Sesame Oil Chicken (Sesame Wine Chicken)

In cold weather there’s nothing better than a warm bowl of sesame oil chicken simmered in rice wine.

First, sauté ginger slices in sesame oil until fragrant, then add the chicken and stir-fry until lightly golden. Finally, pour in rice wine and let it simmer (your kitchen will suddenly be filled with the most amazing aroma as the oil, ginger, and rice wine combine). You can adjust the amount of ginger and rice wine to your liking; for example, use all rice wine for a richer flavor, or mix half rice wine with half water for a lighter taste.

Today, I’ve added a special touch, a dried plum (huà méi), a little secret passed down from an elder. That tiny plum adds a gentle sweetness and depth to the soup, making it smooth, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. A bowl of sesame oil chicken isn’t just warming to the body, it warms the heart, too.

 

Watch step by step recipe video below:

 

Ingredients

 

• 1000g chicken leg pieces
• 65g black sesame oil 
• 60g ginger 
• 10g goji berries 
• 1 pc dried plum (hua mei) 
• 1 bottle (750 mL) Taiwanese Red Label rice wine 

*The rice wine brand used contains salt (sodium), so no extra seasoning is needed.

*The amount of sesame oil, ginger, and rice wine can be adjusted to your liking. For a richer flavor, use all rice wine. For a lighter taste, use half water and half wine, or add a splash of rice wine before serving for a stronger aroma.

 

Preparations:

1. Slice the ginger thinly.
2.  In a cold pan, add black sesame oil. Over low heat, sauté the ginger slices until lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down. Pan-fry over medium-high heat until golden, then flip and continue cooking until the meat changes color.
4. Pour in the rice wine — there should be enough to fully submerge the chicken. Add the dried plum and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Skim off any white foam that rises to the surface.
5. Turn off the heat and add goji berries. Cover with a lid and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.