Sticky Sesame Chicken & Broccoli

Sticky Sesame Chicken and Broccoli made with pan fried chicken thighs and broccoli tossed in a delicious homemade sticky sesame sauce.

This Chinese take-out style sesame chicken is super easy to make and is absolutely delicious. Serve with steamed white rice, chow mein or fried rice. I also love serving this dish with my creamy cucumber Asian salad. I'll link a few of my favorite Asian side dish recipes for you below!

This recipe serves about 4 people, so if you are cooking for a large crowd, simply double the recipe. Store leftovers completely cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Ingredients you need to make Sesame Chicken & Broccoli:

Broccoli Florets - About 3 cups of broccoli florets or equivalent to one medium head of broccoli. You can use frozen or fresh.

Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless) – You can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but I prefer thighs in this recipe because they are more tender and have more flavor than breasts.

Cornstarch – This is used as part of the batter for the chicken.

Egg – You’ll need one large egg for the batter.

Orange Juice – You can use fresh squeezed orange juice from an orange or out of the carton.

Soy Sauce – I highly recommend low sodium soy sauce.

Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar both work great in this recipe.

Sesame Oil – A good quality pure sesame oil is best.

Sesame Seeds - You'll need about two teaspoons.

Water – For the sesame sauce.

Ginger – Fresh ginger is best but you can also use ground ginger.

Garlic – Fresh garlic is best in this recipe but you can also use ground.

Rice Wine Vinegar – You can use white wine vinegar if you don't have rice wine vinegar.

Honey - A good quality honey is best.

Red Pepper Flakes - Adds a nice spice! You can also add sriracha if you like more spice.

Oil – For frying the chicken. I recommend canola, vegetable or light olive oil.

Tools to have on hand for this recipe:

Wok or Nonstick Skillet – To cook the chicken in.

Wooden or Silicone Spoon/Spatula – For flipping the chicken while frying.

Small Saucepan – To make the orange chicken sauce.

Measuring Cups + Spoons – To properly measure all of your ingredients.

Mixing Bowls – For battering the chicken.

How to make Sticky Sesame Chicken & Broccoli:

First make the sticky sesame sauce: Whisk together cornstarch and water mixture in a small bowl. In a medium saucepan, add all of the sesame sauce ingredients along with the cornstarch/water mixture. Stirring frequently, bring sauce to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens and darkens, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.

Steam Broccoli for about 5-7 minutes, until tender but firm. Remove from heat and set aside.

Pat chicken dry and season with salt, garlic powder and pepper on all sides. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to fully coat the chicken. Pour beaten egg over chicken and toss to combine.

In a skillet or wok over high heat, add oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken. Stir fry the chicken for about 8-10 minutes until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Add broccoli and stir fry an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add the sticky sesame sauce to the chicken and toss to combine. Cook for 1 more minute and then remove from heat.

Serve sesame chicken and broccoli over white rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Delicious Asian side dishes to serve with this recipe:

Fried Rice - Super simple take out style homemade fried rice with carrots and peas.

Easy Chow Mein Recipe - Super delicious and easy Chinese chow mein recipe made with cabbage, carrots, green onion and noodles tossed in an amazing chow mein sauce.

Creamy Asian Cucumber Salad - Thinly sliced cucumber and red onion tossed in a delicious creamy peanut dressing. This is one of my all time favorite salads!

Grilled Zucchini - The most delicious zucchini seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper makes the perfect BBQ side dish.

If you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few more of my favorite Asian recipes I think you'll love:

Orange Chicken - Super delicious and easy homemade Chinese take-out style orange chicken recipe. Serve over steamed rice with fresh chopped green onions.

Sweet and Spicy Crispy Asian Chicken - Just like takeout! Crispy pan fried chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy Asian style glaze.

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers - The most delicious marinated teriyaki chicken grilled to perfection and finished with a delicious teriyaki sauce.

Orange Teriyaki Salmon - Delicious easy baked salmon in a mouthwatering orange teriyaki glaze finished with fresh chopped green onion and sesame seeds.

This recipe was originally posted on December 11, 2018 and updated on December 10, 2020.