Shredded Chicken with Sesame Seeds
Submitted by williv
Velveted shredded chicken tossed with toasted sesame seeds, dark soy, rice wine, and Sichuan peppercorns. A classic Chinese stir-fry with silky texture in every bite.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minIf you’ve ever wondered how Chinese restaurants get their chicken so impossibly silky, this recipe spills the secret: velveting.
Thin shreds of chicken breast get coated in egg white and cornstarch, then flash-fried in hot oil for barely a minute. The result is tender, glossy strips that stay juicy no matter what you do next.
Those velveted shreds then get tossed with toasted sesame seeds, a punchy sauce of dark soy, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a tingle of Sichuan peppercorns. Serve it hot off the wok or let it cool to room temperature for a different vibe entirely.
Wok Tips
- Cut the chicken uniformly. Even 3-inch shreds cook at the same rate, so nothing ends up overdone or raw.
- Don’t skip the chill time. Twenty minutes in the fridge sets the cornstarch coating and helps it hold up in the hot oil.
- Toast the sesame seeds carefully. They go from golden to burnt in seconds. Keep them moving in the wok and pull them the moment they turn light brown.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the chicken breasts into fine shreds 3 inches long.
Mix them with the egg white, salt and cornstarch.
Chill for about 20 minutes.
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet until moderately hot.
Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry it quickly in the oil to keep it from sticking.
Cook until it turns white, which should take about 1 minute.
Drain the chicken immediately in a colander or sieve and drain off the oil.
Clean the wok and add about 1 tablespoon of the drained oil.
Reheat until it is hot.
Add the sesame seeds and stir-fry them for 1 minute or until slightly brown.
Add the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil.
Return the cooked chicken to the pan and stir-fry the mixture for another 2 minutes, coating the pieces thoroughly with the sauce and sesame seeds.
Serve at once, or let cool and serve at room temperature.
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