Ingredients (~6 servings)
Chicken and Coating
- ~2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
Sesame Sauce
- 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp chili paste (Sambal Oelek works great)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
For Serving
- Cooked rice
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Season and Coat the Chicken
Season the chicken pieces all over with the salt.
In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the cornstarch and flour.
Working with one piece at a time, dip the chicken into the egg and turn to coat. Allow the excess egg to drip off, then dip the chicken into the flour mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
The coating should feel secure on each piece – if it’s sliding off, press it on more firmly.
Heat Oil to 325F and Fry the Chicken
Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a large, heavy pot. Add the vegetable oil to the pot over medium-high heat.
Once the oil reaches 325F, carefully add the chicken to the hot oil, 8 to 10 pieces at a time. Cook until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165F, about ~5-6 minutes per batch.
Don’t overcrowd the pot or the oil temperature will drop and you’ll get soggy chicken.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate.
Make the Sesame Sauce
While the chicken is frying, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, brown sugar, and chili paste in a small bowl.
Heat the tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about ~1 minute.
Add the sauce mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer.
In a second small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 3/4 cup cold water and mix until smooth. Add this slurry to the sauce and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, about ~2 minutes.
The sauce should coat the back of a spoon when it’s ready.
Toss Chicken in Sauce and Serve
Add the fried chicken to the sauce and cook, stirring, until each piece is coated with sauce and warmed through, about ~2 minutes.
Divide the rice between bowls. Top with the chicken and any remaining sauce from the pan.
Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- ~2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Sesame Sauce
- 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp chili paste Sambal Oelek works great
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
For Serving
- Cooked rice
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt.
- Dip chicken in beaten eggs, then coat in cornstarch-flour mixture.
- Heat oil to 325F and fry chicken in batches until golden brown, 5-6 minutes per batch.
- Sauté garlic and ginger in oil for 1 minute.
- Add soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sugar, and chili paste to pan.
- Mix cornstarch with water and add to sauce, cooking until thickened.
- Toss fried chicken in sauce until coated and heated through.
- Serve over rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
