Description
Sesame chicken delivers a perfect balance of crispy, golden-brown goodness from Chinese-American cuisine. Home cooks can quickly prepare this restaurant-favorite dish with simple ingredients and minimal cooking skills.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large egg
Coating and Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (for chicken)
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (for sauce)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Seasoning and Cooking Components:
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 4 cups jasmine rice, cooked
- 2 whole green onions
Instructions
- Craft a zesty sauce by blending soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, vinegar, minced ginger, crushed garlic, cornstarch, and toasted sesame seeds in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-integrated.
- Create a crispy coating for chicken by whisking egg with cornstarch, then season with salt and pepper. Slice chicken into uniform bite-sized pieces and thoroughly coat in the egg mixture.
- Heat a large skillet with oil until shimmering. Carefully place coated chicken pieces in the pan, allowing each piece to develop a golden-brown crust without moving for 2-3 minutes.
- Flip chicken pieces and continue cooking until completely golden and interior reaches 165°F, ensuring even cooking and crispy exterior.
- Pour prepared sauce over sizzling chicken, stirring gently to coat each piece. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens and clings to chicken.
- Transfer sesame chicken to a serving platter, garnish with thinly sliced green onions, and present over steamed white rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Maximize flavor by marinating chicken in sauce mixture for 30 minutes before cooking for deeper taste absorption.
- Achieve extra crispy texture by double-coating chicken in cornstarch and using high heat for golden, crunchy exterior.
- Customize recipe for gluten-free diets by replacing soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos and using gluten-free cornstarch.
- Reduce calories by baking chicken instead of frying, using a light coating of cooking spray and spreading pieces on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg