Honey Sesame Chicken

I’m not only a huge fan of the Olympics, but also a big Disney fan. I love Disney movies, Disney characters, and Disney theme parks like it’s nobody’s business. When I lived in LA I would take every opportunity to go to Disneyland and would basically have to be dragged kicking and screaming by my friends out of the park once it was closing. What can I say? I just can’t get enough Disney 🙂

So a few years back I went on a Disney cruise (absolutely one of the best weeks of my life… I highly recommend it if you love Disney, cruises, and tropical destinations. It’s not only great for families but adults too as they have an adults only pool, restaurant, bars, etc) and purchased a pretty awesome cookbook from the Disney store aboard the ship.

I’ve tried a handful of recipes from this book over the years, but the one recipe I tend to go back to repeatedly is one from the China pavilion in Epcot at Walt Disney World: Honey Sesame Chicken from Nine Dragons Restaurant. Since I’ve got the whole international food trend going on with the Olympics, I’ve decided to take a little trip to China (in theory) and share this recipe as well (with a few slight adjustments)!

PS I’ve found that by frying the chicken in a non-stick pot, I’ve had better results since the chicken doesn’t stick to the pan when you first drop it in. Also once they are fried, make sure you keep them in a single layer on a paper towel-lined tray because if you crowd or layer them, the crust will get soggy.

*Note 2/20/15* All photos have been updated. I served this Honey Sesame Chicken in my Mickey casserole dish to make it extra Disney!

Honey Sesame Chicken

Victoria

A staple on any American Chinese take out menu, this particular recipe is for the version they serve at Nine Dragons at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Resting Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 5 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 servings

Calories 465 kcal

Ingredients

  

Marinade:

• 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch by 2 inch strips
• Dash ground white pepper
• Kosher salt to taste
• Sugar to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Batter:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
• 1 egg white beaten
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Pinch kosher salt

Honey Sauce:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Pinch kosher salt

Garnish:

• Toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• Stir the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl, add the chicken and toss gently to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• For the batter, mix together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, then add the egg white, water, and oil. Put mixture aside for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the honey sauce by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and set aside for when the chicken is cooked.
• Pour enough oil into a 2-qt saucepan (non-stick works best) to come to a depth of 2 inches. heat over medium-high heat to 320 degrees F. Place the chicken pieces into the batter mixture and coat. Using large tongs or chopsticks, drop chicken pieces into hot oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 to 4 minutes, as needed. Drain in a single layer on paper towels.
• Heat the honey sauce mixture in a clean frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring until mixture bubbles (don’t overcook or it will become caramel). Mix the chicken pieces into sauce and toss with the toasted sesame seeds. Remove from the heat. Place on a serving dish and serve immediately.

Notes & Nutrition

Adapted from Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs Cookbook

Servings 4.0 * calories 465 * Total Fat 14 g * Saturated Fat 2 g * Monounsaturated Fat 3 g * Polyunsaturated Fat 6 g * Trans Fat 0 g * Cholesterol 53 mg * Sodium 508 mg * Potassium 172 mg * Total Carbohydrate 57 g * Dietary Fiber 1 g * Sugars 31 g * Protein 22 g

*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*