Honey Sesame Chicken
I’ve never really been completely in love with Chinese food. 19 times out of 20 I’d pick Italian, Mexican or all American pizza over Chinese food, but my taste buds are really starting to crave it more lately. To be honest, I don’t know how much a dish like this honey sesame chicken could really be considered a Chinese dish, it’s probably more of an American Chinese type entree. Either way, it is completely delicious. It definitely satisfies that craving for Chinese takeout. If you’ve never used sesame oil before, keep in mind it’s powerful stuff so even though this recipe requires just a few teaspoons a little goes a long way. It’s almost like an extract, its so potently flavorful. It has a very savory and deep tone to it with hints of smokiness. Once you taste it, you may go, ahh that is what the underlying flavor of that tasty entree I had at that Chinese restaurant was that I just couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Honey Sesame Chicken Ingredients
For the honey sesame chicken sauce, you’ll need:
Chicken broth Honey Soy sauce Sesame oil White vinegar Yellow onion Garlic Ginger Salt and pepper Cornstarch Cold water
And for the chicken, you’ll need:
Chicken breasts Baking powder Eggs Vegetable oil, for frying Sesame seed and green onions, for garnish
How to Make Honey Sesame Chicken
First, make the honey sesame sauce. Combine all ingredients but the cornstarch and water in a small saucepan, then bring to a boil. Meanwhile, mix together cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Once the mixture in the saucepan is boiling, stir in the cornstarch slurry. Reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer until thickened. Pour oil into large cast iron pot and heat until 350 degrees F. Whisk eggs in small bowl. Combine cornstarch and baking powder in another bowl. Dip chicken in eggs, then in cornstarch mixture. Fry until golden. Toss fried chicken with sauce to coat, then plate and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
How Can I Make This Dish a Little Healthier?
If you wanted to make this honey sesame chicken recipe a bit healthier, you could replace the whole eggs with 2 egg whites, reduce the cornstarch mixture to 1/4 cup as well as 1/4 tsp baking powder. Then combine the cornstarch/baking powder mixture with the egg whites and toss the chicken into mixture, sauté the chicken in a wok or large non-stick skillet with a few tablespoons of oil rather than deep frying in several cups of oil. Also, if going the lighter route, you can cut the sauce recipe in half. Whichever way you make it I hope you enjoy!
Can I Make This in a Slow Cooker?
Most likely, yes, but you’d need to adjust the amount of cornstarch in this recipe. Without having tested this in the slow cooker myself, I can’t say for sure what adjustments in particular need to be made!
Tips for the Best Honey Sesame Chicken
Fry the chicken in batches so you don’t lower the temperature of the oil too much. Once fried, place the chicken onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Fried chicken is best enjoyed day of, as it loses its crispness in the fridge.
More Chinese Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry Orange Chicken General Tso’s Chicken Chicken Chow Mein Cashew Chicken Lighter Sweet and Sour Chicken
