Japanese-style fried chicken with sesame sauce recipe

Prepare: overnight
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serve: Serves 2
Dietary: Dairy-free

This super crispy fried chicken is flavoured with soy, ginger and garlic, then served with a bright sesame dressing and lemon wedges - warning; it’s addictive!

By Matt Tebbutt

From Saturday Kitchen

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Ingredients

For the fried chicken

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
2 tsp ginger, peeled and grated
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp kewpie mayonnaise
2 tsp sesame oil
4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
200g/7oz plain flour
75g/2½oz cornflour
2 free-range eggs, beaten
6 sprouting broccoli spears
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

For the sesame dressing

1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
1 tbsp black sesame seeds, toasted
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1–2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 pinch chilli flakes
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Method

To make the fried chicken, mix together the soy sauce, sake, mirin, ginger, garlic, mayonnaise and sesame oil in a large bowl.
Add the chicken and toss well to coat, then leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
The next day, preheat a deep fat fryer to 160C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Mix the two flours together in a wide bowl. Add the beaten eggs to another wide bowl. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg and then the flour.
Fry the chicken for a few minutes to cook through and then turn the heat up 200C and fry until crispy.
To make the sesame dressing, add the sesame seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, chilli flakes, and garlic to a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the oils until slightly thickened.
Add the broccoli to a frying pan on a high heat and dry toast under a weight until blackened on both sides.
Toss the broccoli in the dressing and serve with the crispy chicken and lemon wedges. Garnish with the red chilli, spring onions and drizzle the chicken with the ketchup manis or teriyaki sauce.