneless, skinless chicken breast, but the dark meat on thighs tends to be more flavorful.

The chicken is tossed with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, which creates the signature crispy coating for sesame chicken.

The easy sesame sauce is made with garlic, sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and a cornstarch slurry.

I added two minced garlic cloves to the sauce, but if you like an extra garlicky sauce, feel free to add an extra clove.

Although it’s only one teaspoon, the sesame oil is key for the sauce, so I don’t recommend using another kind of oil. Sesame oil has a distinct flavor.

Brown sugar is added for sticky sweetness, but you can use coconut sugar as a substitute.

Soy sauce and rice vinegar are also key ingredients for flavor. In a pinch, you can substitute tamari for the soy sauce and white wine vinegar for the rice vinegar.

Step by step instructions

Mix the cornstarch and salt and toss it with the chicken pieces.

Spray the air fryer basket lightly with oil.

Place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer (you will need to cook in 2-3 batches).

Chicken pieces arranged in a single layer in an air fryer basket.

Spray the chicken lightly with oil.

Cook at 400F degrees for 11-13 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes, until golden brown on the outside.

Place in a bowl and do the same for the remaining batch(es).

Toss the cooked chicken with the sauce and serve with white rice (or fried rice), garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.

Air fried chicken pieces tossed with sesame sauce in a glass bowl.

How to make sesame sauce

Simmer all the ingredients, except the cornstarch slurry, for 3-5 minutes.

Make sure the cornstarch slurry has been mixed thoroughly, then slowly pour into the saucepan with the sauce, whisking constantly.

The sauce should thicken and become glossy.

Sesame sauce mixed together in a saucepan.

Expert tips

To spray the air fryer basket and the chicken, I recommend using a good quality spray oil. (Cooking sprays like PAM may damage your air fryer). I use this oil sprayer filled with my favorite oil.
If your air fryer model requires preheating, you should preheat it before adding the chicken (at least for the first batch).
Be sure to cut your chicken into the same size pieces (about 1 ½ inches in size) so they cook evenly.
To ensure even cooking, you’ll also want to air fry the chicken in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, this could mean air frying the chicken in 2-3 batches.
For evenly browned chicken, don’t forget to shake the basket a few times to toss the chicken around.
Each air fryer cooks a little differently, so you may need to adjust the temperature and air frying time slightly.
If your sesame sauce is too thin, add more cornstarch slurry. If it’s too thick, stir in a little water.
The sauce is sweet and a little salty. If you like it spicy, add a little chili paste.
For easy clean up, line the bottom of your air fryer basket with parchment paper. (You can get parchment paper with little holes in it that are made for air fryer baskets).

Close up of sesame chicken topped with sesame seeds.

Common questions

What temperature should you air fry chicken for sesame chicken?

For a crispy outer coating on the chicken, I recommend setting the temperature of your air fryer to 400F degrees.

How long does it take to cook sesame chicken in the air fryer?

At 400F degrees, it only takes 11-13 minutes to cook each batch of chicken. To be sure the chicken is done, use a meat thermometer to check. The internal temperature of the chicken pieces should be 165F degrees.

Can you use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?

Yes, you can substitute chicken breast for thighs in this recipe. Chicken breasts are leaner, so the chicken pieces may turn out a little drier. I prefer using chicken thighs as the dark meat is more flavorful.

How do you thicken the sesame sauce?

If your sesame sauce is too thin, you can thicken it by stirring in a little more cornstarch slurry. If it gets too thick, you can thin it out by stirring in some water.

Can you make sesame chicken in advance?

Once mixed together, the sauce soaks into the chicken, so the chicken doesn’t stay crispy for long. To make this meal in advance, I suggest making the sauce ahead of time but waiting to mix it with the chicken until just before serving.

What do you serve with sesame chicken?

You can serve it over steamed white rice, fried rice or this coconut jasmine rice We also usually serve it with some sesame seeds and chopped green onion sprinkled on top. A side of Instant Pot broccoli or Instant Pot cauliflower is also a delicious addition.

Overhead view of sesame chicken and rice in a bowl with chopsticks.

Storage and reheating

I think this sesame chicken is best enjoyed right away.

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just note that the leftover chicken will not stay crispy once reheated.

If you know you’re going to have leftovers, you should store the chicken and the sesame sauce separately. Then, you can reheat the chicken in the air fryer to get it crispy again, and heat the sauce on the stovetop. Mix together and enjoy!

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Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!