Sesame Chicken
A nostalgic sesame chicken recipe that combines tender fried chicken with a sweet and tangy sauce, perfect for bringing family together around the dinner table.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup Cornstarch For coating the chicken and thickening the sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper
- for frying Vegetable oil or canola oil
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Sesame seeds Toasted for garnish
- ½ tablespoon Olive oil For sautéing
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup Low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Chili sauce (sambal oelek) Adjust to taste for spiciness
- ¼ cup Honey
- ¼ cup Ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch For thickening the sauce
- ¼ cup Cold water
- 2 Green onions, sliced thin For garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Start by beating the eggs, cornstarch, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
- Add bite-sized pieces of chicken and stir to ensure they’re all evenly coated.
Cooking
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches around 350°F, using a thermometer for accuracy.
- Carefully drop the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil in batches, frying until they turn golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the sesame seeds, shaking occasionally until lightly golden, then set aside.
- In the same skillet, add a splash of olive oil over low heat, then sauté the minced garlic for about a minute.
- Mix in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili sauce, honey, ketchup, and brown sugar into the skillet and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Whisk together cornstarch with cold water in a separate bowl and add to sauce to thicken.
- Once the sauce thickens, add the crispy chicken and toss until coated.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Serving
- Serve sesame chicken over rice or with Chinese noodles.
Notes
For extra crispy chicken, ensure oil is at temperature between batches. Toasting sesame seeds enhances flavor. Adjust flavors using more vinegar for brightness or honey for sweetness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 28gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 800mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18g
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