Easy Air Fryer Sesame Chicken (Better Than Takeout in 30 Minutes!)

Hello! I’m so excited to share one of my favorite recipes with you. If you love Chinese takeout but want a healthier, easy-to-make version at home, you’ve come to the right place. My Air Fryer Sesame Chicken recipe is a total game-changer!

This recipe gives you super crispy, golden chicken pieces without all the oil from deep-frying. And the sauce? It’s the perfect mix of sweet and savory, so sticky and delicious you’ll want to eat it with a spoon. I took a basic air fryer chicken recipe and made it extra special with a yummy sesame sauce.

We’ll toss the crunchy chicken pieces in that amazing sauce and top it all off with sesame seeds. Serve it with some fluffy rice and steamed veggies, and you have the perfect meal that your whole family will ask for again and again.

General Information

Particulars	Details
Preparation Time	15 min.
Cook Time	15 min.
Total Time	30 min.
Yields	4 servings
Difficulty	Easy
Total Calories	495 kcal (Per Serving)
Cuisine	Chinese-American

What you’ll love about this Air Fryer Sesame Chicken:

• Super Crispy Chicken: You get that amazing crispy crust on the chicken without having to deep-fry it. The air fryer makes it nice and crunchy with way less oil!
• The Best Sticky Sauce: I think the sauce is the best part! It’s just as good as the kind you get from your favorite Chinese restaurant.
• A Family Favorite: This is a meal everyone will love, even the kids! The sweet and savory flavor is always a big hit.
• Easy on Your Wallet: Making this at home is much cheaper than ordering takeout, and it uses simple ingredients you might already have in your pantry.

What ingredients do you need for Air Fryer Sesame Chicken?

Here are the simple ingredients you will need. I’ve also included some easy swaps you can make!

• Chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs, boneless skinless chicken breasts, or chicken tenders.
• All-purpose flour: Gluten-free flour can be a substitute if you need it.
• Soy sauce: You can substitute coconut aminos or tamari for a gluten-free or soy-free option.
• Brown sugar: This adds the perfect bit of sweetness to the sauce and helps make it thick. You can use coconut sugar instead.
• Rice vinegar: This is sometimes called rice wine vinegar. It adds a perfect tangy taste to the sesame sauce.
• Sesame oil: This adds a yummy nutty flavor. You can use walnut oil or avocado oil if you don’t have it.
• Cornstarch: You can use either cornstarch or arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce. I like to use arrowroot powder because it doesn’t get as clumpy.
• Sesame seeds: Add as many as you like! I love sesame seeds, so I always add a lot. They also make a great garnish on top!

How do you make Air Fryer Sesame Chicken?

Making this is so simple! Just follow these easy steps. I’ve broken it down so you know exactly what to do.

Here are the specific amounts you’ll need:

• Chicken: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6-8 oz each), cut into 1-inch cubes
• Flour Mixture: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp Kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper
• Sauce: 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Garnish: 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Make the Sauce: First, let’s make that yummy sauce. In a medium-sized pot, mix together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, water, and cornstarch. Whisk it until it’s smooth, then stir in the sesame oil. Heat the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. When it starts to bubble, lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes. The sauce will get thick and sticky. If it gets too thick, just add a tiny splash of water.
2. Coat the Chicken: While the sauce is simmering, get the chicken ready. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add your cubed chicken to the bowl and toss it around until every piece has a nice, even coating of flour. This is the secret to making it crispy!
3. Air Fry the Chicken: Turn on your air fryer and set it to 400°F (200°C). Place the coated chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer. It’s important not to overcrowd the basket, so you might need to cook the chicken in two batches. Air fry for 13-15 minutes, flipping the chicken pieces over about halfway through the cooking time. The chicken is done when it’s golden brown and cooked all the way through.
4. Toss and Serve: Once the chicken is cooked, carefully move it to a large bowl. Pour that delicious, warm sesame sauce all over the crispy chicken. Sprinkle in the sesame seeds and gently toss everything together until every piece is covered in that sticky goodness. Serve it right away!

Recipe Tips For Success

Here are a few of my favorite tips to make sure your sesame chicken comes out perfect every time!

• Don’t Crowd the Basket: For the crispiest chicken, cook it in a single layer in the air fryer. If you pile it up, it will steam instead of fry, and it won’t be as crunchy.
• Check Your Sauce: Keep an eye on the sauce as it simmers. If it looks like it’s getting too thick for your liking, just whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time until it’s perfect.
• Serve It Fresh: This dish is definitely best when it’s served immediately. The chicken is at its crispiest right out of the air fryer, so have your plates and rice ready to go!
• Use a Big Bowl for Tossing: When it’s time to mix the chicken and sauce, use a big bowl. It gives you plenty of room to toss everything together without making a mess.

Recipe Serving Suggestions

This sesame chicken is best served fresh and hot while the chicken is still at its crispiest! While it’s a perfect meal all by itself, I love to serve it with a few simple side dishes to make it a complete and satisfying dinner.

• Fluffy Rice: My favorite way to serve this is over a bed of warm Steamed Rice or Perfect Brown Rice. The rice is fantastic for soaking up every last drop of that delicious sesame sauce.
• Takeout-Style Appetizers: If you want to create a full takeout-at-home experience, try making some fun appetizers to go with it! Crispy Cream Cheese Rangoons or Baked Shrimp & Cream Cheese Rangoons are always a huge hit at my house.

How do you store leftover sesame chicken?

If you happen to have any leftovers, you can easily save them for later. Just put the chicken in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.

When you’re ready to eat it again, the best way to reheat it is in the air fryer! This helps make the chicken crispy again. Just put the leftovers in the air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 3-4 minutes until they are heated through. It works so much better than a microwave, which can make the coating a bit soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to a few common questions I get about this recipe.

Can I put raw chicken in the air fryer?

Yes, of course! An air fryer cooks raw chicken perfectly and safely. It works like a small, strong oven. For this recipe, we put the raw, coated chicken pieces directly into the air fryer, and it cooks them all the way through, making them juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

What is the sesame chicken sauce made of?

The sauce is a simple mix of yummy ingredients. It gets its savory, salty flavor from soy sauce, its sweetness from brown sugar, a little bit of tang from rice vinegar, and its special nutty taste from sesame oil. We also use a little cornstarch to help it get wonderfully thick and sticky.

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

For 1-inch chicken cubes like we use in this recipe, it takes about 13-15 minutes at 400°F (200°C). The time might be a little different depending on your specific air fryer model and the exact size of your chicken pieces, but that’s a great starting point. You’ll know it’s done when it’s golden brown and cooked through.

Final Words

And that’s all there is to it! Now you know how to make an incredibly easy and delicious Air Fryer Sesame Chicken that I think is even better than takeout. It’s one of my absolute favorite meals to make during a busy week because it feels special but doesn’t take a lot of work.

I really hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we do in my house. Happy cooking!

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