Sesame Chicken (Chinese New Year)
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Crispy sesame chicken just like takeout: chicken cubes in a light, crackly batter deep-fried golden, then coated in a glossy sweet-and-tangy sesame sauce and showered with toasted sesame seeds. Serve over rice.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
20 minREADY
45 minSkip the takeout menu, this homemade sesame chicken hits all the same notes: crisp, golden nuggets glazed in a glossy, sweet-and-tangy sauce and finished with a shower of toasted sesame seeds. It’s a staple on the Chinese New Year table, where chicken symbolizes prosperity and togetherness.
The crunch comes from a light batter spiked with both baking powder and baking soda, which puff the coating so it fries up airy and crisp rather than dense.
Frying in small batches keeps the oil hot, so each piece browns fast and stays crisp instead of turning greasy.
The sweet, garlicky sauce is cooked separately and thickened with cornstarch, then poured over the chicken at the last second. That way the coating stays crackly under the glaze instead of going soggy. Pile it over rice and dig in.
Chef Tips
- Fry the chicken in small batches. Crowding the oil drops the temperature and leaves you with pale, greasy pieces instead of crisp ones.
- Keep both leaveners in the batter. The baking powder and soda are what give the coating its light, crunchy puff.
- Make the sauce ahead and keep it warm, then bring it back to a boil right before serving so it’s hot and glossy.
- Sauce the chicken at the very last moment. Tossing it too early softens the crisp coating.
Variations
- Add steamed broccoli or snow peas to round it into a full plate.
- Dial the Thai chili paste up for a spicier, more fiery sesame chicken.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
To prepare the sauce: mix together all of the sauce ingredients.
Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken.
To deep-fry the chicken: add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.
Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.
Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil.
Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serve the Sesame Chicken with rice.
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