Try this Easy Sesame Chicken Recipe recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 large egg
- for the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 1 pinch of pepper
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
- 11/2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 11/2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
- 1 inch of fresh ginger grated
- 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
- Carbohydrate 0.09625 g
- Cholesterol 52.875 mg
- Fat 1.2425 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 1.5725 g
- Saturated Fat 0.387375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 +/- (131g)
- Sodium 17.6481249998748 mg
- Sugar 0.09625 g
- Trans Fat 0.208375 g
- Calories 18 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, salt and pepper.
- Add in the chicken and toss until well coated.
- Put 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet and place on medium-high heat.
- Once oil is hot, add the chicken and all of the egg mixture.
- Stirring occasionally, cook until chicken is cooked through and golden brown (about 7-10 minutes). Drain off any excess oil.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce.
- In a small bowl, stir the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds and cornstarch until well mixed.
- Once chicken is done, and while the heat is still on, pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat well. The sauce should begin to thicken.
- Once sauce reaches the desired consistency, turn off the heat.
- Serve chicken with white or brown rice.
Judging Doneness Visually
Watch for the meat to turn completely opaque and firm significantly under pressure, since probing cubes with a thermometer is impractical at this scale. Sautéing takes seven to ten minutes over medium-high heat in a skillet. Crust development indicates the proteins have browned fully through contact with the hot oil.
Balancing Flavor Interactions
Soy sauce provides sodium that counters the sweetness of brown sugar while activating umami receptors on the palate. Acetic acid from rice vinegar cuts through the density of the toasted sesame oil. Fresh ginger introduces zingerone compounds that interact with garlic sulfoxides to build depth during reduction.
Managing the Starch Slurry
Cornstarch molecules hydrate during mixing and swell when heated, gelatinizing rapidly once the liquid hits the hot pan. Pour the sauce directly over the browned pieces while burners remain active. Stir continuously until the translucent liquid transforms into a glossy glaze clinging to the meat.
