Gluten Free Sesame Chicken
Crispy, saucy, and deeply satisfying, this sesame chicken delivers everything you want from a takeout favorite — right from your own kitchen. The secret to that shatteringly crisp coating is a simple cornstarch dredge, which fries up beautifully golden without a single speck of wheat flour in sight. Tamari stands in for conventional soy sauce, keeping the whole dish free from gluten while still delivering that rich, savory depth the sauce absolutely needs. Honey, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, fresh ginger, and garlic round out a glaze that's sticky, tangy, and fragrant in the best possible way. One of the trickiest parts of ordering sesame chicken out is never quite knowing what's hiding in the sauce or the batter — making this from scratch puts you fully in control. The recipe serves 4, so it's just as good for a weeknight family dinner as it is for impressing guests who happen to eat the same way you do. Pile it over steamed white rice and finish with toasted sesame seeds and scallion greens for a plate that looks as good as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the chicken
- 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup neutral oil (such as avocado or canola oil), for frying
For the sauce
- ⅓ cup tamari
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
For serving
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green parts only)
- cooked white rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together the tamari, honey, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, tomato paste, grated ginger, and minced garlic in a small bowl until smooth. In a separate small bowl, stir together the 1 tsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water until dissolved, then stir into the sauce mixture. Set aside.
- 2
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then season with the salt and pepper. Place the beaten eggs in one shallow bowl and the 3/4 cup cornstarch in another. Working in batches, dip each chicken piece in the egg, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the cornstarch, pressing to coat on all sides.
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