This sesame chicken recipe will satisfy your craving for take-out Chinese sesame chicken. It's almost guilt-free since the chicken is not deep fried, which is a plus if you want all the take-out taste without the added pounds.
The sauce thickens to a beautiful dark brown, making presentation with fluffy Jasmine rice a true delight. If you like less heat in your Chinese food, omit the red pepper, but the sweetness of this dish really does balance out the spice perfectly. You can adjust the heat level by substituting varying amounts of chili paste or even red pepper flakes. This is a wonderful restaurant-quality dish you can easily make at home.
Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:
3 lb. skinless boneless chicken
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon water, divided
1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons sesame seed
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tablespoons sliced scallion
Dash ground red pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Directions:
1. Spray a 5 quart sauce pot with nonstick cooking spray and set over medium heat.
2. Add chicken parts and cook, turning until chicken is browned on all sides, about 4-6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. In a small mixing bowl combine 1/2 cup water with the juice, soy sauce, scallion, ketchup, sugar, garlic and red pepper, mixing well. Pour into pot.
4. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low.
5. Put chicken back into pot. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken from the pot and keep warm, reserving liquid in pot.
7. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining water and add to liquid in pot. Cook until sauce is thickened (3-4 minutes).
8. Pour sauce evenly over chicken and sprinkle with sesame seed.
Other Great Chicken Dishes to Make at Home
This sesame chicken recipe will quickly become a family favorite. Once you're ready to try something else, give these ideas a try:
- Chicken cordon bleu. This delicious stuffed chicken involves ham and cheese. It's a savory dinner that isn't as hard to make as it might sound.
- Orange chicken. You've given sesame chicken a try, so why not give orange chicken a go? Orange chicken is a very popular Chinese-American dish to make at home, due to its fusion of sweet and savory flavors.
- Chicken marsala. This chicken dish is made with a white wine reduction, making it fancier than a lot of other chicken dishes on this list. If you're prepping dinner for date night, this is the perfect choice.
- Chicken parmesan. This chicken dish involves breaded chicken with parmesan cheese melted on top. The chicken is then covered with marinara sauce, and served over a bed of pasta.
- Chicken alfredo. The ultimate comfort food, chicken alfredo is perfect to make on a cold, wintry night. Your children will grow up with fond memories of this as a cozy dinner.
- Chicken tenders. It's easy to buy chicken tenders from the store, but making your own is often better. They'll be crunchier, and they'll lack the preservatives that often come with store bought chicken tenders. They can easily be made in an air fryer.
- Chicken nuggets. This one will be a hit with the kids in your family! Buy some ground chicken, or make some yourself. Then, shape as many nuggets as you can. Coat them in a breading of your choice, and throw them in the air fryer. You'll have a kid-friendly dinner in no time at all.
- Barbecue chicken. If it's summertime, fire up the grill and make your family a barbecue chicken. Barbecue chicken is a simple, delicious dinner that can be served as-is or on a sandwich.
- Chicken and waffles. A southern classic, chicken and waffles is perfect for a situation where some members of your family want breakfast for dinner and others do not. This sweet and savory dish is fairly easy to make; it will quickly become a staple in your household when it comes to chicken dinners.