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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.
Hi, use dark or light soy sauce ?
Soy sauce means light soy sauce.
Delicious and easy to cook. My children and husband gave me the ?
Awesome, yes so delicious!
If you wanted to add vegetables to this, what would you recommend?
Maybe mushrooms and scallions.
Spot on!!!!!! I made this today. Just the taste I absolutely loved and remembered. Finally woo hoo!!! Thank you!!!
Hi Michelle, thanks for trying this sesame oil chicken. Do try out more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Made this tonight, the first recipe i tried off your website, one problem i found was the sauce was very watery and simply didnt thicken at all and i was starting to worry if i cook it any longer the chicken will become rubbery, so i added some corn starch and it was perfect. i like the simplicity of the recipe and the taste was good. although i didnt taste much of sesame taste…does it mean i heated the sesame oil too much? maybe i killed the sesame taste? i will definitely make this again. my fussy 2 year old finished her plate too
Hi Nadine, you can keep cooking until the sauce thickens, the chicken will be tender, not rubbery. The sesame taste is from the sesame oil. Did you use toasted sesame oil?
okay next time i will continue to cook it, should the sauce be kind of sticky? maybe i will try less water. the sesame oil i bought simply says Sesame oil. i will definitely make this again, my daughter ate the left overs. for lunch today and she usually hates chicken?
The sauce shouldn’t be sticky or starchy.
This is a super easy and delicious recipe and we make this often. Was wondering if we can do this in an instant pot as well? Thanks!
Juliana, yes, I use Instant Pot to make it now. Just pressure cook for 8 minutes. :)
OMG I can’t wait to try this chicken! I am always looking for new, healthy ways to prepare it, because we can’t eat cookies every night for dinner ?
I made it last night and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe Bee :)
Thanks!
Just wondering if you’re aware that this recipe is linked from another site?
I followed a recipe on Pintrest, which took me to yummly.com, I clicked “read directions” and it brought me to this site, with a different recipe to what is on the yummly site, very very confusing I must say.
Hi Nigella, I am sorry for the confusion. I don’t know that Yummly used my photos on Pinterest and link to them!
How much many person can this recipe serve
3 people.
Hi. Can’t seem to find the Get Recipe Here button?
Hi Sam, so sorry that it didn’t work. It was a bug and we fixed it. Thanks for letting me know. :)
Really nice! Thank you for sharing!!