This Asian Crispy Sesame Chicken is a delicious homemade alternative to that naughty takeaway!
I think I need to get me some bees.
The amount of honey we go through on toast (Gracey's obsession) and in cooking makes we wonder why we don't have a honey store like Winnie the Pooh! Honey filled Breakfast lollies, sticky Asian Pork Belly, balsamic-honey salad dressings., Asian Ribs, Sticky Pork Belly Burger, Chinese Crispy Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce, Chris even uses it in his Chilli Con Carne just install a honey-line into my house and let's be done with it.
This crispy sesame chicken is another one for the honey archives. Sweet, salty, crispy, sticky and a little bit spicy - it covers all the bases for one of these meals that everyone polishes off. Not a scrap left.
Even while photographing this one I caught Chris hovering over the pan that had a few pieces of chicken still in it - waiting till I wasn't looking so he could sneak a few pieces!
I let him off with the proviso that he fed me a piece too whilst I was snapping away.
I love this as an alternative to the Friday night takeaway. Can't deny it's not the healthiest meal - with the honey and brown sugar, and of course a little oil to crisp up that chicken - but it's still way better than take-out. I serve mine with some steamed brocolli and sugar snap peas to just boost the health factor.
One thing I should say is that this isn't a copycat recipe. I know sesame chicken is popular at Chinese takeout restaurants in the US, but it's not something we really see on Chinese menus in the UK. I've never tasted the US version, so I can't say it tastes anything like it.
It's bloomin' good though!
Equipment:
In order to make this Sesame Chicken recipe you will need:
- A good Kitchen knife. In the video I use my Leiths knife however I have recently bought this Dalstrong one and love it.
- Chopping Board
- Shallow White Bowls
- Measuring Jug
- Fying Pan/Skillet or a Wok.
- Wooden or Silicon Coated Spoons. We have just bought these and love them.
- A nice set of bowls to serve in. Something like these blue Bowls are really nice to serve in.
- Some Chopsticks for when you feel confident 🙂
The Crispy Sesame Chicken with a Sticky Asian Sauce Recipe:
Crispy Sesame Chicken with a Sticky Asian Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 eggs - lightly beaten
- 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 10 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 3 chicken breast fillets - chopped into bite-size chunks
Sauce: *
- 1 tbsp sesame oil - optional - you can leave out and just sprinkle with plenty of sesame seeds at the end if you prefer
- 2 cloves garlic - peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar - white wine vinegar will work too
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce - use more or less depending on the brand and how spicy you like it
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
To Serve:
- Boiled rice
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- Small bunch spring onions/scallions - chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot.
- Whilst the oil is heating, place the egg in one shallow bowl and the cornflour in another shallow bowl. Add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt and paprika to another shallow bowl and mix together.
- Dredge the chicken in the cornflour, then dip in the egg (make sure all of the chicken is covered in egg wash), and finally dredge it in the seasoned flour. Add to the wok and cook on a high heat for 6-7 minutes, turning two or three times during cooking, until well browned. You may need to cook in two batches (I find I can do it in one batch so long as it's no more than 3 chicken breasts). Remove from the pan and place in a bowl lined with kitchen towels.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to the hot wok, stir and bubble on a high heat until the sauce reduces by about a third (should take 2-3 minutes). Add the chicken back in and toss in the sauce to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and divide between four bowls. Serve with boiled rice and top with sesame seeds and spring onions.
Video
✎ Notes
Nutrition
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Yvonne says
I was looking for something different but fairly easy for dinner tonight. I found this recipe and happened to have all the ingredients (minus the green onion lol).
This was absolutely fantastic! We had chicken thighs instead of breast but I was able to follow everything exactly as the recipe said. We will definitely be adding this to our personal recipe book!
DELICIOUS!
Lolo says
So good! Restaurant quality good! I served it on a bed of steamed broccoli and my family inhaled it in 5 minutes! I am going to try the sauce with sauteed tofu instead of chicken for my daughter who doesn't east chicken. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Kainna says
So tasty! I put the chicken & rice in lettuce boats after it was all done & it was super good!
Cristy says
Made it tonight..shared your recipe on FB
Excellent. I Tripled the sauce and added lots more chicken. Also fixed rice ans lots of veggies to go with in a stir fry
Used tapioca starch(flour) instead of corn starch(allergy to corn) and I think you can easily make this gluten free.
Thank you!!
Shirley Jones says
I like the look of this recipe but being a retird senior i would need the recipe downsised to suit just us two,
Kaza says
Love love love this recipes. Better than any take out
Shannon says
I made this tonight for a Filipino gathering and they all loved it. Super easy super yummy.
Marita says
I've made this five times now, and it's fantastic! Just a reminder to thoroughly dry your chicken with paper towels prior to coating it in cornstarch. Also a tip that made life so much easier is to put your cornstarch and your flour seasoning mixture into separate zip-loch bags, then you can just shake it over the chicken and it's way less time and mess. 🙂
Brigitte says
Amazingly good!!! Next time, I will double the sauce to have some left for the side dish. Thank you for this great recipe.
Kathy says
I've made this several times. Very good.
Eleanor says
Made this for the first time for me and my husband. Absolutely loved it. It’s a lot of hassle to make and my kitchen now resembles a tip but it was so worth it! I served it with noodles instead of rice, made two lots of the sauce and mixed the noodles with one lot and the chicken with the other. Will defo be making again, once I’ve got over the amount of mess in the kitchen 😊