Here’s another one of my favorite Chinese takeout classics – sesame chicken. The chicken is double fried so it’s extra crispy, then coated in a rich sweet & savory sauce.
Seasoning the chicken
This sesame chicken recipe is extra flavorful since it’s heavy on the seasonings for the chicken and the sauce. Here’s what you’ll need to season the chicken:
- salt + pepper
- garlic cloves, crushed into a paste
- baking soda (to tenderize)
- egg white
Rest the chicken for about 20 minutes to allow the baking soda time to tenderize the meat. Then it’s ready to be breaded.
- breading: equal parts all-purpose flour + cornstarch
Sesame chicken sauce
The sauce is what truly makes this dish. It’s a very simple recipe using ingredients that are very common in Asian cooking.
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- ketchup
- brown sugar
- honey
- sesame oil
- water
- cornstarch slurry (to thicken)
You can use my measurements as a starting point and adjust according to your preferences. All of these ingredients and my favorite brands for cooking can be found here on my Amazon Storefront page!
How to make perfectly cooked chicken
Slicing the chicken – The size of the chicken pieces are very important and will largely impact crispiness and moistness. You want to ensure the chicken pieces are 1.5 to 2 inches so the breading has time to get crispy and the inside does not dry out.
Oil temperature – The temperature of the oil is very important for crispy chicken. The oil temperature should be at 350°F before adding the chicken and should maintain around that temperature throughout the cooking process.
Batch frying – As mentioned above, oil temperature is very important. So, you’ll want to cook the chicken in small batches to prevent the oil temperature from reducing too much.
Double frying – You may be tempted to skip this step, but don’t! Double frying is essential to extra crispy chicken. Fry once until lightly golden brown and set it aside to cool. Then drop it in the oil again for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Serving & storing
Sesame chicken pairs perfectly with steamed white rice and vegetables of your choice. The chicken itself is very flavorful, so I like to balance it with more mild dishes.
This dish also stores well for 3 to 4 days and can easily be reheated for a meal the next day. The first method to reheat leftovers involves an air fryer or oven. Spread out the chicken on a rack and heat at 375°F for about 10 minutes until heated through. In order to save dishes, I prefer to use a pot and lid. First spray the bottom with oil and add the chicken leftovers. Then add the lid and simmer on low until it’s cooked through.
More Chinese takeout classic recipes you’ll love
Watch my video tutorial here
Sesame Chicken
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 3 servings 1x
Ingredients
marinade
- 2lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch pieces (800g)
- ¼ tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed into a thick paste
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 egg white
breading and frying:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- frying oil
sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup water
cornstarch slurry: 2 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
garnish: sesame seeds and scallions
Instructions
- Start by slicing the chicken into 2-inch chunks. Ensure the pieces are uniform so it cooks evenly. Also make sure the pieces are not too small, so the outside can get crispy and stay moist inside. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, baking soda, soy sauce and egg white then mix and set aside for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime heat up the oil and prepare the sauce for later. Add all of the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, sesame oil and water) to a bowl and mix well. Taste it and adjust based on your own preference.
- Prepare the breading mixture by adding equal parts flour and cornstarch to a large bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl in batches, ensuring all parts are covered with breading and shake off the excess. Then set the chicken aside on a rack to rest before frying.
- Test the oil to make sure it’s hot enough – it should be around 350°F. Gently drop in the chicken in small batches (so the oil doesn’t reduce in temperature too much) and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes til a light golden brown color. Remove once done and let it cool on a rack to be double fried later.
- For even crispier chicken, double fry the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes until crispy and a deep golden brown color. Shake off the excess oil from the chicken and set it aside for later.
- In a large pan, pour in the sauce from earlier and bring to a boil. Prepare the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce and ensure there are no clumps by using your hands to thoroughly mix. Reduce the heat to low and gradually pour in the slurry while mixing. Continue to stir and the sauce should begin to thicken up. If the sauce has thickened too much, then simply add more water to loosen it.
- Add the chicken to the sauce pan and mix well until the chicken is completely covered. Continue to cook on medium heat for about 1 to 2 minutes to caramelize the sauce, then transfer to a plate and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with white rice & enjoy!
Notes
All of these ingredients and my favorite brands for cooking can be found here on my Amazon Storefront page!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Keywords: sesame chicken, chinese food
