These Honey Sesame Chicken Thighs are so easy to make and are absolutely delicious! These crispy chicken thighs are coated in a sticky sweet and garlicky savoury sauce that you’re going to want to lick your plate clean.
Bite-sized pieces of crispy chicken coated in a honey sesame sauce is one of my favourite recipes to get for take-out. This chicken thigh recipe is inspired by it but requires less work as I skip cutting the chicken into small pieces and there’s no deep-frying required.
The chicken thighs in this honey sesame chicken recipe are coated in cornstarch then pan-seared to get a beautiful crispy golden crust and then they’re coated in a sticky honey sesame sauce. It comes together so quickly and easily that it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Sauce
- honey
- soy sauce — use low sodium soy sauce.
- sesame oil — I like using pure sesame oil.
- brown sugar — light or dark brown sugar is fine for the honey sesame sauce.
- garlic — minced
- toasted sesame seeds
- water
For the Chicken
- chicken thighs — boneless, skinless thighs.
- seasoning — I use salt, garlic powder, and paprika for the chicken thigh seasoning.
- cornstarch — to give the chicken thighs a crispy coating.
How to Make Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken
- Combine the honey sesame sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and let it simmer on medium-low heat until it has thickened to your liking. Set it aside if it’s done before your chicken is.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Coat the seasoned chicken thighs on both sides with cornstarch.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil, and once hot, add the chicken thighs, smooth-side down. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 6 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches if necessary.
- Add the thickened honey sesame sauce to the chicken and fully coat them and allow everything to cook for another minute.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I like to add a little bit of toasted sesame seeds and green onions to the chicken thighs before serving.
- Chicken thighs can be swapped for chicken breasts, however, the cook time may change. You can also halve the chicken breasts to speed up the cook time.
- Chicken thighs are done when they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165F/74C. Use an instant read thermometer to check.
My Recommendation
This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!
Get it Now!
- Avoid moving the chicken when you first place it in. Allow the chicken to sear. The chicken will come off the skillet once it’s ready. If you move it too early, the chicken will stick to the skillet and tear.
- The sauce will bubble as it simmers, not to worry, give it a stir and it’ll be ok!
- Add some sriracha to the sauce if you want a little extra heat.
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked teriyaki chicken thighs in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I like to pack it with some jasmine, purple rice, or coconut rice.
- Freezer: allow the chicken thighs to cool before transferring them into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer. They can last for up to 3 months.
Serving Ideas
Need some ideas of what to serve with these chicken thighs? Try these side dishes:
- Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Silken Tofu Recipe
- Seasoned Spinach
- Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
Honey Sesame Chicken Thighs
These Honey Sesame Chicken Thighs are so easy to make and are absolutely delicious! These crispy chicken thighs are coated in a sticky sweet and garlicky savoury sauce that you're going to want to lick your plate clean.
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Rate
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce, low sodium
- 2 tbsps sesame oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 2 tbsps water
For the Chicken
- 8-10 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tbsps cornstarch, or more
Instructions
- Combine the honey sesame sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and let it simmer on medium-low heat until it has thickened to your liking. Set it aside if it’s done before your chicken is.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with
- Coat the seasoned chicken thighs on both sides with cornstarch.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil, and once hot, add the chicken thighs, smooth-side down. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 6 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches if necessary.
- Add the thickened honey sesame sauce to the chicken and fully coat them and allow everything to cook for another minute.
Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1318mg | Potassium: 666mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
More Chicken Recipes To Try
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Dontay Lesser
Can bone-in chicken thighs work as well
Carmy
The cooking time will have to be adjusted as bone-in thighs take much longer to cook!
Allison
Absolutely outstanding! Instant family favorite!
Carmy
so happy to hear!!!!