1-Wok Sesame Chicken Recipe
Prep Time:
1 hour, 10 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Servings:
4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger root
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup white rice flour
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons potato starch, divided
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups peanut oil, for frying
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese chicken bouillon powder
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Directions
  1. Combine the soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, chicken powder, ginger, and garlic in a large bowl.
  2. Add the chicken to the bowl and mix to evenly coat the pieces.
  3. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for 30 minutes.
  4. Make the batter by combining the rice flour, ½ cup potato starch, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  5. Whisk in ¾ cup of cold water until smooth.
  6. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and toss it with the remaining 2 tablespoons potato starch to coat.
  7. Line a baking sheet with parchment and fit it with a rack.
  8. Heat 2 cups of peanut oil in a large wok or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  9. Add the chicken to the batter and evenly coat.
  10. Once the oil reaches 350 F, fry the chicken in batches until crispy and pale golden brown (3-4 minutes per batch).
  11. Remove the chicken from the wok and drain it on a paper towel-lined platter.
  12. Once all of the chicken has been fried, increase the oil temperature to 375 F.
  13. Flash fry the chicken pieces once more for about a minute until deep golden brown, then drain them on the prepared rack.
  14. Carefully pour the hot peanut oil into a heatproof container. Let cool completely before discarding.
  15. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil to the wok over medium heat.
  16. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
  17. Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, and chicken powder, and bring to a simmer to thicken slightly.
  18. Add the fried chicken pieces and sesame seeds to the wok and toss to coat.
  19. Transfer the sesame chicken to a serving platter and garnish with the scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with the steamed rice, if desired.