Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Preparation
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 30 g cornstarch
- 15 ml light soy sauce
Honey Soy Sauce
- 60 g honey
- 45 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml rice vinegar
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 10 g ginger, grated
- 45 ml water
Cooking and Garnish
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 10 g toasted white sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, sliced thinly
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 452 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 923 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 96 mg
- Potassium
- 451 mg
- Calcium
- 57 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 311 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 38 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 15.4 mg
- Folate
- 14 mcg
- Water
- 137 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Cut the chicken on a clean cutting board into uniform pieces. Immediately wash your hands, knife, and cutting board with hot soapy water to prevent cross-contamination.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken, cornstarch, and the 15ml of soy sauce. Toss thoroughly until every piece of chicken is coated and tacky. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the honey, the remaining 45ml of soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water until completely smooth.
Place a wok over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until it shimmers and glides easily across the surface.
Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot wok in a single layer. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the exterior is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
Pour the prepared honey soy mixture directly over the cooked chicken in the wok. Let the liquid come to a rapid, rolling bubble.
Allow the sauce to aggressively simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. The residual cornstarch on the chicken will help the sauce reduce into a thick, syrupy glaze that thoroughly coats each piece.
Remove the wok from the heat. Scatter the toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions over the chicken, tossing one final time to distribute the garnish evenly before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For an even richer color and depth of flavor, replace 15ml of the light soy sauce in the glaze with dark soy sauce.
- Do not skip the 10-minute rest for the chicken after tossing it in cornstarch; this allows the starch to hydrate and adhere better to the meat, creating a superior crust.
- Toasted sesame oil is a finishing oil and degrades under high heat. Including it in the sauce towards the end preserves its delicate, nutty aroma.
- Always grate your ginger fresh. Powdered ginger will drastically alter the flavor profile and introduce an unwanted gritty texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The coating will lose its crispness after chilling.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to revive the sticky sauce.
Troubleshooting
Sauce remains watery and does not stick to the chicken
Cause: Not enough cornstarch transferred from the chicken, or sauce was not simmered long enough
Fix: Whisk 5g of cornstarch with 15ml of cold water, stir into the bubbling sauce, and cook for 1 more minute until thickened.
Prevention: Ensure chicken is well-coated in cornstarch initially and let the sauce bubble vigorously to evaporate excess water.
Chicken exterior is mushy instead of slightly crispy
Cause: Wok was overcrowded during frying, causing the chicken to steam rather than sear.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed once sauced, but further reducing the sauce will improve overall texture.
Prevention: Fry the chicken in batches if your wok or skillet is not large enough to hold all pieces in a single layer.
Cultural Context
Sesame chicken is a hallmark of Chinese-American takeout cuisine, born from the adaptation of traditional sweet and sour cooking methods to suit Western palates. While heavily sweetened dishes with sticky cornstarch glazes are rare in mainland Chinese home cooking, the fundamental techniques of velveting chicken and balancing soy with aromatics remain rooted in authentic Asian culinary traditions.
