Sesame Chicken
This sesame chicken recipe is made on the Blackstone griddle or in a large stovetop skillet! With a few common Asian ingredients, some fresh vegetables, and boneless skinless chicken breasts, you can whip up a fantastic Chinese takeout-inspired dinner right on the flat top grill at home!
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized chunks (about 1")
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup flour
- high-heat oil for frying
- ½ green bell pepper cut into chunks
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ½ medium onion cut into chunks
- sesame seeds for garnish
- cooked white rice or fried rice for serving
For the Sauce:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon crunchy garlic chili oil *Or substitute 2 cloves minced garlic (about 1 tablespoon).
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- Coat the chicken in egg wash. Mix together 2 beaten eggs, about 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well combined. Add the chicken to the egg wash, ensuring that all pieces are coated. Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes.
- While the chicken is in the egg wash mixture, prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, mix together all sauce ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour and cornstarch. Add a few pieces of the chicken at a time to the flour mixture, tossing to coat evenly.
- Preheat griddle to medium to medium-high heat (about 400-425℉).
- Add enough oil to the heated griddle to shallow fry - about 4 to 5 tablespoons. Carefully place the floured chicken pieces in the heated oil, making sure that the pieces are not too close together so that they can crisp up and fry evenly. Cook on the first side for about 4-5 minutes, or until a nice golden color develops. Then flip to the second side and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is about 155-160℉. *NOTES - You can use a squirt bottle to apply extra oil near the chicken pieces as needed for them to shallow fry. Chicken is not done at 160℉, but it will continue to cook on the griddle with the sauce later.
- Transfer the chicken to a wire rack or paper towels for the excess oil to drain off.
- While the chicken is draining, cook the vegetables on the griddle until done to your liking. We prefer a tender-crisp so the veggies aren't too mushy. Then, add the cooked chicken back to the griddle with the veggies and mix together.
- Pour on about half of the prepared sauce, mixing with the chicken and vegetables so that all pieces are coated. After the sauce reduces slightly, add the rest and mix together well.
- When chicken is cooked through (165℉) and sauce is reduced to your liking, transfer the sesame chicken to a serving platter. *The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so be sure to not let it reduce too much on the griddle.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on the chicken. Serve sesame chicken hot over white rice or fried rice.
Notes
- Veggie Variety: Most traditional sesame chicken dishes include broccoli only, but we added more veggies to stretch the dish. Add your favorite vegetables or leave them out all together.
- Chicken Thighs Option: You may substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs for the breasts (about 2 1/2 pounds). Since thighs have a higher fat content, they’re less likely to dry out if you accidentally overshoot your internal temperatures.
- Avoid Overcrowding: When frying the chicken pieces, avoid overcrowding the griddle. This ensures even cooking and crispy texture.
- Controlling the Sauce: If you add the sauce in increments, then you can better control how fast the sauce reduces. After mixing the sauce with the chicken, you can move it on and off the hottest part of your griddle to reduce the sauce faster or more slowly. If you notice that the sauce is thickening too quickly, move the chicken to the cooler side of the griddle to slow down the reduction process.
- Skillet Cooking: You can prepare this sesame chicken recipe in a skillet on the stovetop as well. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, and follow the same instructions. You may need to cook the chicken in batches depending on the size of your skillet.