Honey Sesame Chicken

5 from 2 votes

This is my favorite honey sesame chicken! The chicken is so crispy, airy, and light thanks to the batter, and the sauce is sweet, savory, and slightly toasty from the sesame oil.

Prep Time25

Cook Time25

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Servings: people

Calories: 435kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Candy thermometer to check oil temperature
Large wok or a heavy duty pan

Ingredients

Chicken marinade and dredging:

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes boneless and skin removed
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese shaoxing cooking wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch for the marinade
¾ cup cornstarch for dredging later
Vegetable oil enough for deep frying

For the batter:

⅓ cup cornstarch
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ to ¾ cup COLD soda water, plus more as needed keep sealed and refrigerated until ready to use

Honey sesame sauce:

⅔ cup chicken broth plus more as needed
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sesame oil plus more to taste
Sesame seeds and scallions for garnish

Instructions

Marinate chicken: In a bowl, evenly combine the chicken with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cooking wine, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Set aside and let it marinate for 20 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in a large wok over medium-high heat, enough to cover 3 inches deep. You can use a candy thermometer to make sure it reaches deep-frying temperature (350 to 375 degrees F). This will take a few minutes.
Make the batter: In a bowl, whisk the ⅓ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Next, slowly add the COLD soda water, whisking to combine until a relatively thin batter forms (kinda like a thin pancake batter). Set aside.
Then, dredge each piece of the marinated chicken in the ¾ cup of cornstarch (use a shallow bowl), and then dip each piece in the wet batter, shaking off any excess. Drop into the hot oil to deep fry, one by one. Do it in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Deep fry for about 6-8 minutes, giving it a quick stir occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through in the center.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain any excess oil.
Make the honey sesame sauce: In a bowl, mix the ⅔ cup chicken broth, ⅓ cup honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar. Add the sauce into a large skillet and bring to a low simmer, about 1 minute. Next, slowly add the cornstarch slurry and simmer for a few seconds until thickened. Finally, add the sesame oil to taste.
Add the crispy chicken back and toss with sauce to coat evenly. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Enjoy!

Notes

For the batter, you need both cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Without cornstarch, it won't get crispy. And without flour, the coating will be too hard.
Use COLD soda water to maximize crispiness (keep it refrigerated until ready to use). Adding soda water and baking powder to the batter will also incorporate lightness and airiness to the chicken.
Use vegetable, canola, or peanut oil for deep frying. Don't use olive oil - it will burn.
Use a candy thermometer to make sure the oil is 350 to 375 degrees F for deep frying.
Try not to heavily drench the chicken in sauce. You want to generously coat the chicken, but not swimming in a pool of sauce - it will just get soggy. You can always dip in extra sauce on the side!
Prep ahead: The sauce can be made 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated. Reheat over the stovetop. The chicken can be marinated overnight.

Substitutions and variations:

Chicken: Chicken thighs can be used instead (boneless, skin removed).
Chinese Shaoxing wine: Dry cooking sherry.
Vegetable oil: Canola or peanut oil.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition