Crispy Sesame Chicken
Better than takeout, this ultra-crunchy and crispy sesame chicken is served with a warm and tangy sweet and sour dipping sauce. Enjoy this over rice! In Georgia it's very hard to find this style of sesame chicken, on most menus it refers to a saucy chicken dish. Back in my hometown in Oregon, it's very common for sesame chicken to be served sauce-free, served alongside sweet and sour sauce and spicy Chinese mustard. Since it's so hard for me to find, I recreated it at home.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, sliced into 2" long pieces
- peanut or vegetable oil for frying
- Serve with jasmine rice
Sesame Chicken Batter
- 1/2 cup self rising flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup filtered water
- 3 oz sesame seeds
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar / white vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
Prep
- Heat your oil to 375 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to monitor and adjust the heat as needed, throughout the process as it will fluctuate.
- Prepare a baking sheet or cooling rack lined with layers of paper towels beside the frying pan for placing the cooked chicken when finished.
Batter & Fry Chicken
- Make the batter by mixing together all batter ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Dip chunks of chicken in the batter, ensuring full coverage, then place into the oil. Work quickly so chicken cooks evenly. Don't overcrowd the pan. You will need to cook them in a few batches.
- Fry for 5-6 minutes, making sure to get even browning on all sides of the chicken. I use a spider/skimmer to flip and move the chicken around, preventing them from sticking together as they cook.
Sweet & Sour Sauce
- To make the sweet and sour sauce, put a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, vinegar and water to the pan. Stir and allow to cook until the sugar is dissolved.
- In a small dish, whisk together the ketchup and cornstarch until combined. Add this to the sugar mixture. Whisk well to combine, bring to a boil. Keep whisking as needed to create a smooth, thickened sauce. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. I like to serve the sauce while it's still warm.