Sesame Chicken is a popular Chinese dish that is usually deep fried and tossed in a sweet sticky sesame sauce. This is a healthy version of the classic dish that doesn't involve any deep frying, but still the chicken tastes so juicy and flavourful. This sesame chicken pairs well with steamed rice and vegetables.
Sesame Chicken Recipe
This recipe for sesame chicken was originally published on 2013. I wanted to update it with new pictures and easy to follow recipe. Sesame chicken is a Chinese-American dish that is made by deep frying batter coated chicken and tossing in a sweet sesame sauce. Like my chilli chicken or chicken manchurian.
First I thought of trying the original version, but later realised why not make it healthy by just stir frying. And guess what the chicken tasted so juicy all because of a simple Chinese technique, read below to know about it.
About Sesame Chicken
Sesame chicken has become so popular because of the Chinese American takeout menu. The sesame chicken served in take out is deep fried chicken tossed in a sticky sesame honey sauce.
But Authentic sesame chicken is a healthy version which involves no deep frying, but just stir frying with aromatics and some wok tossing. I used chicken breast for the recipe which is more healthy and approachable. Since the chicken is not batter coated, it may tend to dry out when stir frying.
So I used the popular Chinese method of velveting which is a simple technique followed in most Chinese restaurants to prevent the meat from drying. it is used for all types of meat from chicken, lamb or beef. I used this technique in my chicken scrambled egg.
You simple coat the chicken in cornstarch, baking powder, oil before stir frying. Sometime egg white is used, but I don't add it. This method creates a coating over the chicken breast and when stir fried it doesn't dry out. You can use this for all recipes from salads to sandwiches.
Similar Recipes
Ingredients
- Chicken - I used chicken breast, boneless and cut into chunks. You can use chicken thighs, but it may take longer time to cook.
- Sauce - I used a combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar. This combo works perfectly.
- For velveting - this is to prevent chicken breast from drying. Cornstarch, oil, salt, pepper and baking soda makes the chicken incredibly juicy.
- Aromatics - ginger, garlic, spring onion whites and chilli flakes makes the chicken so flavourful.
- Garnishing - sesame seeds, spring onion greens is added in the end for final touch.
- Toasted Sesame oil - one of the main sesame flavour comes from the toasted sesame oil.
Step by Step Pictures
Velveting Chicken
1)Start by velveting the chicken. This is a technique which is used in Chinese cooking to keep the chicken moist and juicy even after cooking. Mix chicken with salt, pepper, baking soda, cornstarch and oil.
2)Mix well to coat the chicken in all the ingredients. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Sauce
3)Mix the sauce ingredients given below together and set aside.
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoon Brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon MSG optional
Cooking Chicken
4)Heat a wok on high heat. You can add a teaspoon of oil if needed. Add the marinated chicken into the wok and spread the chicken in an even layer so the chicken touches the wok. Don't touch it, and Let it cook for 1 minute. This way the chicken gets well seared and cooked.
5)Now stir the chicken and spread again and let it cook for another 1 minute. Look the chicken has started getting golden colour.
6)Repeat this until the chicken is well coloured and cooked completely. Remove the cooked chicken to a bowl.
Stir Fry Aromatics
7)Now heat toasted sesame oil in the same wok on high heat. Add in ginger, garlic and spring onion whites. Saute for 30 seconds.
8)Add in red chilli flakes and give a good mix. Don't over cook else the chillies may burn.
Prepare Sesame Chicken
9)Now Pour the prepared sauce and mix well.
10)The sauce will thicken almost immediately.
11)Now add in the cooked seared chicken into the sauce.
12)Toss on high heat for 1 minute. The sauce will coat the chicken.
Garnishing
13)Finally add in spring onion greens and toasted sesame seeds and toss well.
14)Thats it, your sesame chicken is ready to serve.
15)Serve with rice.
Expert Tips
- You can use chicken breast or thigh in this dish. When using thigh, it may take longer to cook.
- Make sure to use sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil for sesame flavour.
- You can make double batch of the sauce, if u like more saucy texture in your sauce.
- Chopped vegetables like mushrooms, baby corn, bamboo shoots, peppers can be added.
- You can use tofu instead of chicken in this exact same recipe.
Serving and Storage
Leftover sesame chicken can be stored in fridge in an air tight container and reheated at the time of serving. This sesame chicken taste amazing with steamed white rice.
📖 Get Recipe
Sesame Chicken Recipe (Healthy Chinese Sesame Chicken)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Velveting Chicken
- 1 large Boneless Chicken Breast
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 2 teaspoon Peanut Oil
For Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Light Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1½ tablespoon Brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon MSG optional
For Aromatics (Saute)
- 1 tablespoon Toasted Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Garlic peeled and chopped finely
- 2 teaspoon Ginger peeled and chopped finely
- 2 no Spring Onion whites chopped finely
- 2 teaspoon Red chilli flakes
For Garnishing
- 2 no Spring Onion Greens chopped finely
- 2 teaspoon Toasted Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Start by velveting the chicken. This is a technique which is used in Chinese cooking to keep the chicken moist and juicy even after cooking. Mix chicken with salt, pepper, baking soda, cornstarch and oil. Mix well to coat the chicken in all the ingredients. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Heat a wok on high heat. You can add a teaspoon of oil if needed. Add the marinated chicken into the wok and spread the chicken in an even layer so the chicken touches the wok. Don't touch it, and Let it cook for 1 minute.
- Now stir the chicken and spread again and let it cook for another 1 minute. Repeat this until the chicken is well coloured and cooked completely. Remove the cooked chicken to a bowl.
- Now heat toasted sesame oil in the same wok on high heat. Add in ginger, garlic and spring onion whites. Saute for 30 seconds. Add in red chilli flakes and give a good mix.
- Pour the prepared sauce and mix well. The sauce will thicken almost immediately.
- Now add in the cooked seared chicken into the sauce and toss on high heat for 1 minute. The sauce will coat the chicken.
- Finally add in spring onion greens and toasted sesame seeds and toss well. Serve with rice.
Nutrition
Tried this Recipe
Mention @yummytummyaarthi or tag #yummytummyaarthi!If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @aarthi198689@gmail.com and I'll help as soon as I can.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook,Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter for more Yummy Tummy inspiration.
Anna
Me encanta el pollo que has preparado. ya me he hecho seguidora de tu blog ya que me encanta la cocina de India. Seguiremos viéndonos. un beso.
Pretend Chef
Looks even better than takeout. Bookmarking this now for when my next craving hits. 3...2...1... headed to the store now. Haha! Yummy!
Sin-A-Mon (Monika)
I absolutely love the crunchyness of sesame seeds this looks lovely
Suja
Wow delicious chicken recipe..perfect
lacasitadeazucar
¡Riquísimo!
TeRe
Que platito más rico...creo que tengo de casi todas las especias..asique, intentaré probarlo, porque me gusta mucho el pollo...un besito
Carolina
I like it so much. Chicken is my favourite meal and i like the ingredients you use to prepare it.
Kisses
Food, Fun and Life in the Charente
Mt mouth is watering...... Diane
Chicunini
Hola, gracias por tu visita a mi blog, me animaron mucho tus palabras. Aunque no te veo de seguidora??? snif snif
Me gusta mucho la diversidad de platos que preparas,yo suelo ser más regional. Aquí me tienes de seguidora, espero que me visites de nuevo.
Besos
são33
ESSE FRANGO FICOU DIVINO.
BOA SEMANA
BJS
Dzoli
This looks absolutely great.As always you have left such instructions that we have to try;)
Gloria
I love sesame so this chicken look delicious and nice!! gloria
Vimitha Anand
Looks so flavorful and delish...
Vardhini
Looks good
Vardhini
Event: Fast food not Fat food
Rekha shoban
interesting chicken!!!yummmy!
Yuvana's Favourites
Hi, both the Chicken and the new look of the blog is beautiful.
Yolanda
Chicken cooked this way must be terribly tasty. Furthermore, easy to cook, since nowadays we are all in a hurry!
Cheers!
Bego (samira)
Hola !!!
Gracias por tu visita a mi blog, yo me quedo también por aqui viendo las comiditas tan ricas que preparas y tomando buena nota 😉
Hasta pronto !!!
Saludos.
Más allá de 365 sonrisas
Hi!!
I really appreciated your words, thank you for visiting and I will stick to yours cause i think your wide range of recipes is very interesting too.
Kind regards!
Marhya
Hi Aarthi, please let me know your beautiful blog through mine. This chicken is delicious, I really like.Saludos!
CUATRO ESPECIAS Por ELENA ZULUETA DE MADARIAGA
Looks even better than takeout, and I really appreciated your work.
thanks for all
The Pumpkin Farm
yummy is the word. Just a few steps and ready
Pradnya
Susana
Encantada de conocerte, tus recetas son geniales, probaré más de una porque este tipo de comida me gusta. De momento te sigo en Facebook porque no sé dónde seguirte en tu blog, seguiré buscando.
Besos
Mary Paz
¡Hola! Acabo de conocer tu blog y me encanta. Me acabo de hacer seguidora. A través de él espero conocer la comida tan rica de tu país. Espero también que visites el mio, que es de postres típicos de aqui!! Enhorabuena y un abrazo desde España!!!
Srivalli
Never tried with sesame as whole, nice idea
Mari
Yummy Chicken!!! I could see myself doing this recipe. Thanks 🙂
Maria Pilar-COCINICA
Que buena receta de pollo, tiene un aspecto exquisito.
Feliz verano
Pilar
Me encanta cómo muestras visualmente tus recetas. Si no fuera porque alguno de los ingredientes no los conozco, lo haría!!
Seguiré intentándolo.
Teresa Blackburn
Aarthi, I love your new heading for your blog. Very nice!Great recipe for the Sesame Chicken as well.
Taste Junction
Nice look you have given to the blog!! And this recipe is surely tempting me to try 🙂
yawanika
This chicken came out super tasty and my family went crazy about it. There was a huge fight for the last piece and i had to promise them a repeat of the same next meal for the quarrel to subside.
I did make some slight modifications, though. I added some red, green, yellow and orange cubed bell peppers, one onion cubed, and a dash of Sriracha sauce to add more zing to the dish.
Thank you for the fabulous recipe.
Karen Piinto
Hi Aarthi,just made this starter and it just looked the way you have shown in the pic,hubby njoid it to the core...
Estela Reppell
The thing i like about your blog is that you always post direct to the point info.:,*`,