This easy Chinese sesame chicken is utterly delicious and should be in your recipe collection keepsake. Crispy beer-battered chicken nuggets tossed in lip-smacking, sweet and tangy sauce (made without vinegar).
Easy Chinese sesame chicken
Whether a quick snack or main course, these sesame chicken nuggets will bring a smile to everyone's face. Nobody will say no to crispy, delicious nuggets in a sweet and tangy sauce. Serve these crispy chicken with a bowl of hot steamed rice or simple egg fried rice to enjoy them to the fullest.
This sesame chicken is a non-spicy version of this easy General Tso's chicken. They share the same sauce recipe minus the chilies pods.
Looking for more recipes that are served with rice? Why not try my one-pan sweet and spicy chicken, braised white fish, caramelized catfish clay pot, and braised pork spare ribs.
Why you will love this recipe
- Lip-smacking sauce: the sweet and tangy sauce will keep you asking for more.
- Crispy: made with beer batter and deep-fried in hot vegetable oil, these chicken nuggets keep their crunchiness for a while.
- Kids friendly: your kids will be head over heal for this utterly delicious recipe
This Chinese sesame chicken can also be served as a snack or an appetizer. It hits the spot and is a perfect treat for movie night or game day.
How to make sesame chicken
- Combine all ingredients for the fried batter in a mixing bowl, mix well, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Cut chicken into bite-size and marinade with salt & pepper for 30 minutes.
- Dredge chicken into beer batter, then carefully fry in hot oil until crispy and golden brown, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small sauce pan. Cook for 5 minutes then add the slurry into the mixture. Simmer for another minute.
- Cook broccoli (optional).
- Heat a small amount of sesame chicken sauce in a cooking pan. Add crispy fried chicken nuggets and gently toss and coat in the sauce.
- Sprinkle with white sesame seeds. Add broccoli on the side. Then serve with a bowl of hot steamed rice.
Make ahead instructions
The texture and flavors of these sesame chickens make them very addictive. It would help if you made a big batch as they will be gone quickly. This is the practice that most Chinese restaurants adopt.
You can fry these chicken nuggets ahead of time and store them in an airtight container or a Ziploc for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in a freezer. To reheat, re-fry the chicken in hot oil for 2-3 minutes or pop them in an air-fryer.
The sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
More delicious chicken recipes
Did you make this recipe? If so please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comment section. Also, don't forget to tag me #cookmorphosis @cookmorphosis on social media.
Easy Chinese Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into bites size (2x2 inches)
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Beer Batter
- 1 ¼ c cold beer or club soda
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 c AP flour
- ¼ c potato starch or corn starch
- 1 tsp baking powder
Sauce
- ½ c light soy sauce
- ½ c water
- ½ c pineapple juice
- ½ c sugar
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 piece ginger 2x2 inches piece, minced
Slurry
- 1 tbsp potato starch or corn starch
- ¼ c water
Others
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds toasted
- 1 head small broccoli cut into bite sites, boiled or steamed
- steamed rice as needed
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Make the batter & marinate chicken
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all batter ingredients, mix well and let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Marinate chicken with salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl for 30 minutes.
Make the sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients for General Tso sauce, bring to the boiling point, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Carefully add the slurry mixture into the sauce, slowly stir and cook for one more minute. Then turn off the heat, and set the sauce aside for later use.
Fry chicken
- Fill a large frying pot with 2-3 cups of vegetable oil. Dip chicken cubes in batter, then carefully put them in hot frying oil. Fry for 8-10 minutes. Don't overcrowd the pot, and ensure the oil reaches 350F before adding the chicken.
- Drain fried chicken pieces on a large plate lined with oil-absorbed paper.
Make sesame chicken
- Add about ¼ c of the sauce to a large cooking pan over medium-high heat. Then add 8-10 pieces of crispy fried chicken to the pan. Gently toss the chicken and coat them evenly with the sauce.
- Then put the chicken on a serving plate, and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds. Serve with broccoli & steamed rice on the side.
Notes
Tips for making the best sesame chicken
- To avoid soggy chicken, first, the frying oil must reach 350F. Second, you should not overcrowd the frying pan. There must always be extra room for the chicken to float around. I fried 1lb of chicken in 3 batches, and each batch had 8 to 10 chicken pieces.
- Coat the chicken with the sauce as fast as possible, then serve immediately. The quicker you are, the crispier the chicken will stay.
Gluten-free option
- Skip the batter. Instead, add about 1 cup of tapioca starch to the chicken and mix, and ensure all pieces are fully coated. Also, remember to shake off any excess before adding them to the frying oil.
- The chicken will never be as crispy as the batter method.
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