Sesame Chicken Bowls
This is a proper sticky sesame chicken, closer to what you’d get from a good Chinese takeout than anything from a jar of sauce. A quick bicarb marinade, a hard sear, then a glaze that reduces down until it’s glossy and clings to every piece.
Searing the chicken in batches rather than crowding the pan is what gets you the browning this dish depends on. Once that’s done, the glaze comes together in the same pan, picking up everything left behind from the chicken.
Spring onion folded through the rice, toasted sesame seeds on top. Five bowls of something a lot better than takeout, for a lot less effort than it looks.
Sesame Chicken Bowls
SESAME CHICKEN BOWLS · CHICKEN · MEAL PREP · EASY
A glaze that actually clings, not just coats
The bicarb in the marinade breaks down the surface of the chicken slightly, so it stays tender through a hard sear instead of turning chewy, the same trick used in a lot of Chinese stir-fry cooking.
Reducing the glaze properly before the chicken goes back in is what gives you that glossy, sticky finish. Skip the reduction and you end up with a thin sauce that just runs off instead of clinging to every piece.
Spring onion rice underneath ties the whole bowl together, so it's not just chicken sitting on plain rice.
Sesame Chicken Bowls Meal Prep
Ingredients
Chicken
- 900 g Chicken Thigh, Boneless & Skinless Diced
- 1.5 g Bicarbonate of Soda
- 15 ml Light Soy Sauce
- 15 ml Shaoxing Wine
- Salt & Pepper
Sesame Glaze
- 45 ml Light Soy Sauce
- 15 ml Dark Soy Sauce
- 50 g Honey
- 15 g Brown Sugar
- 22 ml Rice Vinegar
- 15 ml Shaoxing Wine Optional
- 3 Garlic Cloves Grated or Minced
- 15 g Ginger Grated
- 180 ml Chicken Stock
- 5 ml Sesame Oil
Spring Onion Rice
- 300 g Jasmine Rice Washed
- 550 ml Cold Water
- 2 Spring Onions (Scallions) Sliced
- 5 ml Sesame Oil
- Salt To Taste
Serving
- Spring Onion (Scallion) Optional
- Toasted Sesame Seeds Optional
Method
- Rinse the jasmine rice until clear. Add to a pot with cold water and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes. Fluff while warm, then fold through sesame oil and sliced spring onion whites.
- Combine the chicken with bicarbonate of soda and mix thoroughly. Add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt and white pepper. Mix well and rest for 15 minutes.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches so it browns properly rather than steams. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan add the light soy, dark soy, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, garlic, ginger and chicken stock. Bring to a steady simmer and reduce for 5-7 minutes until glossy and naturally thickened. Finish with sesame oil.
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss until evenly coated. Simmer for 1-2 minutes so the glaze tightens and clings to the chicken.
- Divide the spring onion rice evenly into five containers. Add the sesame chicken beside the rice and finish with toasted sesame seeds and reserved spring onion greens.
Why add bicarbonate of soda to the chicken?⌄
It's a classic Chinese cooking technique that slightly breaks down the surface proteins of the chicken, helping it stay tender through a hot, fast sear instead of turning tough or chewy.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?⌄
Yes, though thigh handles the hard sear a bit better and stays juicier. If using breast, cut it slightly larger and keep a close eye on the cook time so it doesn't dry out.
What can I use instead of Shaoxing wine?⌄
Dry sherry is the closest substitute in flavour. If you'd rather avoid alcohol entirely, just leave it out, both instances are there for depth rather than being essential to the dish.
Can I make the glaze less sweet?⌄
Yes, cut the honey and brown sugar back by around a third and add a touch more rice vinegar to keep the balance. It'll still glaze properly, just with less sweetness up front.
