Sesame Chicken

American Sesame Chicken

A takeout-style favorite born in U.S. Chinese-American kitchens, featuring crispy fried chicken tossed in a glossy sweet-tangy sauce and finished with toasted sesame seeds.

Prep

20 min

Cook

20 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1¼ lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm / 1¼ in pieces
• •200 g (1¼ cups) cornstarch, for coating; do not substitute flour alone
• •2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• •500 ml (2 cups) neutral oil, vegetable or canola, for frying
• •120 g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
• •60 ml (¼ cup) rice vinegar, white vinegar also works
• •45 ml (3 tbsp) soy sauce
• •30 g (2 tbsp) tomato paste, or 60 ml ketchup as a U.S. shortcut
• •15 g (1 tbsp) fresh garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
• •10 g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, minced
• •10 g (2 tsp) cornstarch, mixed with 30 ml / 2 tbsp water for slurry
• •15 g (2 tbsp) toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• •2 stalks scallions, sliced, optional garnish
• •300 g (3 cups) cooked white rice, to serve

Steps

1. 1 Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels. Working in batches, dip each piece in beaten egg, then dredge thoroughly in the 200 g cornstarch, pressing so the coating adheres. Spread on a tray and let rest 5 minutes so the crust sets.
2. 2 Heat oil in a wok or deep skillet to 175 °C / 350 °F. Fry chicken in small batches 3–4 minutes until pale gold and the internal temperature reaches 74 °C / 165 °F on an instant-read thermometer. Drain on a rack. (For extra crispness, do a second fry of 1–2 minutes; not required for doneness.)
3. 3 While the chicken rests, make the sauce: in a small saucepan combine sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
4. 4 Stir the cornstarch slurry and pour it into the simmering sauce. Cook 30–60 seconds, whisking, until glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
5. 5 Add the fried chicken to the saucepan (or pour sauce over chicken in a bowl) and toss gently until every piece is coated in the shiny glaze.
6. 6 Transfer to a serving plate, scatter generously with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions, and serve immediately with steamed white rice.