Description
Sesame chicken brings explosive Asian-inspired flavors dancing across your plate with restaurant-quality magic. Home cooks can quickly craft this delightful dish, delivering crispy, glazed chicken that guarantees restaurant-level satisfaction at a fraction of the cost.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Coating and Seasoning:
- ½ cup (65 g) cornstarch (or all-purpose flour)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce and Garnish:
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (to thicken)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- Sliced green onions
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Massage chicken pieces with salt and pepper, ensuring each morsel is evenly seasoned for maximum flavor absorption.
- Create a crispy exterior by first dredging chicken in beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off, then thoroughly coat each piece in cornstarch, pressing gently to help the dry mixture adhere.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok until it shimmers with a slight ripple, indicating optimal frying temperature.
- Carefully place cornstarch-coated chicken into the hot oil, arranging pieces in a single layer to prevent overcrowding and ensure even, golden-brown crispiness.
- Fry chicken segments until they turn a deep golden color and become crisp, rotating occasionally to achieve uniform cooking, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken pieces using a slotted spoon, allowing excess oil to drain on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate.
- In a separate saucepan, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and minced garlic to create a glossy, aromatic coating.
- Simmer the sauce until it thickens slightly and develops a rich, glossy consistency, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Gently toss the crispy chicken pieces in the warm sauce, ensuring each morsel is generously and evenly glazed.
- Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the chicken for a final burst of flavor and visual appeal.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice, allowing the crisp chicken to remain crunchy and the sauce to enhance the overall dish.
Notes
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier and more tender meat that holds sauce better than chicken breasts.
- Pat chicken pieces completely dry before seasoning to ensure crispy exterior and better cornstarch adherence during coating.
- Use a light, even hand when coating chicken in cornstarch to create a delicate, golden-brown crust that doesn’t become too heavy or thick.
- For gluten-free version, replace standard cornstarch with potato starch or arrowroot powder to maintain the same crispy texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg