Servings 4 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch, mixed with 2 Tablespoons water
- Sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
Make the chicken:
- Trim any fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
- Add the flour and salt to a sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag, press out any air then seal the bag shut. Shake the bag until the chicken pieces are coated on all sides.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs.
- Add the breadcrumbs to a second shallow dish.
- Remove each piece of chicken from the bag and shake off any excess flour. Dip the chicken in the eggs, shake off any excess, then dip it in the breadcrumbs, pressing to coat the chicken on all sides. Repeat the coating process with all of the chicken pieces.
- Add 2 inches of vegetable oil to a large heavy-bottomed stock pot set over medium heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
- Once the oil reaches 360°F, add a portion of the chicken to the oil and stir once. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until it is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken onto the baking sheet then repeat the frying process with the remaining pieces of chicken, returning the oil to 360°F between each batch. Set the cooked chicken aside while you make the sauce.
Make the sauce:
- In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, add the vegetable oil and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and brown sugar. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil then whisk in the cornstarch mixture and boil until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Add the fried chicken pieces to a large bowl. Drizzle the sauce on top and toss to combine. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
Notes
- Baked version: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease it generously with cooking spray. Coat the chicken using the same flour-egg-Panko method above, then arrange the pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray (this helps them crisp and brown) and bake for 10 minutes. Flip each piece, then continue baking until cooked through and crispy, an additional 5 to 10 minutes. While the chicken bakes, follow the same instructions for making the sesame sauce. Remove the chicken from the oven, add it to a large bowl, drizzle the sauce on top and toss to combine.
- Serving: Toss the chicken in the sauce right before serving. The longer the coated chicken sits in the sauce, the softer it gets.
- Make ahead: The sesame sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a small saucepan over low heat before tossing with the chicken.
- Storing leftovers: Store leftover sesame chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that the Panko coating will soften once tossed in the sauce and refrigerated. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat instead of the microwave to bring back some of the crispiness.
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