Description
Crispy Sweet Sesame Chicken is a delectable dish featuring crunchy fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet and tangy sesame sauce, perfect for serving over rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds of chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into chunks
- A quarter cup of water
- Half a teaspoon of Kosher salt
- Half a teaspoon of baking soda
- Two large eggs
- Half a cup of cornstarch
- One tablespoon of flavorless oil
- A sprinkle of sesame seeds for topping
- Half a cup of ketchup
- Half a cup of water (for sauce)
- Half a cup of white sugar
- Two tablespoons of white vinegar
- One tablespoon of cornstarch (for sauce)
- One tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce
- Optional: Half a teaspoon of dark soy sauce for color
- One stalk of green onion, thinly sliced (separate green tops and white stems)
- Enough oil for cooking and frying
Instructions
- In a big bowl, mix the chicken chunks, water, salt, and baking soda. Stir until the chicken soaks up the mixture.
- Toss in the eggs and mix again.
- Add the cornstarch and stir until there’s no powdery bit left.
- Finally, add the oil and stir to coat everything.
- In a high-sided pan or wok, pour about 2 to 3 inches of oil and heat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a bowl, combine ketchup, water, sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, and soy sauces (light and dark). Stir well and set aside for later.
- Drop the prepared chicken pieces gently into the hot oil, frying for about 4 to 5 minutes. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then heat the oil back to 375°F and fry the chicken a second time for 5 to 6 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Let the fried chicken drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
- Over medium heat, add a dash of oil to a wok or big pan. Cook the white onion slices for 10 to 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the sauce mixture and turn the heat to medium-high, stirring until thickened and glossy.
- Toss the crispy fried chicken into the hot sauce to coat each piece well. Serve immediately over steamed or fried rice, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion tops.
Notes
- Double fry the chicken for extra crispiness.
- Adjust the sugar to taste for desired sweetness.
- For a spicy version, add red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 150mg