Sesame Chicken With Creamy Chipotle Sauce

By Paola Briseño-González

Published March 28, 2025

Sesame Chicken With Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(360)
Comments
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In this weeknight-friendly recipe, thin-cut chicken cutlets are given the milanesa treatment, dredged in a simple mix of sesame seeds and bread crumbs and pan-fried until crispy. The smoky, chipotle-infused flavors of tinga and pollo enchipotlado, which have a special place in the home cooking repertoire of many Mexicans, inspired the quickly simmered sauce, which is enriched by a generous amount of crema. Lime-tossed cilantro adds freshness to the dish, which is especially comforting when served with warmed tortillas to help scoop up the sauce with every bite.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each), or 4 thin-sliced chicken cutlets
  • Salt and black pepper
  • ½cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½cup raw sesame seeds
  • ¼cup plain dried bread crumbs 
  • 1small white onion, chopped
  • 4garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1(14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 
  • ¼cup chipotle chiles in adobo (from a 7-ounce can), see Tip
  • ½cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • ½cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1lime, halved
  • Warm tortillas, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

644 calories; 52 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 31 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 722 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Carefully slice the chicken breasts horizontally in half, slicing along the long side of each chicken breast to make two thinner pieces. Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and lots of pepper on both sides. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil.

  2. Step 2

    Combine sesame seeds and bread crumbs in a shallow dish; season with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken into the sesame mixture, pressing down so the mixture adheres well on both sides.

  3. Step 3

    Heat ½ cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add two chicken pieces and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a wire rack or a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken.

  4. Step 4

    Wipe the skillet clean and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and chipotles with their adobo sauce and season with salt. Cook until the sauce is warmed through and the flavors come together, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and carefully transfer the mixture to a blender along with ⅓ cup water. Puree until smooth.

  5. Step 5

    Return the chipotle sauce to the skillet over low heat and whisk in the crema. Cook, whisking frequently, until warm, smooth and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste and season with salt. Place the chicken over the sauce to warm through. Toss cilantro with lime juice, season with salt and then spoon over the chicken.

Tip
  • When measuring out the chipotles in adobo, be sure to include both the chiles and the adobo sauce.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
360 user ratings
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Comments

Steve

Kept the sauce in the pot and used an immersion blender, used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, 10/10 would make again. Would use this sauce in a variety of recipes this summer.

Carly

Absolutely delicious. It makes a ton of yummy sauce- next time I’ll make it with rice.

froggs

Very delicious! Great flavor contrasts. This recipe is fussier and less forgiving than it looks— best saved for a weekend IMO. Goes well with pasta. Makes lots of sauce. Makes lots of dishes. Mistakes I made, that I’d do differently next time: -chicken pieces must be very thin, as in pounded flat. Otherwise they won’t cook through before the sesame seeds scorch. I tried finishing the thicker pieces in the oven. It didn’t work, as the sesame coating prevented further cooking. -taste your chipotles in adobo before deciding how much to use. Brands vary wildly. -it’s tough to pour the hot, chunky contents of a large skillet into a blender. Next time I’d cook the chipotle sauce in a small saucepan before the blender step.

Callan

Decent recipe, next time I make I'll use chicken thighs instead of breasts. Love the comments about using greek yogurt, using a saucepan rather than a skillet for the sauce, as well as serving with rice. Dong that next time!

Big hit!

I misread the instructions and used the whole can of chipotle peppers instead of just 1/4 cup. I added a small can of tomato sauce to help bring down the heat but it was still pretty hot. Luckily my family likes spicy! Everyone enjoyed and would eat again.

Teresa

I served it with Naan and a green salad. It was certainly spicy! I was glad to have the salad to cool my taste buds. I froze the left over sauce.

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