Picnic season is upon us! If it’s a fried chicken, potato salad type affair, this recipe is my go-to. Frankly whenever I’m craving fried chicken and yearn for crispy, crackly, crunchy chicken, this is the one. The sesame seeds add to the flavor profile and the optics of the dish.
Here’s homemade fried chicken satisfaction, without the fuss and mess. This one is a winner – my family actually requests it year-round. Frequently.
The original recipe is for chicken wings only, which is how I first came to know it when my sister prepared it. Over time, I’ve recreated it using all versions of chicken parts to suit the preferences of those at my table.
If the green bean salad in the the featured photo looks as delicious to you, the recipe is HERE; slightly simplified by adding a few julienned red peppers.
A few advance tips:
- A short marinade before proceeding with the recipe below will dial up the flavor even more. It can be as simple as 2 tablespoons each of olive oil and lemon juice, a splash of Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. A 20-30 minutes soak will make a difference, and up to overnight is fine.
- If you are preparing different chicken parts at once, be sure to cook each part to its optimum point of doneness; meaning just cooked through but not dry. This could mean adding chicken breast pieces to the oven a bit later, or removing them earlier than the pieces that take longer to cook.
- This recipe is easy enough for beginning cooks, including little hands who might enjoy the dipping steps. Be sure to wash anything that touches the raw chicken with hot, soapy water. This includes hands, counter tops, everything. EVERYTHING.
- The flavorings to the coating may easily be substituted with a prepared spice mix. I encourage you to explore different flavor profiles from myriad cuisines, using this technique as a jumping off point.
- Baking the chicken skin-side down first means that after flipping the pieces over, the presentation side is on top when you finish baking. This is the side that is more attractive for serving; so however you like to serve, bake with that side facing down first.
Crunchy Sesame Chicken
INGREDIENTS
- 8 whole chicken thighs, bone-in or skinless/boneless to suit your preference
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus about 2 additional tablespoons for brushing whilst the chicken bakes
- 1/ 2 cup white sesame seeds
- 1/ 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/ 2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 5-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced, about 2 tablespoons (Yes it’s a lot but trust me. And adjust as you prefer…)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon piment d’Esplette, to taste and tolerance (substitute any ground chile you like such as cayenne, chipotle, etc.)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon dried herbs, such as oregano, thyme or marjoram
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F on the “Bake” setting, or better yet, to 350°F on the “Convection-Roast” setting if available.
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add the beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix to coat each piece of chicken evenly.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sesame seeds, flour, bread crumbs, minced garlic, salt, ground chiles and herbs (if using).
- Dip each piece of moistened chicken into the dry ingredients, one at a time, and turn to coat thoroughly with the dry mixture. Place skin side down on the lined baking sheet, evenly spaced for optimal cooking.
- Bake for 20 minutes, and then flip each piece over. Use a pastry brush and lightly coat any dry areas with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Return to the oven and continue baking an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (165°F at the thickest part).
- Remove immediately from the baking sheet onto a serving plate. The finished chicken should be golden brown, sizzle-y and irresistible.
