These skewers start as panko-coated chicken pieces, fried in batches until crisp and cooked through, then tossed in a quick glaze of sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, lime juice and sesame oil.
Only after glazing are the pieces threaded onto soaked bamboo skewers and pressed into white and black sesame seeds, then finished with cilantro, red chili and lime wedges.
Reading the Fryer
Check the oil and the chicken with each batch.
What do the thermometer and the chicken show?
Oil near 350°F and chicken golden and 165°F in the centre
Lift the batch onto the rack and add the next one.
Oil has dropped well below 350°F
Wait for it to come back up before adding more chicken.
Cooler oil makes the coating greasy instead of crisp.
Coating is dark but the centre is under 165°F
Lower the heat slightly and fry smaller batches.
The outside is browning faster than the chicken is cooking through.
How to Make It
Skewers soaked, chicken coated
Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat it in flour, beaten egg and panko.
Fried at 350°F to 165°F
Heat the frying oil to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches until crisp and 165°F in the centre, lowering the pieces in carefully to avoid splatter, and drain on a rack.
Glaze simmered, chicken tossed
Simmer the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, lime juice and sesame oil for 1 minute, then toss the fried chicken lightly in the glossy sauce.
Threaded and coated in sesame
Thread the glazed chicken onto the soaked skewers and coat with the white and black sesame seeds.
Cilantro, chili and lime
Finish with cilantro, red chili and lime wedges.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breast
- A pound and a half in 1 1/2-inch pieces, for eight skewers.
- White and black sesame seeds
- A tablespoon of each, pressed onto the glazed chicken. Sesame is an allergen.
- Bamboo skewers
- Eight, soaked for 20 minutes before threading.
Success Tips
- Keep a thermometer clipped to the pot and let the oil recover to 350°F between batches.
- Lower the chicken in with a spider or tongs so the oil does not splash toward you.
- Let the glaze cool for a moment before touching it; hot sugar can burn.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fry the chicken safely?
Use a deep, heavy pot no more than half full of oil, hold it near 350°F with a thermometer, fry in batches and lower the pieces in gently. Never leave the oil unattended.
How do I know the chicken is cooked?
The centre of the largest piece should reach 165°F before glazing.
Is the sauce creamy?
No. It is a dark, glossy glaze of sweet chili sauce, soy, lime and sesame oil.
Why This Recipe Works
- Flour, egg and panko give the chicken a craggy coating that holds the glaze.
- Simmering the glaze for a minute thickens it enough to cling in a glossy layer.
- Threading after frying keeps the bamboo out of the hot oil.
- Tossing lightly means the coating stays crisp under the glaze.
Serving Ideas
Lay the skewers on a platter with the sesame-coated chicken facing up, scatter cilantro and red chili over, and add lime wedges.
