Description
Easy Sesame Chicken is a quick and flavorful dish combining tender chicken thighs coated in a crispy egg and cornstarch batter, cooked to a golden brown on the stove, then tossed in a rich, sweet, and savory sesame sauce. Served over jasmine rice and garnished with fresh green onions, this recipe is perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 pinch each salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
To Serve
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 2 whole green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, water, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, grated fresh ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and sesame seeds. Stir well until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set the sauce mixture aside.
- Prepare the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together egg, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into small 1-inch pieces. Toss the chicken pieces in the egg mixture thoroughly to coat.
- Heat the skillet and cook chicken: Add cooking oil to a large skillet and heat over medium flame. Wait until the skillet is very hot and the oil coats the surface. Place the coated chicken pieces evenly in a single layer in the skillet.
- Brown the chicken: Let the chicken cook undisturbed until the bottom side turns golden brown. Flip the pieces carefully, breaking them into smaller clusters if needed. Cook the other side until also golden brown. Avoid stirring too much to preserve the crispy coating.
- Add the sauce and simmer: Pour the prepared sauce over the cooked chicken in the skillet. Toss gently to coat all pieces. As the sauce heats and comes to a simmer, it will thicken. Stir gently until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is well coated. Turn off the heat.
- Serve: Spoon the cooked chicken and sauce over a bed of jasmine rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Grate the ginger finely with a small-holed grater for the best flavor integration.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier and more flavorful meat.
- Make sure the skillet and oil are hot before adding chicken to get a crispy coating.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet to ensure even browning of chicken pieces.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the crispy texture and fresh flavor.
