Sesame Chicken

Sesame Chicken is a popular Chinese dish. I once saw a picture of it on Instagram and it looked really appetizing. I really wanted to taste it after reading it's description. I tried looking up the recipe but didn't really find many over the internet except for the one on Brown Eyed Baker . Although I made some slight changes to the recipe, this dish was a hit the very first time I made it.

This recipe is a keeper! I've been requested to make sesame chicken by my family and friends several times because of it's delicious taste. This recipe doesn't involve doing a lot of work. All you got to do for your ease is marinate the chicken a day earlier.

It's not just the taste but the beautiful color and presentation that catches your eye and makes you want to eat it even more. I love the crunchy crust of the chicken and the flavorful sauce.

You can serve your sesame chicken with plain boiled rice or Chinese vegetable rice; The choice is yours. I like mine with the Chinese vegetable rice. 

INGREDIENTS

Marinade

• 1 cup chicken stock
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Coating and Frying

• 3 egg whites
• 1½ cups cornstarch
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• Sesame seeds, to garnish
• Scallions, sliced, to garnish

METHOD

• To make the marinade, whisk the chicken stock, water, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch and oil in a bowl. Of this mixture, place 6 tablespoons into a zip lock storage bag and add the chicken; seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining marinade in the bowl.
• While the chicken is chilling in the marinade, heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Sauté the garlic, ginger and chile paste until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add 2 cups of the reserved marinade to the skillet and simmer, whisking constantly, until the mixture has become a darker brown and thickened. Remove from the heat and cover.
• To prepare the chicken for coating and frying, whisk the egg whites in a shallow dish until foamy; set aside. Combine the cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and remaining marinade in a second shallow dish; mix using a fork until it resembles coarse meal.
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and from the marinade. Pat the marinated chicken dry with paper towels.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat until the oil registers 350 degrees.
• While the oil is heating, prepare the chicken for frying. Toss half the chicken into the foamy egg whites until well coated, then dredge the chicken in the cornstarch mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer the coated chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Fry half the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning each piece halfway through cooking. Transfer the cooked chicken onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Return the oil to 350 degrees. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Warm the sauce over medium heat until simmering. Turn off the heat and add the fried chicken pieces. Toss to coat and serve, sprinkling with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.