Sweet And Spicy Sesame Chicken Recipe

Inspired by the flavors and textures of Chinese cuisine, this sweet and spicy sesame chicken is flavorful, versatile, and easy to make at home. With tender crispy morsels of chicken in a wonderfully rich and sticky sauce, it offers a complexity of flavor and texture that belies the simplicity of its preparation. The sauce is made with ingredients that create the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy. The honey provides a hint of mild sweetness, soy sauce adds umami and depth, sesame oil adds nutty richness, rice vinegar adds a touch of acidity, and the chili paste brings extra heat to the dish. The sesame seeds pair perfectly with the sauce, adding an extra crunch to each bite.

This is the perfect dish to make on a weekday for a quick and easy meal that is satisfying and delicious. "Don't forget to add the cornstarch to the sauce and flour. It gives the sauce the perfect consistency and makes the chicken extra crispy." says recipe developer, Milena Manolova. The small bite-size pieces of chicken cook fast, and the coating of flour and egg creates a crispy barrier that seals in the moisture to ensure the chicken remains tender and juicy.

The ingredients you need for this recipe are honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili paste, garlic, sesame seeds, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, eggs, boneless skinless chicken breast, and vegetable oil. Optionally, you can sprinkle some chopped cilantro, parsley, or green onion on top as well as some extra sesame seeds.

In a bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili paste, minced garlic, and sesame seeds.

Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Whisk until combined and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch, salt, and black pepper.

Whisk the eggs and set them aside.

Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.

Add the vegetable oil to a hot skillet.

Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the eggs and then in the flour.

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir until all the chicken pieces are coated.

The sauce will thicken quickly within a minute. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken to a serving dish.

You can easily make this recipe in either the oven or air fryer. To make it in the oven, start by preheating it to 400 F and lining a baking tray with parchment paper. Dredge the chicken in the eggs and flour, place it on the tray, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until it is golden brown and cooked through. Then, coat the chicken with the sauce and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and sticks to the chicken.

To make this recipe in the air fryer, coat the chicken pieces with eggs and then the flour mixture and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10-12 minutes, and then take them out of the fryer and mix them with the sauce. Place a parchment paper inside the basket and return the coated chicken. Cook for 3-5 more minutes or until the sauce is thick and adhering to the chicken pieces.

Another reason to love this recipe is that it's very easy to customize the ingredients to your taste or what you have on hand. For a spicier dish, increase the chili paste or add chile flakes or your favorite hot sauce in addition to it. Instead of soy sauce, you can use tamari or a soy-free alternative such as coconut aminos. Brown or regular white sugar can be substituted instead of the honey to give a more straight-forward sweetness to the dish. If you want a more complex depth of flavor, try using molasses instead.

You can serve the chicken over steamed or fried rice or noodles for a complete meal. For a lighter option, you can serve it with some stir-fried or steamed veggies (chopped bell pepper, broccoli, or sugar snap peas would all work well). Another option is to add the veggies to the chicken as it cooks and then cook them all together in the sauce. Cauliflower rice is also a great choice as a side dish. If you're looking for the simplest of meals, enjoy sweet and spicy sesame chicken on its own with a glass of cold, dry white wine.