Hot Honey Sesame Chicken with Nappa Cabbage Stir-Fry

Crispy chicken is coated in a sweet, spicy, tangy, thick sauce made of hot honey, soy sauce, black vinegar, ginger, and tons of garlic, stir-fried with crispy onion and cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, and chilies, and sesame seeds for a delectable sesame chicken dinner.

Quick and Easy Meal

This is why the hot honey sesame chicken with Nappa cabbage stir fry and dishes like it is my go-to quick and easy dish with many comforting flavors. For one thing, delicious crispy chicken and crunchy vegetables in a thick, sweet, and spicy sauce over a warm bowl of rice is a sure choice.

So good! And to be exact, I used brown rice! Brown rice is famous for taking so long! But one cup in the rice cooker didn't take that much time. I wonder if it was due to using basmati brown rice? For example, the rice doesn't look like parboiled rice pearls, which I am not a fan of. It also comes out fluffy and kind of makes me forget that it's brown rice.

If you are looking for more stir-fry recipes, then you must try the popular Chicken, Mushrooms, Peppers, and Green Beans Stir-Fry in Hoisin Sauce and Shrimp Shishito Eggplant Stir-Fry, a favorite. But don't stop there; if you are ready for a twist, try the Chicken Curry Stir-Fry with Coconut Rice and Beans. Another popular treat is the Sweet and Spicy Gochujang chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry.

Hot Honey? Here is another recipe you will love: Hot Honey Lemon Chicken Skewers with Asparagus.

Riding Down History Lane

In my Curry Lentil Turkey Stew post, I mentioned how cuisine is like a griot keeping track of a culinary historical timeline, more like branches. For example, this sesame chicken dish is an example of that.

Additionally, this particular Asian American cuisine was said to have started with the immigration of the Chinese during the California Gold Rush to seek jobs as miners and railroad workers, which led them to adapt to their environment to create jobs that served themselves and the rest of the North Americans, such as restaurants.

Along the way, American Chinese Cuisine was created, from the west coast in San Fransisco all the way to the east coast in New York City. As a result, the Chinese used methods, cookware, utensils, and ingredients mixed with tradition, American availability, and the mixed population's taste preference.

The Real Influencers

However, the fascinating part is how different Chinese events influenced the ever-growing change in American Chinese cuisine. For example, Tawainese university students seeking employment, to evacuation from communism, and a boom in the Chinese economy, resulted in the comprised population changing from being majority Tawainese to Szechuan, to Canton, and then to the Fuzhounese people in the United States.

Consequently, they brought their influences along the way, thus creating new dishes like sesame chicken. I am also fascinated to read more on this. Any recommendations? Let me know. I recently added "The Breath of a Wok" by Grace Young, "From Canton Restaurant to Panda Express: A History of Chinese Food in The United States" by Haiming Liu, and "The Food of Sichuan" by Fuchsia Dunlop to my Amazon Waitlist.

Ingredients and Instructions

To begin with, you'll need cooked rice for this beloved Americanized Chinese sesame chicken stir-fry recipe. Additionally, I cooked basmati brown rice in the rice cooker, which was warm and fluffy.

Afterward, combine an egg with ginger, garlic, and soy sauce for the air-fried breaded chicken and bread with Japanese panko breadcrumbs.

Then, combine the leftover egg mixture with hot honey, sesame oil, ginger, cornstarch, soy sauce, and vinegar for the stir-fry sauce. Finally, for the stir-fry vegetables, combine onion, cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers with avocado oil. Then add and toast the chili flakes and sesame seeds. After that, finish with the sauce, scallions, crispy chicken, and sesame seeds for garnish.

See the sesame chicken recipe card for quantities.

Busy Folks - Become a better home cook with cooking tips to help you cook more efficiently on Cook's Notebook tab.  In addition, some related detailed steps can be found there, like how to use a wok and the reason for avocado oil.

Substitutions

• Brown Basmati Rice - You can try regular brown rice, egg noodles, or white rice.
• Hot Honey - I used the famous Mike's Hot Honey to develop this recipe. However, if you need an alternative, try Nature Nate's Hot Honey or Bees Knees Spicy Honey; both are infused with habanero peppers. Alternatively, you can use regular honey with chili powder and cayenne pepper.
• Gluten-Free
  • Low-Sodium Soy Sauce - Traditional soy sauce does contain wheat, so use gluten-free liquid aminos or high-protein tamari.
  • Chinese Black Vinegar - Try rice wine vinegar or toasted rice wine vinegar.
  • Breading Option
    • You can omit the panko. If you do this option, you can still use the air fryer or brown the chicken in the pan or wok.
    • Or use Gluten-Free Kikkoman Panko-Style Coating.
• Egg-Free
  • The stir-fry sauce has eggs in it. This helps create a thick, velvety sauce along with the cornstarch. However, if you can't have eggs, only use cornstarch. Additionally, for the breading process, use an egg substitute, like Bob's Red Mill Resealable Gluten Free Egg Replacer.

Change Heat Level - Modify the sesame chicken recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.

Variations

• Rice or Noodles - You can choose brown rice, white rice, spaghetti, or Chinese egg noodles; any of these goes well with chicken stir fry.
• Protein - Try with breaded shrimp, tofu, or tenderized pork or beef. For the tofu, I tried it out this way once. Not too shabby!
• Broccoli and Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry - Use steamed broccoli instead of the vegetables.

Equipment

• Medium Mixing Bowl - Use during the sesame chicken breading process.
• Container with Lid - Used for coating the chicken by shaking it. Alternatively, you can use the CanCooker Collapsible Plastic Batter Bowl.
• Air Fryer - This recipe was developed using the Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill. If you do not have an air fryer, you can try roasting in the oven.
  • You have two options with different results: a sheet pan with parchment paper or a sheet pan with a sheet pan rack.
    • The parchment paper will produce chicken pieces roasted in their juices with caramelization at the bottom.
    • In contrast, the sheet pan rack will result in just roasting around the chicken due to the hot air flowing around it.
    • Now, the trick is not to overcrowd in whatever method you choose, but if this happens, toss in between cooking.
• Wok - Used for stir-frying the same chicken and vegetables on high heat quickly. In addition, I developed this recipe using the Bielmeier Carbon Steel Wok. It is also thoughtfully packaged with easy instructions to season the pan and is lightweight and the perfect size to store. It also sometimes comes with a wooden or glass lid and utensils.
• Rice Cooker - An option to cook the rice. To develop this sesame chicken recipe, I used the Aroma Housewares Digital Rice Cooker. It's a simple rice cooker I've also had for years. Another popular, highly-rated rice cooker I've seen people talk about is the Zojirushi Rice Cooker. It's expensive, but I would love to try it one day.

Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.

Storage

• Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, you can place the sides together or separately in a  shallow 2-inch pan to cool down quickly. Then, store in an air-tight sealing container. The meal will last up to two days.
• Freezer - Follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.

Air Tight Food Containers - I use Glass Food Storage Containers with a plastic clipping lid to store food.  For example, I always suggest glass storage containers since you can microwave them and hold food without staining the container, and the glass keeps them at a more stable temperature, which keeps the food fresher longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chinese Recipes

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Poultry Recipes

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Recipe

📖 Recipe

Hot Honey Sesame Chicken with Nappa Cabbage Stir-Fry

Crispy chicken is coated in a sweet, spicy, tangy, thick sauce made of hot honey, soy sauce, black vinegar, ginger, and tons of garlic, stir-fried with crispy onion and cabbage, carrots, bell peppers and chilies, and sesame seeds.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Poultry

Cuisine East Asian, Asian, North East Asian, Chinese

Servings 3

Calories 557.41 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup basmati rice cooked, yielding 3 cups for 4 servings of ¾ cup
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 12 ounces boneless chicken breast sliced into ½-inch thin strips
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste about 1-inch ginger
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced or garlic pressed
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• ¼ cup hot honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ cup red bell peppers sliced ¼-inch thick
• ½ cup green bell peppers sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 cup onion sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 ½ cup napa cabbage ½-inch thick slices
• ½ cup carrots shredded, about one medium carrot
• 2 tablespoon scallions sliced, about one scallion
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 egg beaten
• ¾ cup Japanese panko bread crumbs

Instructions

 

• Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
• Start cooking the rice or noodles first if you don't have cooked rice or noodles. And have all your ingredients prepared ahead of time before stirfrying since this cooking method is a fast-paced method.
• Use two shallow containers with a lid for the breading process.
• Place sliced chicken in the first container.
• Add ½ tablespoon garlic, salt, pepper, ½ tablespoon ginger, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and combine well with a spoon or spatula.
• Pour in beaten egg and combine well.
• In the second shallow container, add the panko bread crumbs.
• Place the chicken on top of the bread crumbs using tongs, cover it with a lid, and shake well. Do not discard the leftover egg mixture. And make sure the lid is secure when doing so.
• Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit with the cooking timer at 8 minutes.
• While waiting on your air fryer to preheat, add the remaining egg mixture into a small 2-cup mixing bowl and whisk well.
• Add the rest of the ginger paste, sesame oil, cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, and hot honey, and combine well with the whisk.
• When the air fryer is ready, place one even layer with ½ inch space in between each piece. You might have to do this twice if all the chicken pieces do not fit. Before using them again, wipe out cooked breadcrumbs in the fryer.
• You can check the chicken in the air fryer halfway, but it may not be necessary; if some pieces are getting brown too fast, flip only those pieces.
• When the chicken pieces are done, you can place them in a metal container on the stove to keep them warm until ready to use. Note: Be careful when picking up the hot pan; use oven mitts if necessary.
• Heat a wok on high-medium heat.
• When the wok is hot, add the oil and wait for it to heat up; move the oil around in the wok until you notice the oil's consistency has changed to a more free-flowing liquid.
• Once heated, add the onions; depending on your heat level, let the onions sit for a few seconds to allow the onions to brown slightly, then stir around in the pan to cook evenly until halfway translucent.
• Add cabbage and combine well.
• Season the cabbage mixture with salt. This helps release water from the vegetables.
• After 30 seconds, add carrots and bell peppers and combine well; occasionally stir to allow to brown for a couple of seconds lightly.
• Add the sesame seeds and chili flakes and combine well. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to toast the seeds and chili flakes to release aromatics.
• Add the sauce quickly and cook for no more than 15 seconds while combining well.
• Add the chicken and scallions and combine well, then remove from the heat.
• The sauce will look au sec (dried up). But don't worry, when you place it on top of the rice or noodles, it will coat them due to the sweating vegetables.

Keyword air fryer, quick and easy, dinner, lunch, bowls, vegetables, dairy-free, summer, fall, winter, spring, stove top, spicy, stir fry, rice cooker, 30 minute meal, pollotarian, wok, noodles

air fryer, quick and easy, dinner, lunch, bowls, vegetables, dairy-free, summer, fall, winter, spring, stove top, spicy, stir fry, rice cooker, 30 minute meal, pollotarian, wok, noodles

Poultry

East Asian, Asian, North East Asian, Chinese

Yield: 3 ¼x ½x 1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x 8x 9x 10x

Author: Maika Frederic

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Hot Honey Sesame Chicken with Nappa Cabbage Stir-Fry

Crispy chicken is coated in a sweet, spicy, tangy, thick sauce made of hot honey, soy sauce, black vinegar, ginger, and tons of garlic, stir-fried with crispy onion and cabbage, carrots, bell peppers and chilies, and sesame seeds.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Ingredients US Metric

• 1 cup basmati rice (cooked, yielding 3 cups for 4 servings of ¾ cup)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 12 ounces boneless chicken breast, sliced into ½-inch thin strips
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste, about 1-inch ginger
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced or garlic pressed
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• ¼ cup hot honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ cup red bell peppers, sliced ¼-inch thick
• ½ cup green bell peppers, sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 cup onion, sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 ½ cup napa cabbage,½-inch thick slices
• ½ cup carrots, shredded, about one medium carrot
• 2 tablespoon scallions, sliced, about one scallion
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Optional Breading

• 1 egg, beaten
• ¾ cup Japanese panko bread crumbs

InstructionsFahrenheitCelsius

1. Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
2. Start cooking the rice or noodles first if you don't have cooked rice or noodles. And have all your ingredients prepared ahead of time before stirfrying since this cooking method is a fast-paced method.
3. Use two shallow containers with a lid for the breading process.
4. Place sliced chicken in the first container.
5. Add ½ tablespoon garlic, salt, pepper, ½ tablespoon ginger, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and combine well with a spoon or spatula.
6. Pour in beaten egg and combine well.
7. In the second shallow container, add the panko bread crumbs.
8. Place the chicken on top of the bread crumbs using tongs, cover it with a lid, and shake well. Do not discard the leftover egg mixture. And make sure the lid is secure when doing so.
9. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit with the cooking timer at 8 minutes.
10. While waiting on your air fryer to preheat, add the remaining egg mixture into a small 2-cup mixing bowl and whisk well.
11. Add the rest of the ginger paste, sesame oil, cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, and hot honey, and combine well with the whisk.
12. When the air fryer is ready, place one even layer with ½ inch space in between each piece. You might have to do this twice if all the chicken pieces do not fit. Before using them again, wipe out cooked breadcrumbs in the fryer.
13. You can check the chicken in the air fryer halfway, but it may not be necessary; if some pieces are getting brown too fast, flip only those pieces.
14. When the chicken pieces are done, you can place them in a metal container on the stove to keep them warm until ready to use. Note: Be careful when picking up the hot pan; use oven mitts if necessary.
15. Heat a wok on high-medium heat.
16. When the wok is hot, add the oil and wait for it to heat up; move the oil around in the wok until you notice the oil's consistency has changed to a more free-flowing liquid.
17. Once heated, add the onions; depending on your heat level, let the onions sit for a few seconds to allow the onions to brown slightly, then stir around in the pan to cook evenly until halfway translucent.
18. Add cabbage and combine well.
19. Season the cabbage mixture with salt. This helps release water from the vegetables.
20. After 30 seconds, add carrots and bell peppers and combine well; occasionally stir to allow to brown for a couple of seconds lightly.
21. Add the sesame seeds and chili flakes and combine well. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to toast the seeds and chili flakes to release aromatics.
22. Add the sauce quickly and cook for no more than 15 seconds while combining well.
23. Add the chicken and scallions and combine well, then remove from the heat.
24. The sauce will look au sec (dried up). But don't worry, when you place it on top of the rice or noodles, it will coat them due to the sweating vegetables.

Notes

Brown Basmati Rice Substitute Suggestions

• You can try regular brown rice, egg noodles, or white rice

Low-Sodium Sauce Substitute

• Try gluten-free liquid aminos or high-protein tamari

Chinese Black Vinegar Substitute

• Try rice wine vinegar

How much garlic clove to make 1 tablespoon of it minced?

• About six cloves of medium-sized garlic

Stir-frying Method

• This is a fast pace cooking method, be sure to have all ingredients prepared ahead of time.
• It uses high heat to flash cook the vegetables to keep their crispy bite

Breading Option

• You can omit the panko. If you do this option, you can still use the air fryer or brown the chicken in the pan/wok.
• You can omit the egg and panko. If you do this option, you can still use the air fryer or brown in the pan/wok. But keep an eye on the browning of the garlic.

Egg and Stir-Fry Sauce

• As you can see, the stir-fry sauce has eggs in it. This helps create a thick, velvety sauce along with the cornstarch. However, this can also be omitted if you can't eat eggs. The cornstarch will still do its job.

Storage: Refrigerator

• To store in the refrigerator, you can place the sides together or separately in a  shallow 2-inch pan to cool down quickly.
• Then store in an air-tight sealing container.
• The meal will last up to two days.

Storage: Freezer

• First, follow the refrigeration process mentioned above.
• Then you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.

Reheat: Stove Top

• Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth if frozen.
• I suggest heating it slowly in a saute pan on low heat, covering it with a lid with a small amount of broth in the rice or noodles, and occasionally stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Reheat: Microwave

• Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth if frozen.
• Heat one to two cups in a bowl or plate for two to three minutes with a small amount of broth in the noodles or rice and a microwave cover, stirring the dish content every minute until it is hot.

Recommended Products:

Bielmeier 12.5" Wok Pan, Woks and Stir Fry Pans, Carbon Steel Wok , Flat Bottom Wok with Lid Suits for all Stoves

Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill with Air Fry, Roast, Bake & Dehydrate, Black/Silver

Mike's Hot Honey 10 oz Easy Pour Bottle (1 Pack), Honey with a Kick, Sweetness & Heat, 100% Pure Honey, Shelf-Stable, Gluten-Free & Paleo, More than Sauce - it's Hot Honey

Nutrition Facts

Calories

557.41

Fat

16.08 g

Sat. Fat

2.69 g

Carbs

70.57 g

Fiber

6.15 g

Net carbs

64.43 g

Sugar

29.95 g

Protein

33.52 g

Sodium

967.37 mg

Cholesterol

127.13 mg

These are calculations based on search results of the ingredient's nutritional information.

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Food safety

• Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat to prevent foodborne illness from contaminated uncooked meats.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
• Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods; this can breed bacteria.
• Never leave cooking food unattended to prevent burns and fires.
• Use oils with a high smoke point to avoid harmful compounds.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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