Recipes

Sesame Oil Chicken Noodles

A comforting and aromatic chicken dish with sesame oil, shiitake mushrooms, and goji berries, perfect served over noodles or rice

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 45 minutes (including marinating)
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Chicken:
    • 2 skin-on boneless chicken thighs (about 400g), cut into pieces
  • Marinade:
    • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
    • 1 tbsp cornstarch
    • Pinch of baking soda
  • Main Dish:
    • 8–10 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked 1–2 hrs (reserve soaking water)
    • 10 slices ginger
    • 200 ml Chinese rice cooking wine
    • 150 ml mushroom soaking water
    • 150 ml water (add more if needed)
    • Small handful of goji berries
    • ½ tsp salt, to taste
    • ½ tsp sugar, to taste
    • 1 tsp MSG (optional)
    • 30 ml sesame oil
    • Spring onions, chopped
  • To Serve:
    • Noodles or jasmine rice
    • Sunny side up egg (optional)

Notes

  • Make sure to turn off your exhaust before flambéing the rice wine
  • The mushroom soaking water adds extra umami flavor to the dish

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken pieces with soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and baking soda for at least 30 minutes.

  2. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a little neutral oil.

  3. Add chicken skin-side down in a single layer. Let it brown undisturbed.

  4. Flip and cook for another minute, then remove and set aside.

  5. If there’s excess oil, wipe some off with a kitchen towel.

  6. Add ginger slices and lightly brown until fragrant.

  7. Add soaked shiitake mushrooms and stir.

  8. Return chicken to the pan and mix well.

  9. Add rice cooking wine and carefully flambé (turn off exhaust first).

  10. Cover and let it cook for about 30 seconds.

  11. Lower heat, add mushroom soaking water and enough water to cover chicken.

  12. Add goji berries, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

  13. Season with salt, sugar, optional MSG, then finish with sesame oil.

  14. Serve on its own or with noodles or rice. Top with a sunny side up egg and spring onions if you like.