Description
This crispy sesame chicken recipe features golden, crunchy chicken bites coated in a rich, sweet, and savory sesame sauce. It’s quick, easy, and tastes better than takeout!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 egg whites
- ½ cup cold seltzer water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 3 tbsp water)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, salt, and black pepper. In another bowl, whisk egg whites with seltzer water, then combine with the dry ingredients to make a batter.
- Dip chicken pieces into the batter, coating evenly.
- Heat oil to 350°F and fry chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on a wire rack.
- In a pan, sauté garlic and ginger, then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer until thickened.
- Toss crispy chicken in the sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
- Serve hot over rice or noodles.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, fry the chicken twice.
- Keep the sauce and chicken separate until serving to maintain crunch.
- Use an air fryer for a lighter version (cook at 375°F for 12-15 minutes).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American