Sesame Chicken Recipe – Air Fryer

This Sesame Chicken Recipe made in the Air Fryer is crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. It’s the perfect weeknight meal when short on time.

Making sesame chicken in the air fryer is a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table. This dish is full of flavor and can be made in just a few minutes. Plus, it’s a healthier option than deep-fried chicken.

The best part is that not only does it taste just as good, if not better, than take-out – but it is so much faster than driving to pick it up or waiting for delivery.

Now that we don’t live in the city, we have had to go back to making our own favorite dishes from places we used to get take-out from all the time. Fortunately, it is super easy to make recipes like this sesame chicken.

For years we would make this the traditional way in the big pot of oil on the stove. But now we love being able to skip the oil and speed up the process by breaking out the air fryer instead. Fast, easy, and convenient.

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is air fryer sesame chicken?

Air fryer sesame chicken is a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table. This dish is full of flavor and can be made in just a few minutes. Plus, it’s a healthier option than deep-fried chicken.

How to store leftover sesame chicken

To store leftover sesame chicken, let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or you can freeze them for up to 1 month. When ready to enjoy your sesame chicken again, simply reheat it in the air fryer for a few minutes. Enjoy!

How Air Frying Works

While air fryers are relatively new to the market, the technology isn’t really a new concept. They basically work like tiny convection ovens that you can use on your countertop.

Similar to a convection oven, it circulates the hot air within the cooking area using a high-powered fan. This helps evenly distribute the heat around the food which not only creates more evenly cooked food but also reduced cooking times.

By circulating the hot air, which contains the fine oil droplets from adding a light mist layer before cooking, and allows you to remove the need for submerging our foods in heavy oils to create the deliciously crunchy foods we all love.

Can I use chicken breasts or chicken tenders for this recipe?

Honestly – either will work just fine. You will still end up with a fantastic dish even if you cube the chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts. I just prefer the breast over the thighs for this.

What if all my chicken won’t fit in the air fryer?

No worries – you can work in batches. If you have trouble getting it all to fit – please don’t crowd the chicken in the basket. It needs airflow to cook properly. Just make all of the chicken in the cornstarch and then cook what will fit. Then remove and cook the remaining chicken. Then toss it all in the sauce together.

Can this recipe be baked?

Yes – if you want to bake this chicken instead, just prepare as directed and then bake in a 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

What are the benefits of air frying?

Healthier

It’s no secret that fried foods are more fattening – but did you know that there are 9 calories in every gram of fat? With air frying, we can reduce the fat by removing most of the oils usually needed to create crunchy foods. This helps to drastically reduce fat intake and calories.

Convenience

I love being able to cook with my air fryer and eliminate the need for large baking sheets and lots of pots and pans. Most of my air fryer recipes can be made with just a mixing bowl or two or a small saucepan in addition to my air fryer.

Energy Efficient

Someone said to me once, “why make this in the air fryer if you can do it the conventional way in the same amount of time?” Well, air frying helps eliminate the need for a conventional oven.

Not only can you keep your home cooler in the summer by not using the oven, but you are saving money with reduced energy consumption costs as well.

Time Saver

I don’t know about you, but if I can avoid turning on the oven and having to wait 20 minutes for it to preheat, I’m happy about that. Most air fryer recipes either don’t require that you preheat the fryer – or the preheat time is 5 minutes or less. That is a huge time saver over using the oven.

Take it on the go

I love that the air fryer is compact and easy to take along on trips. We pack ours in our RV and find that air fryer cooking while camping is so much easier than trying to deep fry foods on a small RV stove or camping burner.

Ingredients for Sesame Chicken

Chicken

• boneless skinless chicken breasts – cut into 1” cubes
• eggs – beaten
• cornstarch

Sesame Sauce

• soy sauce
• toasted sesame oil
• lime juice
• cornstarch
• sesame seeds
• green onion and parsley for garnish

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of corn starch?

Yes! Flour is a wonderful substitute for corn starch as it has starch in it already. Keep in mind that the flour won’t crisp as nicely as the cornstarch – so you might have to cook a bit longer to get the desired crispiness.

Air Frying Doneness Tip

Every air fryer is a bit different and they all cook at different rates – so in general, all cooking times are approximate based on the pan and temperature.

You can always cook the recipe longer if needed and reduce the heat a bit. If needed, you can tent the top if it is browning too much.

How can I make this recipe low carb?

Instead of corn starch, you can swap it out and use NOW Psyllium Husk Powder, Viva Coconut Flour, and Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed Meal to coat the chicken. You’ll still get crispy chicken without the added carbs.

How to Make Sesame Chicken in the Air Fryer

Chicken

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400F for at least five minutes.
2. Toss the chicken with the beaten egg.
3. Dip the chicken in the cornstarch, making sure to coat each piece evenly on all sides.
4. Place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer.
5. Spritz with oil to help make it crunchy.
6. Cook the chicken at 400F for 20-25 minutes, or until your desired crispness and the internal temperature reaches 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
7. Set the chicken aside while you make the sauce.

How to Make Homemade Sesame Sauce

1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, cornstarch, and sesame seeds in a small saucepan.
2. Cook on medium-high heat until the sauce thickens slightly– about 4-5 minutes.
3. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl with the cooked chicken. Toss to combine.
4. Serve over rice, garnished with green onions and/or parsley.

How to prevent sticking in the air fryer

Sticking can often happen when using an air fryer. I understand that most would think to add non-stick spray to the basket to prevent this. I strongly encourage you to not do that.

Non-stick spray leaves a coating that won’t come off, even when washed. Over time – this will build up and cause smoking when you use our air fryer.

I also do not recommend putting down a sheet of foil. The idea behind air frying is to allow the air to circulate around the food.

This is why the basket or tray has holes in it. If you put foil down – this prevents the air from reaching all of the areas it needs to in order for it to cook properly.

Instead – I recommend spraying the basket with olive oil using this spray bottle. You can line the air fryer with perforated parchment paper.

Or you can use one of these really great silicone liners that still allow for airflow but are reusable and easily cleanable.

If you love this recipe – You might also love my air frying cookbook too!

The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Two also makes everything fast and easy. Most recipes take 30 minutes or less and they’re designed with simple prep and minimal clean-up in mind. Nutritional information, serving size descriptions, and recipes for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free are also included. There’s so much to savor.

The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Two

Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthier Fried Favorites

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If you love this easy sesame chicken recipe made in the air fryer, you’re going to love these other air fryer recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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