Sesame Chicken with Garlic Sauce and Broccoli
Ingredients
Chicken
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Batter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
3⁄4 cup cold water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Garlic Sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons sugar (Honey also works well.)
4 tablespoons soy sauce
Pepper, to taste
4 cups plus 2 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or corn oil, for frying
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
Instructions
1. For the chicken: Mix the egg yolk, soy sauce, and garlic in a medium bowl. Add chicken and mix to coat. Set aside.
2. For the batter: Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a bowl. Stir in water, eggs, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
3. For the sauce: Heat sesame oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Stir in chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce into a bowl (or back into the measuring cup used for the broth) and set aside.
4. Add the chicken to the batter and mix well to coat.
5. Heat oil for frying in a wok or Dutch oven and add the batter-coated chicken pieces, a few at a time, working in batches. Cook, stirring to separate the pieces, for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain each batch as they cook using either paper towels on a plate or a wire rack set on a baking sheet.
6. As the second to last batch of chicken is added to the oil, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of peanut, vegetable or corn oil in the large skillet used for the sauce over high heat. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until desired tenderness. Add the garlic sauce, green onions, and sesame seeds and stir well.
7. When all chicken is cooked, add the chicken to the broccoli mixture and stir to coat. Serve with rice.
Comments
This recipe originally came from Craig Claiborne’s New New York Times Cookbook, which was one of the first cookbooks I owned. I’ve been making it for years and it’s seen quite a bit of modification and tweaking. It’s a longtime family favorite and one of those recipes I pull out when I’m trying to impress company. The first few times I made it I felt like I checked every single piece of chicken to make sure it was cooked through, now I feel secure in the knowledge that 5 minutes will do the trick!
Craig Claiborne’s New New York Times Cookbook