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a plate of chinese sesame chicken with steamed broccoli as garnish

Easy Chinese Sesame Chicken

Let's learn the restaurant's secret to making this easy Chinese sesame chicken: super crispy nuggets tossed in sweet & tangy sauce.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Marinating time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories per serving: 637kcal
Author: Tu

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into bites size (2x2 inches)
  • ¼ tsp Kosher salt
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper

Beer Batter

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

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 637kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 31gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 2168mgPotassium: 1019mgFiber: 6gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 1038IUVitamin C: 140mgCalcium: 193mgIron: 5mg