Skip the takeout and be done with Sesame Chicken in just 30 minutes! Everyone loves this mildly sweet sauce that coats super crispy chicken!
There are several recipes you’ll come across for Sesame Chicken. Some are healthier versions without breading while some are stir fries. This is the classic mall food Chinese takeout version. It’s a quick and easy tempura fried chicken in bite-size pieces tossed with an easy sauce made with rice wine and soy sauce sweet and spicy mixture. Garnish with sesame seeds or even green onions.
This is a perfect Chinese Food option when you aren’t looking for a recipe that is sweeter like Panda Express Orange Chicken (Copycat) or Sweet and Sour Chicken and something not quite as spicy as General Tso’s Chicken.
Why You Should Make Sesame Chicken at Home
Making Sesame Chicken in your own kitchen gives you the power to make it just the way you like. You can use better-for-you ingredients, save some cash, and take pride in creating it from scratch. Enjoy the taste of freshness and tweak things to match your preferences, all while savoring the happiness of sharing a homemade meal with your family and friends.
How-to-Make Video
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Sesame Chicken Recipe
Sabrina’s Sesame Chicken Recipe is like a delicious flavor party in every bite. It’s inspired by the classic Chinese-American dish but with a twist – it’s a healthier and customizable version that you can make at home. Here’s how it goes: first, you whip up a mouthwatering sesame sauce using soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Then, you dip bite-sized chicken pieces into a light and crispy tempura batter and fry them until they’re a perfect golden brown. Afterward, you toss the chicken in a fragrant sauce, packed with garlic and red pepper flakes. The outcome? A wonderful blend of sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavors that cling to each tender piece of chicken. It’s a tasty adventure you won’t want to miss!
Can This Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can prepare the Sesame Chicken sauce and batter ahead of time and store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. However, it’s best to fry the chicken just before serving to maintain its crispiness. Reheat the sauce and toss it with freshly fried chicken for the best results.
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce: Soy sauce provides the salty umami flavor that is essential for the sauce’s savory depth.
- ¼ cup Rice Vinegar: Readily available in almost all grocers these days, this is a great vinegar to keep on hand. It does have a hint of sweetness to it, so don’t replace it with any other vinegar except perhaps a red wine vinegar if you need to.
- ½ cup Brown Sugar: Brown sugar lends sweetness to the sauce, creating a delightful contrast with the savory elements.
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch: Cornstarch acts as a thickening agent for the sauce, giving it a glossy texture. You can replace it with potato starch or arrowroot if desired.
- ⅓ cup Water: Water is used to dilute the sauce and achieve the desired consistency. Ensure it’s cold to mix with the cornstarch without clumping.
- 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil: The flavor of sesame oil in this dish is unmistakable and not able to be substituted. Some Asian grocery stores will try and sell less expensive options that aren’t sesame oil, so just be sure the one you’re buying is authentic sesame oil.
- ½ tablespoon Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds provide a delightful crunch and nutty flavor as a garnish.
Tempura Batter Ingredients
- ½ cup Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a primary component of the tempura batter, creating a crisp and airy texture when fried.
- ½ cup Flour: Flour in the batter works in tandem with cornstarch to create the perfect coating for the chicken, resulting in a crispy exterior.
- 2 Egg Whites: Egg whites add structure and help bind the batter ingredients together, resulting in a light and crispy texture when fried.
- ½ cup Cold Seltzer Water: Cold seltzer water’s carbonation contributes to the batter’s lightness and crispiness, making it airy and delightful.
Chicken Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Thighs (Boneless and Skinless): Chicken thighs are chosen for their tender and juicy meat, ideal for bite-sized pieces in this dish. You can substitute with chicken breast if preferred.
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper: Crushed red pepper adds a hint of spiciness to the dish, complementing the sweetness of the sauce.
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic: Minced garlic infuses the oil with aromatic flavor.
- Vegetable Oil for deep frying: Vegetable oil is necessary for deep frying the chicken until it’s golden brown and crispy. Use a high smoke point oil like canola or peanut oil for best results.
Kitchen Tools
- Wok or Skillet: A Wok or Skillet is essential for cooking the chicken and sauce. A wok’s high sides make it ideal for stir-frying, while a skillet works well too. Ensure it’s deep enough to prevent oil splatters during frying.
- Deep Fryer or Large Pot: You’ll need a Deep Fryer or Large Pot with enough capacity to accommodate the chicken pieces and sufficient oil for deep frying. A thermometer is handy for monitoring the oil temperature.
- Mixing Bowls: Various Mixing Bowls are used for combining the sauce ingredients, making the batter, and coating the chicken. Opt for bowls in different sizes to accommodate various stages of the recipe.
- Slotted Spoon: A Slotted Spoon is crucial for safely removing the fried chicken from the hot oil. It allows excess oil to drain, resulting in crispier and less greasy chicken.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: Measuring Cups and Spoons are vital for precise ingredient measurements, ensuring the right balance of flavors and consistency in your Sesame Chicken. Use both dry and liquid measuring cups as needed.
How to Make
Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Step 1: Prepare the Sesame Chicken Sauce
In a mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ⅓ cup water, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and ½ tablespoon sesame seeds. Mix until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set the sauce aside.
- Step 2: Make the Tempura Batter
In a separate bowl, mix ½ cup cornstarch, ½ cup flour, 2 egg whites, and ½ cup cold seltzer water until just combined. A slightly lumpy batter is ideal. Set it aside.
- Step 3: Prepare the Chicken
Cut 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch chunks. In a large wok or skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the hot oil. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds.
- Step 4: Fry the Chicken
While the garlic and red pepper are sizzling, heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350°F (175°C). Dip chicken pieces into the tempura batter to coat evenly. Carefully add battered chicken to the hot oil in batches, frying until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes per batch). Use a slotted spoon to remove and drain on paper towels.
- Step 5: Combine Chicken and Sauce
Return fried chicken to the wok/skillet with garlic. Pour the prepared Sesame Chicken Sauce over the chicken. Quickly toss chicken in the sauce until coated and slightly thickened (1-2 minutes).
- Step 6: Serve and Garnish
Transfer Sesame Chicken to a serving dish. Garnish with additional sesame seeds for flavor and presentation. Serve immediately, and enjoy your homemade Sesame Chicken!
Nutrition Facts
How to Store Sesame Chicken
Storing Leftovers
To keep leftover Sesame Chicken fresh, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. Proper sealing prevents moisture loss and helps maintain flavors.
Reheating
Reheat leftover Sesame Chicken in the oven or a skillet for crispy texture. To maintain the sauce’s consistency, add a splash of water before reheating in the microwave.
Freezing
To preserve Sesame Chicken’s taste, place it in a freezer-safe container or airtight freezer bags. Ensure it’s well-sealed to prevent freezer burn and use within 2-3 months.
How to Serve
Serve Sesame Chicken with Chinese Steamed Rice, Lo Mein, steamed broccoli, and easy recipes like Crab Rangoon and Egg Rolls for appetizers dipped in Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Frequent Questions
If you don’t have seltzer water, sparkling water or even cold club soda can work as substitutes to maintain the batter’s lightness.
There are a couple of ways to make sesame sauce. This recipe includes soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and cornstarch whereas more in-depth recipes include dark soy sauce and Shaoxing rice wine.
Yes, in its traditional form, it is dredged in batter and deep-fried.
Once you serve the chicken the sauce starts soaking up into the crispy chicken. Because of this reheating won’t result in crispy chicken, but it will still be tasty.
Use skinless chicken breasts in this Sesame Chicken in place of chicken thighs. There’s no other recipe adjustment, you will fry for one less minute.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Sesame Chicken Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
Tempura Batter:
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup cold seltzer water
Chicken:
- 1 lb chicken thighs , boneless and skinless cut into 1 inch chunks
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
- To make the sauce mix all the ingredients together, then to prepare the batter, add the ingredients together until just combined.
- Add the chicken pieces to the batter and coat while heating 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees, add the chicken to the oil in batches, frying until golden brown.
- In a large wok or skillet add the sesame oil to the frying pan, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the sauce and the chicken, coat quickly and serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
- Click on the “yield” amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card.
Nutrition
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Variations on Sesame Chicken
Because there are so many different versions, let’s go over some of the other options. This version is the best one though, especially if you’re reliving your mall food court childhood.
- Baked Sesame Chicken: You can dredge the chicken in flour, egg, and finally in panko. Spray the pieces of chicken with some vegetable oil spray and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Toss with sesame sauce then continue baking for an additional ten minutes.
- Honey Sesame Chicken: Replace the brown sugar in the recipe with honey for a more pronounced honey sesame chicken recipe. You’ll also love making Chinese Honey Chicken without any of the sesame flavors.
- Sesame Chicken Stir Fry: Don’t bread the chicken – just cook it in the skillet with a bit of sesame oil and vegetable oil. Add fresh garlic and vegetables (bell pepper, onion, and zucchini) to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then pour the sauce in and cook until reduced (you may need to add a bit of cornstarch and water).
More Easy Recipes with Sesame
Photo used in a previous version of this post.
Best EVER Crispy Chicken. My family looooooves it and me, even more, when I make it.
No take-out can ever match this!
WOW! This is one of the best recipe for crispy chicken ever
i tried the recipe exactly and the results was perfect crispy sesame chicken
Goes well with Whipped Cream Chargers , n2o nitrous oxide bulbs
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I have never cooked any oriental dishes. This recipe was simple to follow and came out delicious!!! My family loved it and I will definitely make it again.
Awesome, Jean! Thank you!
Sabrina did you intend to write 2lbs of chicken for the recipe? Because this indicates 6 servings, but in your Panda Express Orange Chicken you wrote 2lbs of chicken, also yielded 6 servings. The Orange Chicken recipe called for 10 tablespoons of sugar which would make it slightly sweeter than the Sesame Chicken recipe.
The Sesame Chicken recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sugar, which is 8 tablespoons of sugar; but because the sesame chicken recipe called for 1 pound of chicken i need to double it to 2lbs, therefore i’d need to double the sauce as well, but that would make the Sesame Chicken recipe 16 tablespoons of sugar, which make it sweeter than the Orange Chicken recipe. This is an incongruency between the recipes, which leads me to suspect that you meant for the Sesame Chicken recipe to call for 2lbs of chicken.
As with other commenters, I found the directions lacking. So, I cooked the sauce first, prepared the chicken pieces, and something that I always do now… I put my sauce in a bowl and, either dip my chicken in the sauce, or I drizzle a small amount on a few pieces at a time. I don’t like how fast these kinds of meals suck up sauce and become mushy.
Every chinese food restaurant has the exact same problem. There are ways to try and minimize the softening of the fried batter, but they all become soggy when moisture is introduced.
Leave something crispy out for a while and the moisture inside it will soggy it up for you without even adding a sauce.
Not sure how thats this specific recipe’s fault.
This recipe looks really healthy and genuine. Thank you Sabrina !
Thank you!
Best Chinese scope I ever cooked. Partner and son were very impressed. Served with egg fried rice and grilled courgette, yuuuum
Delicious and very worth it great recipe I never have any leftovers when I cook for my dad mom and sisters and grandma I’ve even quadrupled it hoping I can bring some to school but never works
That’s awesome, Ethan! Thank you!
Can you cook and deep fry the chicken ahead of time?
Once you cook and deep fry the chicken the sauce starts soaking up in to the crispy chicken. Because of this reheating won’t result in crispy chicken, but it will still be tasty.
My daughter found this recipe and we LOVE it! I just have a question though. When I drop my battered chicken in to the oil, it sinks to the bottom and sticks. Is my oil not hot enough or maybe too hot???
It sounds that your oil is not hot enough. Are you making sure the oil is at 350 before cooking?
This was excellent! Like others, I found that the sauce needed thickening a little before putting it on chicken.
AMAZING!! My fiancé loved it!!
Wow this was amazing I added more brown sugar and left the scauce on for a few minutes to thicken up before adding the chicken soo bomb
Thanks, Naomi, glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely FANTASTIC! I hate the meals that I cook. This one is MONEY!! The only thing I didn’t like was the chicken didn’t get as brown as I would have liked. Once in that sauce, it didn’t matter. This was a 15 on a scale of 1-10.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! So nice to hear this feedback.
This was so gross. The look of it was so off putting. I followed your instructions exactly as you wrote them. It looks nothing like yours. The pictures you show look as if the sauce you have over the chicken is sticky and caramelized. It looks delicious, which is what drew me in. Mine.. not so much ?????
Hello Lindsey, Im so sorry this recipe didn’t go as planned, hopefully I have another recipe that would work out better for you.
I haven’t made this yet but I plan to make it tomorrow night. I agree there are some questionable steps in the instructions, I’ve read and re-read them. Just not really clear, especially step one.
No disrespect, to the cook/author…you’ve probably made this over and over so you know what you’re doing but I think you should take a closer look at the instructions, I think they need to be edited. Possibly misspelling of things are throwing folks off.
Luckily my friend made this for me a few weeks ago so I’ll just reach out to her for clarification. I’ll let you know how mine comes out.
Hello Laura, thank you for this critique. I will definitely keep it in mind and look into it.
I cooked this 2 times the 1st time I hated it too! I changed the recipe instead of the batter listed I tossed the chicken pieces in cornstarch only and that made it look just like the pictures. Hope this helps!
mall food court! ooh i can taste this! and now I must try it! thanks for this recipe
Delicious! I subbed honey for the brown sugar. I did simmer the sauce to thicken it prior to coating the chicken. My only issue was the coating seemed to quickly lose it’s crisp – that’s probably a me issue that I’ll need to fix. Buuuuut the chicken came out so tender and moist. I’ll def be making it again regardless though.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time and save for the next day?
Sure!
I was nervous at first when I poured the sauce on. It took a fee minutes to thicken up. But once it did, it was just like the pics! Perfectly yummy too!!
Really wanted to like this but the sauce is super bland and adding last to serve immediately was a mistake. It had a granular cornstarch-y texture, the sauce should have been reduced a bit to thicken and cook the cornstarch. It was runny and very powdery, like eating raw cornstarch. Other recipes show that you reduce the sauce and get it super sticky before adding. I also had to add minced raw garlic and more soy sauce since it was super bland. Not like the Chinese restaurants I’m used to. The chicken soaked up the sauce instead of costing it like a candied syrup which I love. Unfortunately wasn’t too happy with it 🙁
Hi Matticol, I’m not sure why it turned out grainy for you, in recipe testing it was a smooth sauce that coated the chicken well.
This was amazing! I deep fried my chicken in a little Fry Daddy outside to avoid my kitchen smelling like fried food (I need a new range hood!) Plus, I added some green onions and broccoli. My husband said that it was better than a Chinese restaurant. I’ll make this again for sure!
Instead of sesame chicken I made sesame shrimp. I couldn’t get a hold of rice vinegar so I substituted it for ACV which next time I’ll probably use a little less than what the recipe calls for. It came out sooooo good. I served with farro instead of rice. I would definitely make again.
Sounds perfect!
It smells really good and The chicken tastes good as well. Unfortunately my sauce didn’t thicken at all, it was liquid and cause it to be soggy
My boyfriend friend and I love how our chicken turns out when we use this recipe. I’m actually going to make it tonight (cooking the chicken as I type this) but we don’t have brown sugar. I read that someone else used honey. I’m thinking I might use white sugar. If I had molasses I’d use that with the white sugar. Main point, this tastes amazing when you have all the right ingredients.
Thank you, Nicole! So glad you and your boyfriend love this recipie.
Thank you for the recipes I am going to try the sesame chicken today
love, love, LOVE your recipes
Thank you!
I really wanted to try your recipe for the sesame chicken today. I had all the ingredients per your recipe. When i was ready to proceed with it i could not fine the instructions or steps to follow on how to use all the ingredients and when to use them. If you would be so kind and let me know where to find the instructions and steps so i can attempt this again.
Thank you
Hmmm, there’s a recipe card at the bottom of the page with all the ingredients and instructions. Just scroll or you can click on the button at the top of the page that states ‘jump to recipe’. Hope this helps!
Can this be done in an air fryer?
I haven’t tested it but if you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out.
Disappointed that the batter on the chicken became very thick and chewy after adding the sauce. It didn’t brown well either. Sauce is very good.
A NOTE FOR THOSE WORKING IN A WOK:
If you’re like me and not the most familiar with tempura batter, use wayyyy less oil and work in small batches. Learn from my mistakes.
Was sooooo good, I pulled back some vinegar and added honey and use chicken breast and it turned out delicious! Everyone loved it!
I made the crispiest Chinese sesame chicken and it was delicious. I love Chinese food and all her Chinese receipts are amazing. Thanks for the great receipts!
Made this tonight, I didn’t have rice vinegar I substituted with lime juice and I tripled the chili flakes, it was awesome!! Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe’
Is there a step missing? Says to add sauce back in? Back in from where? Doesn’t say how to cook the sauce?
You’ll just be tossing the cooked chicken in with the sauce and serve immediately.
Do I need to use seltzer water?? Or can I sub it for something else?
You can use club soda or even sprite in a pinch. You need the carbonation.
I love this recipe, but it is just too much rice vinegar. That is all we could taste. I will cut it in half next time. The chicken was perfect. This is a fairly easy recipe.
This dish is the best, and so easy! My family loves it. I’ve passed this recipe onto many others!
tempura batter mix for sesame seed chicken
Would it be Ok to substitute club soda for the seltzer?
Yes 🙂
Loved this recipe!
Not sure what happened. I made it verbatim from the recipe and the sauce was very watery. It didn’t stick to the chicken at all. The chicken itself was good. There was just no flavor. The end result was chicken soaking in Watery liquid.
mine too! and the vinegar taste was very strong
I have tried to make Chinese dishes at home and the results have always been less than satisfying, but the very first time I made this, it tasted as good as any Sesame Chicken I have ever gotten for takeout. This is now my go-to recipe for Sesame Chicken, so good. The only thing I found was that frying the tempura battered chicken took way longer than I expected. I also used chicken breast instead of thighs and the chicken was still moist and delicious.
Thanks for the 5 stars, Joe.
I recommend this recipe but the last step is not self-explanatory for a beginner. You are supposed to “simmer” the sauce until it gets thick or it has a caramelized texture (around 2-3 min), and then you can add the chicken and coat it quickly.
Good luck to everyone and enjoy!
This info would have been great to know an hour ago. I had chicken soaking in some watery liquid. I’ll never get that half hour of my life back.
We loved this recipe! The 2nd time around I added a few tbsp of honey and like it even better. This will be a staple in our house from now on. ?
Thanks for coming back to let me know, Billy. I appreciate the 5 star rating.
I’m Sita, the one who wrote all ready. I just wanted to say; I have celiac desiseas, so I made it gluten free, and it works so well!!
🙂
Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Hi! My and my parents LOOOOOOVE this recipe! Tomorrow’s my birthday and I’ve requested it for dinner! It’s PERFECT, comforting, sweet, spicy, tangy, salty, sesame-e, crispy, saucy, and wonderful!!! One question: It’s pretty crispy, but how do you make it crispier, and in the shape you want it, if you know what I mean?
All in all, I would recommend this recipe to anyone (already have), so thank you so so much!
Absolutely delicious!!!! It is easy to make and well worth it!!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!!
You’re welcome, Tanda.
I’m so glad I found this recipe. I didn’t have sesame seeds but it didn’t matter, it was absolutely delicious. I will definitely make this again! Next I want to try your General Tso’s chicken. Thanks!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Rebecca.
My daughter and I made this last night for dinner…followed the recipe exactly, except we doubled the recipe and used 1lb chicken thighs and 1 lb breasts. The chicken was very crispy and the sauce was sweet with just enough zing form the red pepper flakes. We tossed in some cooked broccoli when we got to the wok step. We were high-fiving each other as we took our first bites. Waaaay better than take-out!
When making the sauce..it seems at first like it may be too runny, but when we added it to the wok when we did the stir fry step it thickened up really quickly.
This recipe is a keeper and we will be making it again for sure.
The tempura batter was vertY light
This was the best attempt I’ve made at sesame chicken My family loved it. I hope it works the second time as well as the first.
Tnanx
Yay!!
I made your recipe for sesame chicken and it was good but I used to go to a Chinese restaurant and get the best sesame chicken I have ever had. I’ve not found a restaurant or recipe that is close to it. The restaurant has closed and I don’t know how they made it. The sauce was pink and it was sweet but not too sweet. I didn’t taste the rice vinegar or much soy sauce in it. Do you have any idea what they could have done to make it so different from all the other places? I’m not trying to insult you. Your receipe was good, like I said, I’m just trying to find a recipe like the one they used. If you have any suggestions, I would welcome and appreciate them. Thanks
Hi sorry just saw this comment. Do you have a name for the restaurant? I could look at old yelp photos if they have any and see what it looked like. Without more detail it would be hard to help. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi, I don’t know the exact ingredients that your fav restaurant might have used however since it’s a Chinese restaurant, they probably experimented with other asian ingredients that are usually used for sauces. The pink color was probably food coloring, I can’t think of an ingredient that could give it that pink color naturally. If the pink color was detected then it means that they didn’t use dark ingredients like oyster sauce or soy sauce in heavy amounts otherwise the sauce would have a browner color. If you didn’t taste the rice vinegar then maybe they didn’t use it. They might have used sugar, cornsyrup or honey for the sweetness.
Can you give more details? Was the sauce clear looking? What was the complete flavour profile? They could have used Msg to give it more flavour. They might have experienced with umami flavours like mushroom, oyster sauce, dashi broth, tahini maybe or even Chinese wine. If it had sourness but no vinegar taste and smell then they might have used Chinese wine for the sour profile instead. Hard to tell without more details, you’ll probably have to experiment different sauces before you figure it out.
Try Maraschino Cherry juice for the pink color. Mia
Yamm Yamm, I like it, is so sweet.
Wow So good!!! Both my husband and I said it tasted 10x better than take out. The batter is crispy, light, and delicious. Will definitely be making this again !!
OMG!
I have never, ever posted on a recipe…. but, this was the best sesame chicken EVER! And I made it gluten free! Tapioca flour and corn starch. I also dipped them in some GF Panko before I cooked them. Hubby and I were both speechless!!!
Yay!! I’m honored to be the first recipe you loved enough to want to leave a review for. Thanks!
This was outstanding. Better than takeout. Did the recipe exactly how it’s written except subbed shrimp for the chicken and cooked the sauce to thicken it up before I added the shrimp. Excellent! Will definitely be making again!