Chinese Sesame Chicken With Garlic and Chili Paste

Chinese Sesame Chicken With Garlic and Chili Paste

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings

Sesame chicken is a very popular restaurant dish. You may want to increase the vinegar or lower the amount of sugar for this one—it all depends on how sweet you want the sauce.

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless chicken breasts

For the Marinade:

  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon cooking wine, or dry sherry

  • 3 drops sesame oil

  • 2 tablespoons flour

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • 2 tablespoons vinegar

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil

  • 1 teaspoon chili paste, or more if desired

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Other:

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups Peanut oil, for frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Chinese Sesame Chicken With Garlic and Chili Paste ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat. Set aside.

    Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.

    chicken pieces on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes. 

    chicken and marinade in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Mix together all of the sauce ingredients. Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken. 

    sauce cooking in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Bring oil to 350 F over medium high heat in a heavy bottom pan or wok. If you do not have a fry thermometer, you can also check the temperature by placing a wooden chopstick, or the handle of a wooden spoon, into the oil. If plenty of bubbles form, the oil is hot enough.

    oil in a pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken. 

    chicken frying in a pot of oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil. 

    sauce in a pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

    Chinese Sesame Chicken With Garlic and Chili Paste in a platter

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
676 Calories
31g Fat
68g Carbs
31g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 676
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 40%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 1467mg 64%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 51g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 340mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)