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Sesame Oil Chicken - The most aromatic and delicious braised chicken ever, with loads of sesame oil and ginger. A homey dinner in 20 mins.
Sesame Oil Chicken Recipe
If there is a chicken recipe that I constantly make at home, it would be this sesame oil chicken recipe.
Sesame oil chicken or 麻油鸡.
I make it at least once every few weeks, with lots of ginger and sesame oil.
It’s a homey dish that everyone enjoys.
In Malaysia, sesame oil chicken or pork is often served to new mothers, during the confinement month after childbirth.
Chinese people believe that ginger and sesame oil are hearty ingredients that help strengthen and nourish the body of new mothers and will speed up recovery after childbirth.
This chicken is so delicious and takes only a few ingredients: ginger, sesame oil, chicken and soy sauce. Stew and braise the chicken, preferably in Chinese clay pot, and you will have the most amazing, aromatic, tender and utterly mouthwatering chicken for steamed rice.
The best thing about it is that it takes only 20 minutes to make.
Try it for dinner tonight, I will guarantee you that you will make it a dinner staple!
Ingredients
- Chicken
- Ginger
- Sesame oil
- Shaoxing wine
- Soy sauce
- Water
- Ground white pepper
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Heat up a skillet or wok over high heat and add the sesame oil. When the oil is fully heated, add the ginger strips and stir fry until light brown or aromatic.
Step 2: Add the chicken and stir fry for about 10-15 seconds before adding the soy sauce, wine, and ground white pepper. Add the water and do a few quick stirs.
Step 3: Cover the skillet or wok with the lid and turn the heat to low heat and let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the meat becomes tender. Dish out and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 174 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Sesame Oil Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2-3 inches ginger knob, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 12 oz (350g) chicken, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine , or Chinese rice wine
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 dashes ground white pepper
Instructions
- Heat up a skillet or wok over high heat and add the sesame oil. When the oil is fully heated, add the ginger strips and stir fry until light brown or aromatic.
- Add the chicken and stir fry for about 10-15 seconds before adding the soy sauce, wine, and ground white pepper. Add the water and do a few quick stirs.
- Cover the skillet or wok with the lid and turn the heat to low heat and let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the meat becomes tender. Dish out and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- If the sauce dries up, add more water and cook until the chicken becomes tender.
- You may use bone-in chicken legs or thighs to make this dish.
- Just chop the chicken to pieces.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I tried this recipe and my whole family loved it! Thank you! I will definitely be cooking this more often! ?
Hello,.your sesame oil chicken look very yummy
Please can you write for me cooking method thanks thanks
Hi Sara, the recipe is where the red color bar is “GET RECIPE HERE”
First time cooking this for dinner and the taste is almost the same as my auntie’s :D
She used to cook sesame oil pork when I was in sec sch :) Best with rice!
Thanks for trying my recipe. Yes, I love sesame oil chicken.
I made this tonight using sliced thigh fillets and it was delicious. I added a TBS of oyster sauce (which I read in the comments section) and thickened with cornflour at the end. It was maybe a tad too salty with the added oyster sauce, so next time I reduce the soy sauce a bit. So simple and so tasty. Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi, instead of using wine can i just using any vinegar(rice vinegar)?
No, just skip it. Wine and rice vinegar are two completely different things.
I recently found your blog and I’m loving it. This was delicious! I’ve made it a few times and tweaked the recipe a bit to suit our tastes. Forgive me if it’s Malaysian cooking sacrilege. I use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce because we are gluten free. I used homemade chicken broth instead of water. And finally when I sauté the chicken I give it a generous sprinkling of sweet rice flour. This helps the sauce to be thicker a bit more quickly. When I am planning ahead I will marinate the chicken in the ginger and rice wine for 24 hours and I think this adds a lovely depth of flavor, but it’s not necessary. This is a quick and easy recipe, but delicious enough for company. When I served this to guests the men went back for thirds!
Your Sesame Oil Chicken looks yummy!!!
May I know what soy sauce did you use? Light soy sauce or dark soy sauce? Can I use hua tiao jiu?
Thanks.
You Sesame Oil Chicken look yummy!!
May I know what soy sauce are you using? Light or dark soy sauce? Can I use Hua Tiao Jiu?
Thank you Rasa Malaysia for this wonderful recipe. It tastes (and smells) very authentic and brings me back to the fond memories of my childhood days instantaneously! Terima kasih!!!
Love this but my sauce never thickens. Am I not putting enough of a certain ingredient in there?
It would reduce to a thicker consistency if you look longer.