# Homemade Sesame Chicken

## Description
Enjoy classic Chinese takeout at home with this crispy, sweet, and savory sesame chicken, perfect over a bowl of rice.

## Quick Facts
- Calories: 640 per serving
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: easy
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
- Health Score: 6/10

## Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 640
- Protein: 32g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fat: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 1780mg

## Dietary Information
This recipe is: Dairy-Free, Nut-Free

## Ingredients (4 servings)
- 1 cup Water (for sauce)
- 0.5 cup Ketchup
- 0.25 cup Soy Sauce
- 0.25 cup Vinegar (white or rice vinegar)
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch (for sauce)
- 1.5 lbs Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 0.25 cup Water (for marinade)
- 1 large Egg
- 0.5 cup Cornstarch (for coating chicken)
- 1 tablespoon Oil (for marinade)
- 4 cups Cooking Oil (for deep frying)
- 3 tablespoons Green Onions (chopped, divided for cooking and garnish)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds (for garnish)
- 4 cups Cooked Rice (for serving)

## Instructions
1. In a measuring cup, combine 1 cup of water, 0.5 cup of ketchup, 0.25 cup of soy sauce, 0.25 cup of vinegar, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
2. Cut 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
3. Place the cut chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 0.5 teaspoon of baking soda, and 0.25 cup of water. Mix well by hand.
4. Add 1 large egg and 0.5 cup of cornstarch to the chicken mixture. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is fully coated. Then, add 1 tablespoon of oil and mix again to ensure a smooth coating.
5. Heat 4 cups of cooking oil in a wok or deep pan to 350°F (175°C). Carefully add the marinated chicken pieces to the hot oil, frying in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on a wire rack.
6. Increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Return the chicken pieces to the hot oil for a second fry. Fry for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain again.
7. In a clean wok or large pan, sauté 2 tablespoons of chopped green onions over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan with the green onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the double-fried chicken pieces to the thickened sauce. Toss the chicken until it is fully coated in the sauce.
9. Serve the sesame chicken immediately over a bowl of steamed white rice. Garnish with 1 tablespoon of chopped green onions and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds.

## Allergen Information
Contains: soy, egg, gluten

## Tags
takeout, fried chicken, sweet and sour, weeknight meal, asian-inspired

## Machine-Readable Data

### Recipe Metadata
```json
{
  "id": "349e3b24-64b2-4e36-8179-f70908bd1d74",
  "youtube_id": "HUuabGbvKi8",
  "title": "Homemade Sesame Chicken",
  "cuisine_type": "Chinese-American",
  "meal_type": [
    "dinner",
    "lunch"
  ],
  "difficulty_level": "easy",
  "servings": 4,
  "prep_time_minutes": 15,
  "cook_time_minutes": 20,
  "total_time_minutes": 35,
  "health_score": 6,
  "created_at": "2025-07-22T11:37:57.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-07-22T11:37:57.000Z"
}
```

### Ingredients Data
```json
{
  "servings": 4,
  "ingredients": [
    {
      "name": "Water",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": "for sauce"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ketchup",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Soy Sauce",
      "amount": 0.25,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Vinegar",
      "amount": 0.25,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": "white or rice vinegar"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sugar",
      "amount": 3,
      "unit": "tablespoons",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Cornstarch",
      "amount": 2,
      "unit": "tablespoons",
      "notes": "for sauce"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chicken Thighs",
      "amount": 1.5,
      "unit": "lbs",
      "notes": "boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces"
    },
    {
      "name": "Salt",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Baking Soda",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Water",
      "amount": 0.25,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": "for marinade"
    },
    {
      "name": "Egg",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "large",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Cornstarch",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": "for coating chicken"
    },
    {
      "name": "Oil",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": "for marinade"
    },
    {
      "name": "Cooking Oil",
      "amount": 4,
      "unit": "cups",
      "notes": "for deep frying"
    },
    {
      "name": "Green Onions",
      "amount": 3,
      "unit": "tablespoons",
      "notes": "chopped, divided for cooking and garnish"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sesame Seeds",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": "for garnish"
    },
    {
      "name": "Cooked Rice",
      "amount": 4,
      "unit": "cups",
      "notes": "for serving"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Nutrition Data (per serving)
```json
{
  "calories": 640,
  "macros": {
    "protein_g": 32,
    "carbs_g": 32,
    "fat_g": 42,
    "fiber_g": 1,
    "sugar_g": 18,
    "sodium_mg": 1780
  },
  "dietary_tags": {
    "vegan": false,
    "vegetarian": false,
    "gluten_free": false,
    "dairy_free": true,
    "nut_free": true
  }
}
```

---
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