Description
Sesame Chicken brings restaurant-quality flavor right to your kitchen with super simple ingredients and zero complicated techniques. Crispy chicken pieces glazed in a tangy sauce make dinner time seriously satisfying for your whole crew.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch chunks
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup flour
- 2 egg whites
Batter and Sauce Components:
- ½ cup cold seltzer water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Garnish and Frying Ingredients:
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Combine ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ⅓ cup water, 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a bowl, whisking until smooth for the sauce.
- Mix ½ cup cornstarch, ½ cup flour, 2 egg whites, and ½ cup cold seltzer water in another bowl to create a light, airy batter.
- Cut 1 lb chicken thighs into 1-inch chunks and submerge completely in the prepared batter, ensuring each piece is evenly coated.
- Heat vegetable oil to exactly 350°F in a deep fryer or heavy pot, filling it with 3 inches of oil.
- Carefully lower battered chicken pieces into hot oil, cooking in small batches for 3-4 minutes until they turn golden brown and crispy.
- Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, letting excess oil drain on paper towels.
- Heat 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a large skillet, then quickly sauté 1 tablespoon minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper for 30 seconds.
- Pour prepared sauce into the skillet, stirring rapidly to prevent burning.
- Toss fried chicken pieces in the hot sauce, ensuring each chunk gets completely glazed.
- Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle ½ tablespoon sesame seeds on top before serving immediately.
Notes
- Coating the chicken in cornstarch before battering helps create an extra crispy exterior that stays crunchy even after sauce coating.
- Maintaining the correct oil temperature (350 degrees) is crucial for achieving golden, crisp chicken without greasy results.
- Let the chicken rest on a wire rack after frying to prevent soggy bottoms and keep the crispy texture intact.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with rice flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to maintain the same crispy texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg