Fifteen ingredients and forty-five minutes, with rice on one burner and chicken on the other.
The golden coating on the chicken comes from a light dusting of cornstarch in a hot pan. Nothing is deep-fried, and the sauce is whisked cold.
Why This Recipe Works
- A light cornstarch dust dries the surface of the chicken so it browns quickly.
- Bite-size pieces turned on several sides give more golden surface per piece.
- Whisking the sauce off the heat keeps the mayonnaise smooth rather than split.
- Sesame oil in the sauce carries through even under the sweet chili.
- Drizzling rather than tossing leaves the chicken crisp where it is not sauced.
How to Make It
Rice cooked with the water until fluffy
Cook the rice with the water until fluffy.
Chicken seasoned, dusted with cornstarch, seared to 165°F
Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and dust lightly with the cornstarch. Sear in hot oil, turning until golden on several sides and 165°F in the centre.
Sweet chili, mayonnaise, lime and sesame oil whisked
Whisk the sweet chili sauce, commercial mayonnaise, lime juice and sesame oil into a creamy orange drizzle.
Rice in bowls, hot chicken on, sauce drizzled generously
Divide the rice among bowls, add the hot chicken, and drizzle generously with the sweet chili mayo.
Sesame, chile, cilantro and lime to finish
Finish with the sesame seeds, red chile, cilantro and lime wedges.
What Makes the Drizzle Orange
The sauce is creamy and orange: SWEET-CHILI MAYONNAISE, NOT A GENERIC BANG-BANG SAUCE - and it is whisked cold, from four things pulling in different directions.
- Sweet and mildly hot1/3 cup BOTTLED SWEET CHILI SAUCE
- The base, and the reason the drizzle is orange rather than white. Bottled means no sugar is cooked anywhere in this recipe.
- Creamy and stable1/4 cup COMMERCIAL MAYONNAISE
- What turns a thin glaze into a drizzle thick enough to sit on the chicken. Use commercial mayonnaise because it is made with pasteurized eggs.
- Sharp1 tbsp LIME JUICE
- Cuts the sweetness of the chili sauce and the richness of the mayonnaise at once. More lime arrives at the table in WEDGES.
- Toasted1 tsp SESAME OIL, with 1 tbsp SESAME SEEDS on top
- A teaspoon is enough to carry through the sweetness, and the seeds repeat it on the surface.
WHISKED INTO A CREAMY ORANGE DRIZZLE and spooned GENEROUSLY over 1 1/4 lb of CHICKEN that was dusted in 2 tbsp CORNSTARCH and SEARED IN HOT OIL UNTIL GOLDEN ON SEVERAL SIDES AND 165°F - CORNSTARCH-DUSTED AND SKILLET-SEARED, NOT DEEP-FRIED. Over 1 1/2 cups of RICE cooked in 2 1/4 cups WATER, finished with 1 RED CHILE in thin strips and 1/3 cup CILANTRO.
Ingredient Notes
- Cornstarch
- Two tablespoons, dusted lightly. This is the whole coating - there is no batter and no deep-frying.
- Bottled sweet chili sauce and commercial mayonnaise
- A third of a cup and a quarter cup. Shop-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurized eggs, which is why the recipe specifies it.
- Sesame oil and sesame seeds
- A teaspoon in the sauce and a tablespoon over the top.
- Red chile and lime
- One chile in thin strips, with wedges to squeeze over at the table.
Success Tips
- Dust the cornstarch on thinly and shake off the excess, or the coating turns pasty.
- Give the chicken pieces room in the skillet so they brown rather than steam.
- Whisk the sauce until it is one colour before it goes near the bowls.
Serving Ideas
Four bowls of white rice topped with golden chicken bites under a creamy orange sweet chili mayo drizzle, finished with sesame seeds, red chile strips, cilantro and a lime wedge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the chicken deep-fried?
No. It is dusted with cornstarch and seared in a skillet, which is what gives it the golden surface.
What is the orange sauce?
Bottled sweet chili sauce whisked with commercial mayonnaise, lime juice and sesame oil - a sweet chili mayonnaise.
Can I prepare the rice in advance?
Yes, but cool it promptly and refrigerate it if it isn't served straight away, then reheat until steaming.
