Chilli Chicken (Spicy, Super Crispy!)
A super crispy Indo-Chinese Chilli Chicken that tastes distinctly of Chili Chicken and not some sad facsimile of Chicken Manchurian. This recipe has balanced flavor and just the right amount of heat. Includes air-frying instructions if you want to skip the deep-frying.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast (cut into ¾”/1.9cm cubes - Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 + 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil (I use Kikkoman 100% pure)
- 1/2 tsp garlic paste ((minced garlic cloves))
- 1/2 tsp ginger paste ((minced ginger))
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 small egg (whisked)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch ((cornflour))
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp Desi-style chilli garlic sauce (such as National brand or Mitchell's brand) – Note 2)
- 1 tbsp Asian-style chilli garlic sauce/sambal oelek (such as Lee Kum Kee or Huy Fong - Note 3)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes (up to 1 tsp for extra heat!)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper (sub black pepper)
- 1/3 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch ((cornflour))
- 3 tbsp neutral oil such as grapeseed oil (plus more for frying)
- 4-5 garlic cloves (finely chopped/minced)
- 1" piece ginger (finely chopped/minced)
- 5 green onions (scallions) (finely chopped white and light green parts, reserve sliced green parts for garnish)
- 1 small yellow onion (chopped into 1” squares)
- 1/2 small green bell pepper (chopped into 1” squares)
- 3 Thai/bird’s eye green chili peppers (left whole)
- 8 whole dried red chilli peppers (the long and skinny kind, left whole)
Instructions
- 1
Marinate chicken: Rinse the chicken in cold water and drain. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and lightly pat it dry. Add the black pepper, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and baking soda and toss to coat chicken evenly. Stir in the egg. Lastly, add the cornstarch and all-purpose flour and toss to coat the chicken. It’ll form an uneven, scraggly edged coating.
- 2
Preheat oil: Heat a large frying pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add oil so that it’s at least 1/2”/1.27 cm deep. It should be deep enough so that the batter doesn't stick to the bottom. Once the oil is hot, adjust heat level as needed to maintain medium-high heat (around 325-350°F/113-175°C).
- 3
Fry chicken: One at a time, lift each chicken piece and gently place it into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes.
- 4
Remove: Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove from oil and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate or wire cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken. You want to maintain a medium-high temperature. Temp too low = chicken drying out. Temp too high = chicken still raw inside.
- 5
Make Sauce: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together all the ingredients listed under Chilli Chicken Sauce. Set aside.
- 6
Stir-fry: Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for about a minute, until golden and beginning to brown. Add the white/light parts of the green onion, yellow onion, bell pepper, green chili peppers, and whole dried red peppers.
- 7
Increase the heat to high and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to soften. Stir in the sauce. Allow to come to a simmer while stirring constantly for another 2 minutes.
- 8
Add the chicken and toss to coat for about 1 minute. Top with the green parts of the green onion. Serve with fried rice, white jasmine rice, basmati rice, or chow mein.