Sesame Chicken

[wobblerlorri]

I've been meaning to post this recipe for months, but keep forgetting. For some reason, I've now remembered to do so. This makes absolutely delicious Sesame Chicken, as good (or better!) than what you get in the restaurant. It looks like a lot of work, but it really isn't. I put the meat on to marinade, then start the rice and the sauce, and toast the sesame seeds. By the time the marinade is finished, the rice is almost done and the sauce is staying warm. Then it's just a case of cooking the chicken and any vegetables, adding the sauce and sesame seeds, and calling the troops to eat.

FLAWLESS SESAME CHICKEN

serves 4 to 6, adjust as needed

* 3 whole boneless chicken breasts
* vegetables for stir frying if desired -- I like to use a red bell pepper and 3 stalks of celery

Marinade

* 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon cooking wine or dry sherry
* 3 drops sesame oil
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons water
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sauce

* 1/2 cup water
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1/8-1/4 cup white vinegar or rice wine vinegar (depending on how sweet you want the sauce)
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon chili paste (or more)
* 1 garlic clove (minced)

Frying

* peanut oil (3 1/2-4 cups)

Serving

* 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix the marinade ingredients (the first 9 ingredients listed) and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
2. SAUCE: Mix together all of the sauce ingredients (the LAST 9 ingredients beginning with water). Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken.
3. Heat oil until to about 350 degrees, hot enough to deep fry. Add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and then place chicken in warm oven (130 degrees) while you continue frying. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken. Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil.
4. At this point, if you're adding any vegetables, pour off all but 1 teaspoon of oil, and stir fry your veg until tender crisp.
5. Add the chicken back in, and pour the sauce over everything. Stir to mix and let the chicken heat back up.
6. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken and stir to mix. Serve with hot rice.

This is so good my husband and son fight over seconds and my son dishes up a serving to take for lunch the next day before he gets his dinner serving. I only make it about once a month because it's so high in sugar, but if you can't blow out once a month, then life ain't worth living...