Sesame chicken is the archetypal non-Chinese, Chinese takeaway dish, crispy fried chicken in a sweet sauce topped with loads of sesame seeds.
My take on this recipe takes a little over 30 minutes to prepare and cook, and it tastes fantastic!
Crispy Sticky Fried Chicken
Give me something deep-fried in a sweet and sticky sauce that makes the batter go chewy, and I am in heaven.
And so often, that means Chinese takeaway-inspired grub, such as sweet and sour pork balls, dragon chicken, or Chinese crispy lemon chicken.
Another favourite is sticky crispy sesame chicken, another dish that may not be "authentic" but one that exists in Chinese takeaway places around the world, and it's magic!
My version uses chicken breast in a crispy batter flavoured with Chinese five spice and white pepper. It gets a little extra "crispiness" thanks to the addition of lightly whipped egg white and cornflour.
The sauce reads like a greatest hits selection from a standard "Chinese" store cupboard. Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, white pepper, MSG, garlic and ginger, they just work!
Whilst you do need to fry this dish, it is incredibly easy, and you can get it on your table in a little over 30 minutes with a bit of practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thigh meat?
Yes, this recipe works very well with chicken thigh meat, just make sure that you cut it into evenly sized strips.
What is Chinkiang vinegar?
Chinkiang vinegar is a "black" rice vinegar, and it is delicious. You will likely need to visit a Chinese supermarket or order it online, but it is well worth it!
It is my go-to rice vinegar for cooking; it has a much more complex and rounder flavour than regular rice vinegar. But you can get away with using regular rice vinegar as a substitution.
Do I have to add the MSG?
No, but you will be missing out on a significant flavour boost if you do omit it.
Can I air fry the chicken?
As this is a battered or fried dish, it is not suitable for baking or air frying.
You can get away with shallow frying it, but you will not be making it any healthier; it will just take you longer!
Can I use a deep fat fryer?
Yes, if you have one ready to rock and roll, go ahead! It is much easier to keep an accurate temperature than it is when you use a wok!
Can I make this in advance?
Technically, you could, and it would be "safe" to eat. However, it would be far from its best and I would advise against it.
Serving Suggestions
I live to serve my Chinese fakeaway sesame chicken with some plain white rice; there is more than enough flavour in the sticky coating to make it work. Which makes this a very easy meal to bring together.
If you want something with a little more flavour, you could rustle up some egg fried rice. It is easy to make, but you can rapidly run out of room at your cooker!
Noodles are another fine choice for a side for this dish, and a plain chow mein would work perfectly.
If you want something a little healthy with your deep-fried chicken in a sweet sauce... erm... ok! How about some stir fried broccoli, or maybe an asparagus stir fry?
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 25cm or 10" frying pan.
- Large wok, or deep-fat fryer.
- Slotted spoon.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Grater.
- Mixing bowls.
- Whisk.
- A combination of weighing scales and measuring spoons.
- Kitchen paper.
Sticky Crispy Sesame Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 350 g Skinless Chicken Breasts 325-350g Total
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Seeds I use a 50/50 mix of black and white seeds
- Cooking Oil For Frying
- 2-3 Spring Onions For Garnish
For the Batter
- 1 Egg White
- ¼ teaspoon White Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon Flour
- ½ tablespoon Cornflour Cornstarch in the US
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang Rice Vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 15 g Ginger ½ thumb-sized piece
- 1 teaspoon Cornflour Cornstarch in the US
- 1 tablespoon Water
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into strips 5-6mm (¼") thick, across the breast.
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, Chinkiang vinegar, sesame oil, MSG and white pepper for the sauce to a 25cm or 10" frying pan. Gently heat the pan stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
- Peel and chop the garlic cloves.
- Peel and grate the ginger.
- Once the sugar in the sauce has melted, add the garlic and ginger, stir to combine and keep warm on a gentle simmer whilst you prepare the rest of the dish.Now is a good time to heat the oil to fry the chicken; you will need 2-3cm (1" or so) in the base of a large wok. You are looking for a temperature of 170°C or 340°F.
- Add the egg white, white pepper, Chinese 5 spice and salt for the batter to a bowl, and whisk it until it is starting to foam, then add the chicken and toss to coat.
- Finely chop the spring onions.
- Mix together the cornflour and water for the sauce.
- Mix together the cornflour and regular flour for the batter.
- Sprinkle the flour/cornflour mix for the batter over the chicken and stir it with a spoon to coat. Don't worry if there are a few lumps!
- Cook the battered chicken in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes. If your temperature is correct, this will result in crispy, golden, and perfectly cooked chicken. You will want to do this in two or three batches and drain any excess oil form the chicken with some kitchen paper.
- Once the chicken has all been cooked, add the cornflour slurry to the sauce, stir to thicken for a minute.
- Add the chicken to the sauce, toss to coat.
- Add the sesame seeds, again tossing to coat.
- Serve sprinkled with the chopped spring onion.
