Air Fryer Sesame Chicken

Make an easy and healthy homemade air fryer sesame chicken that tastes better than any takeaway from a Chinese restaurant. If you are a Chinese food lover like me then this air fryer crispy sesame chicken recipe is your you.

Air fryer sesame chicken is crispy coated with a combination of sweet and spicy sauce. The air fryer sesame chicken recipe goes perfect with a bowl of white rice. You can make this healthy air fryer sesame chicken with chicken breast, thigh, tender, wings, or strips. You can choose any part of the chicken you like the most for the recipe. I love making air fryer sesame chicken thighs because it’s juicy and tender.

I love making air fryer Chinese sesame chicken whenever I crave for. It’s a savory dish that satisfies your soul. It’s easy to make and takes no time to get ready.

How to make air fryer sesame chicken?

Making a healthy air fryer sesame chicken recipe at home is super easy. Once you’ll make this recipe at your house you’ll never order a takeaway. You’ll love to make this juicy and flavorful chicken in the air fryer at your home.

The sauce is rich and packed with flavor that quickly gets ready with a handful of ingredients. Toss the crispy chicken in the sauce and your delicious chicken gets ready.

Now, let’s see what ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.

Ingredients for air fryer sesame chicken:

• 500g chicken thigh or breast (boneless)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5-6 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 egg
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients for sauce:

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 4-5 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 teaspoons chili paste/chili flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)

Instructions for air fryer sesame chicken:

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size and clean.
2. Take a bowl to combine, the chicken, oil, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Mix them well until combined. Let it marinate for 30 minutes or overnight if you are planning to make it for the next day.
4. After that crack the eggs and mix. Now add the cornflour on top of it and mix well. Make sure that the chicken batter is not too runny. If you notice the batter is runny add some more cornflour and mix till the batter is not too runny.
5. Meanwhile, preheat your air fryer at 200C/400F for 5 minutes.
6. Take a piece of marinated chicken, and let the excess run off the chicken. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
7. Cook the chicken at 200C/400F for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken to the other side, brush/spray with the cooking oil, and cook for 10 minutes more.

Instruction for air fryer sesame chicken sauce:

1. Meanwhile, the chicken is cooking let’s prepare the sauce.
2. Take a bowl to add water, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, chili paste, and cornstarch. Stir well until the sugar dissolves and combine well.
3. 
4. Take a saucepan heat the vegetable oil, add the garlic, and stir fry for a minute or so. Then add the chili flakes and cook for 10-20 seconds. Don’t cook for too long because the chili flakes burn too fast. 
5. After that add the sauce mixture you prepared before and cook at medium heat for a couple of minutes. Occasionally stir until the sauce thickens.
6. 
7. Pour the sauce over the chicken from the pan and toss until they are evenly coated.
8. Plate the chicken and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve.

You can find the air fryer sesame chicken recipe in the printable card below.

Why you’ll love air fryer sesame chicken?

Chicken gets crispy in the air fryer with minimal oil.
It’s easy to cook at home when you crave this Chinese food from your favorite restaurant.

Tips for making the best air fryer sesame chicken:

• You can place the parchment paper underneath the air fryer to cook the chicken. Use the paper with holes in them for the best result.
• Place the chicken in a single layer for the evenly cooked result.
• You can cook the chicken right away and get the delicious chicken. But the longer you marinate the chicken you’ll get the better result.
• For juicier results use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
• Mix the chicken with the sauce before serving to avoid sogginess.
• Garnish with the toasted sesame seeds for enhanced flavor.

What to serve with this sesame chicken recipe?

Air fryer sesame chicken is insanely delicious and goes so well with white/brown steam rice.
Simply you can also serve this as a side dish for a house party.
Serve this sesame chicken with some steamed vegetables like; steamed broccoli, green beans, beans sprouts, or any other veggies.
Serve this crispy sesame chicken with noodles.

Find more air fryer chicken recipes: 

• Air fryer whole chicken
• Air fryer lemon chicken
• Air fryer chicken nuggets
• Air fryer chicken liver
• Air fryer fried gizzards

Here are some of the frequently asked questions:

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

Yes, you can use either chicken breast, chicken thighs, or chicken tenders for this recipe. I have used chicken thighs for the recipe because I find them juicier.

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

Yes, flour is a good alternative to corn starch. However, if you are using all-purpose flour for sauce, you’ll need to double the amount of flour.

Why is my air fried chicken not crispy?

The chicken can be soggy if you don’t let the excess batter fall off before you air fry them. And don’t overbrush or spray the oil over the chicken.

Why isn’t my sauce sticky?

The sauce might not be sticky if you don’t allow the sugar to dissolve completely. If the sauce is still runny add more cornstarch into the mixture and cook for a while.

What temperature should I air fry chicken for sesame chicken?

Cook at 200C/400F to achieve a crispy chicken for air fryer sesame chicken.

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

The total time to cook chicken in an air fryer is 20 minutes excluding the marination time.

If you like air fryer sesame chicken, look what else you can air fry:

• Air fryer bacon wrapped chicken
• Air fryer cabbage steak
• Air fryer snap peas
• Deviled egg in air fryer

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

You can also check our Youtube video for making Sesame Chicken in Air Fryer.

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