This easy crispy air fryer sesame chicken recipe is a weeknight staple and it’s so simple! Pieces of chicken, lightly coated in flour and air fried until crispy and tender. Then tossed in a quick, homemade sesame sauce and extra sesame seeds. This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make and uses mostly pantry staples.
Make you favorite takeout recipe from the comfort of your own kitchen and without the mess of frying in oil. Serve with roasted broccoli, stir fried veggies, steamed rice, or on it’s own.
You might also like my air fryer teriyaki chicken or orange chicken! Find all of my chicken and air fryer recipes here for more inspiration!
Recipe Highlights
- Family favorite: kids and adults will love this dish! I like to serve with different topping and side dish ideas so everyone can create their own white rice or noodle bowl! This dish is also a great source of protein for everyone.
- Healthier alternative to takeout: enjoy crispy, tender sesame chicken made without the mess of oil, thanks to the air fryer and a homemade sauce cuts out extra sugar and preservatives.
- Quick and easy: ready in 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights or weekend cravings.
- Customizable: Adjust the sweetness or heat level of the sauce to suit your taste with a dash of chili flakes or extra brown sugar.
- Budget friendly: making this dish at home is much more affordable then buying the fast food version. Chicken breasts can be a very budget friendly cut and they are so versatile. Serving this with steamed rice makes a filling complete meal that won’t break the bank.
What is Air Fryer Sesame Chicken
This popular dish checks all the boxes, its crispy, crunchy, salty and sweet. It reminds me exactly of the takeout dish, minus the greasy coating! Lightly breaded chicken bites air fried until golden brown and tossed in a homemade sauce. I love this dish served over steamed rice with extra sauce and a drizzle of soy sauce.
Leftover chicken doesn’t get as crispy but it still reheats well and any leftover sauce can be stored for later use. It’s great for dipping grilled chicken, sautéed veggies, egg rolls, or meatballs!
Recipe Tips For Success
- Air fry in a single layer, so each chunk is crispy and tender not soggy!
- Evenly coat chicken pieces in the flour mixture so each piece has an even coating.
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce as desired, if it is too thick, thin with a bit of water.
- Serve chicken immediately after air frying.
- Use a large bowl to toss in sauce and sesame seeds!
Key Ingredients
This recipe is made with just a handful of simple ingredients, several you may already have in your pantry. If a ingredient has a substitute, you’ll find it below:
- Chicken: use boneless skinless chicken thighs, boneless skinless chicken breasts, or chicken tenders.
- All-purpose flour: gluten-free flour can be a substitute if needed.
- Soy sauce: 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 thicken it. Substitute coconut sugar.
- Rice vinegar: also called rice wine vinegar or mirin, this adds the perfect tangy touch to the sesame sauce.
- Sesame oil: this adds a nice nutty flavor. Substitute walnut oil or avocado oil.
- Cornstarch: use either cornstarch or arrowroot powder. I often prefer arrowroot powder as my thickener as it doesn’t get as clumpy.
- Sesame seeds: add as many as you like! I love sesame seeds and tend to go overboard, so use at your own discretion – these make a great garnish as well.
How To Make The Sesame Chicken
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Easy Crispy Air Fryer Sesame Chicken Recipe (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Combine ingredients for sesame sauce and simmer until thick.
- Coat chicken in flour, salt, and pepper. Air fry until crispy.
- Toss chicken with sesame sauce and seeds. Enjoy!
- In a medium saucepan, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, corn starch, water, and sesame oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to bubble. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer 8-10 minutes until thick and reduced. If the sauce is to thick, thin with a little more water.
2. In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Toss the cubed chicken in the flour mixture to evenly coat.
3. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Once preheated, add the chicken into the air fryer basket in a single layer*. Air fry for 13-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done when it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
4. Transfer cooked chicken to a large mixing bowl, drizzle in the sesame sauce, and sesame seeds. Toss to combine.
5. Serve over steamed rice. Leftover chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Tools I Recommend
- Instant 6 qt. Air Fryer – Sleek and functional, the perfect size for 2-3 people. I like this because it has a tray in the bottom which make cleaning easy and it allows for air to circulate evenly. It has a large tray so you don’t have to do so many batches and a window to see into the air fryer while cooking! Any brand of air fryer will work for this recipe.
- Enamel Saucepan: I use this small saucepan for whipping up homemade sauce, warming milk or cream, or reheating soup. I love the look and the coating has stayed non-stick for a while.
- Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowl Set – I love this set of nesting bowls. I use them for everything, Pyrex glass does not break easily so you can trust on these bowls for years, plus they come in 3 useful sizes and can be stacked!
More Delicious Air Fryer Recipes
The air fryer is such a versatile counter top appliance, I use mine for side dishes, main dishes, fun apps, and even desserts. Get creative with your air fryer and try these recipes:
Recipe Serving Suggestions
The best way to serve this sesame chicken is fresh out of the air fryer while warm and crispy. If you’re looking to elevate the chicken, try serving them with some of these fresh side dishes or easy rice to make a more complete meal.
- Perfect Brown Rice – easy rice without a rice cooker!
- Crispy Cream Cheese Rangoons – a fun and easy appetizer to serve with your chicken.
- Steamed Rice – failproof rice without a rice cooker or steamer, this is super light and fluffy.
- Baked Shrimp & Cream Cheese Rangoons – make takeout at home complete with this side!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This sesame chicken goes into the air fryer raw, dusted in flour and comes out perfectly crispy. Just make sure chicken temps at 165 degrees F. before eating.
This homemade sesame sauce is made of soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, and cornstarch. It takes just minutes to mix up and reduces into a thick sauce.
Depending on the size and thickness of the chicken, it usually takes between 12-18 minutes to cook chicken in the air fryer. This sesame chicken recipe is done in about 13-15 as the pieces are cut smaller. If using bone-in chicken, it can take slightly longer. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F.
Cooking Tip
For extra crispy chicken, air fry in a single layer so each piece gets crispy and not soggy!
Easy Crispy Air Fryer Sesame Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 6-8 oz. Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
For the sesame sauce:
- 1/4 cup Soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup Light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1/4 cup Sesame seeds
Instructions
For the sesame sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, corn starch, water, and sesame oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to bubble. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer 8-10 minutes until thick and reduced. If the sauce is to thick, thin with a little more water.1/4 cup Soy sauce, 1/4 cup Rice wine vinegar , 1/2 cup Light brown sugar, packed , 1/3 cup Water, 1 tbsp Cornstarch , 1 tbsp Sesame oil
For the chicken:
- In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Toss the cubed chicken in the flour mixture to evenly coat.1/4 cup All-purpose flour , Fresh cracked black pepper , 1 tsp Kosher salt, 2 6-8 oz. Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Once preheated, add the chicken into the air fryer basket in a single layer*. Air fry for 13-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done when it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a large mixing bowl, drizzle in the sesame sauce, and sesame seeds. Toss to combine.1/4 cup Sesame seeds
- Serve over steamed rice. Leftover chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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The Crispy Airfryer Sesame Chicken recipe was indeed very easy to make and tasted great! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing, glad you liked it!