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Sesame Chicken

This is probably the closest you can get to takeout sesame chicken at home without deep frying a gallon of oil. The sauce is sticky, sweet, and has just enough heat to balance everything out.
prep time:20 minutes
cook time:25 minutes
total time:45 minutes
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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.

Notes

Use a deep-fry thermometer to maintain oil temperature. Don't overcrowd the pan when frying.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you liked it below!