Description
This Crispy Chilli Chicken recipe is a flavorful Indo-Chinese dish featuring tender chicken pieces coated in a crispy batter and tossed in a spicy, tangy sauce. Perfectly fried to golden perfection and finished with a savory chili garlic sauce, it’s a delightful main course ideal for serving over steamed rice, noodles, or in lettuce wraps.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
- 2–3 green onions, sliced
- 2–3 dried red chilies (or 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (cornstarch slurry)
Instructions
- Season and batter the chicken: In a bowl, season chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch, all-purpose flour, egg, and water to make a thick batter. Add the seasoned chicken into the batter and toss until evenly coated.
- Fry the chicken: Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Prepare the sauce base: In a clean pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, chopped ginger, sliced green onions, and dried red chilies. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, ketchup, sugar, and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Thicken the sauce: Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce and cook for an additional 1–2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens and becomes glossy.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and toss thoroughly to coat evenly with the flavorful sauce.
- Serve: Serve the crispy chili chicken hot, optionally garnished with extra sliced green onions or sesame seeds, alongside steamed rice, noodles, or lettuce wraps.
Notes
- For extra heat, increase the amount of chili garlic sauce or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Serve this dish over steamed rice, noodles, or inside lettuce wraps for variety.
- To make the recipe gluten-free, substitute soy sauce with tamari and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
