Description
Sesame Chicken delivers a delightful Chinese-American classic that brings restaurant flavors straight to your kitchen. Crispy chicken pieces glazed with sweet and tangy sauce make dinner exciting and totally doable for home cooks.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Coating:
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup water
Sauce and Garnish:
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 green onion
- Vegetable oil
- Cooked white rice
Instructions
- Slice 2 pounds of chicken thighs into precise 1-inch chunks, keeping pieces uniform for consistent cooking.
- Mix 1 cup cornstarch, ½ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a wide mixing bowl.
- Whisk 2 large eggs with ¼ cup water in a separate bowl until completely blended.
- Dunk each chicken piece into egg wash, ensuring complete coverage, then roll thoroughly in the dry ingredient mixture.
- Heat vegetable oil to exactly 350F in a deep pot, creating enough depth for full chicken submersion.
- Carefully lower chicken pieces into hot oil, maintaining spacing to prevent overcrowding and ensuring crispy exteriors.
- Fry chicken for 5-7 minutes per batch, rotating occasionally to achieve golden brown color and internal temperature of 165F.
- Transfer fried chicken onto paper towel-lined rack, allowing excess oil to drain completely.
- Combine ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and ½ cup water in a saucepan.
- Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, and optional ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes to sauce mixture.
- Simmer sauce over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens and becomes glossy.
- Toss crispy chicken pieces in warm sauce, coating each piece completely.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and 1 sliced green onion over chicken for final garnish.
- Serve immediately atop steamed white rice while sauce and chicken remain hot.
Notes
- Always use chicken thighs for the most tender and flavorful result, as they have more fat and stay juicier during frying.
- Maintain oil temperature precisely at 350F to ensure crispy exterior without greasy chicken, using a kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
- Pat chicken pieces completely dry before dredging to help the coating stick better and create a crispier texture.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with rice flour or cornstarch and use tamari instead of traditional soy sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 605 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 1210 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg