A Super Easy Sesame Chicken Stir Fry, With Broccoli for Good Measure.
Sesame chicken is a staple of Chinese restaurants in America, and a big favorite especially at spots like P.F. Chang’s and Panda Express that serve up primarily Chinese-American dishes. You know the kind! Crispy pieces of tender, juicy chicken in sticky, savory, slightly sweet sauces. Well, sesame chicken is one of our very favorite go-to takeout orders, but we have come to really love making it at home, too! Not only is it speedy—stir fries usually are—but homemade sesame chicken from scratch is also healthier than what you’d get in a restaurant because the chicken is stir-fried instead of deep fried.
Sesame Chicken Sauce: The Key To Making Delicious Sesame Chicken
Sesame chicken is all about the yummy, honey-sweetened sesame chicken sauce that coats the stir fried chicken and broccoli pieces. Fresh garlic gives it a nice punch of sharpness, and sesame oil gives it a wonderful richness and depth. The cornstarch is a bit part of what makes it sticky enough to coat the chicken, so don’t skip it! Here’s what you’ll need to make the sauce:
- Cornstarch
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Chili-garlic paste
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Garlic cloves
5 Simple Sesame Chicken Ingredients
You’ll notice that, other than what you’ll need to make the sesame chicken sauce, all you really need otherwise is just chicken and broccoli! See? Making sesame chicken is actually super, super easy. It’s even made with pretty darn basic pantry ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2" cubes
- Kosher salt
- Cornstarch
- Sesame oil
- Broccoli
How to Make Sesame Chicken From Scratch
While some sesame chicken recipes call for you to batter and fry the chicken breast pieces, we’ve opted for a simple stir-fry. It’s healthier than deep frying, it’s not as messy, and we also think it results in a more delicious finished dish. How’s how to make easy sesame chicken with broccoli:
- Blanch the broccoli. You could even do this ahead of time, if you’re meal prepping.
- Coat the chicken pieces in salt and cornstarch.
- Make the sesame chicken sauce by whisking together all of the sauce ingredients.
- Brown the chicken. You’ll need to do it in two batches, so you don’t crowd the pan.
- Pour in the sauce and the broccoli and stir-fry to combine it all!
- Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions, and serve!
Tools You’ll Need:
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The next time the craving hits, try this sesame chicken recipe, and let us know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
