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Honey Sesame Chicken

Who needs takeout when homemade Honey Sesame Chicken tastes better! A sweet and sticky Asian dinner favorite. Crispy chicken pieces tossed in a honey sesame sauce, served over rice.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Asian, Chinese
Keyword honey sesame chicken, sesame chicken, sesame chicken recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound /500g chicken thighs cut into ¾-inch cubes
  • oil for frying

Crispy Chicken Batter

  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • cups water

Honey Sesame Sauce

  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine Shaoxing Wine
  • 1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds
  • green onion to garnish

Corn Starch Slurry

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons water

Instructions

Making Crispy Batter

  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, egg, and salt. Add water and whisk until smooth.
  • Add the chicken pieces to the batter, mixing together so all the pieces are coated. Leave the chicken in the batter until you are ready to fry.

Frying Sesame Chicken

  • In a wok or saucepan, add enough oil to fry. Should be at least 2 to 3 inches deep. Heat oil until hot, around 350°F.
  • Slowly add the battered chicken, one piece at a time, and fry in small batches. Fry for about 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Don't allow the pieces to stick together while frying, constantly turning the chicken.
  • Remove from wok onto a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the process until the chicken is cooked.

Honey Sesame Sauce

  • Mix together the honey, Chinese Cooking Wine, Rice Wine Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and water. Set aside.
  • In a glass, mix together the cornstarch and water and make a slurry. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and quickly fry the chopped garlic, no more than 30 seconds. Add the honey sauce and heat until it bubbles. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook it for about 1-2 minutes, until sauce thickens.

Making Sesame Chicken

  • Toss the crispy chicken pieces in the hot honey sesame sauce until fully coated. Serve immediately over rice. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.