Description
Spicy dragon chicken recipe brings fiery flavors from Chinese cuisine straight to your kitchen. Crispy, tangy chicken pieces with bold chili sauce create an irresistible meal sure to excite your taste buds and satisfy hunger pangs.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 500 g (17.6 oz) boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
- 23 dried red chilies (optional, for extra heat)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced (red or green)
- 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
Marinade and Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil (for frying)
- 1 tablespoon oil (for sauce)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red chili sauce or sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar (optional, for sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Massage chicken pieces with a blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili powder, corn flour, and salt, ensuring each morsel is evenly coated. Allow the proteins to absorb the marinade’s rich flavors for approximately half an hour, creating a deeply seasoned foundation.
- Warm oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or wok, maintaining a medium temperature. Gently lower marinated chicken fragments into the sizzling oil, transforming them into golden, crisp morsels with a delectable exterior crunch.
- Reuse the same cooking vessel, adding minimal additional oil. Sauté minced ginger and garlic until their aromatic essence permeates the kitchen, releasing complex fragrance notes.
- Incorporate soy sauce, chili sauce, ketchup, sweetener, and vinegar into the pan. Whisk the liquid ingredients, allowing them to meld and reduce, creating a glossy, concentrated sauce with robust flavor profiles.
- Reintroduce the crispy chicken pieces into the bubbling sauce, executing a thorough toss to ensure comprehensive coating. Optional: Introduce dried red chilies for an extra layer of fiery intensity.
- Transfer the glistening chicken to a serving platter, adorning with freshly sliced spring onions, which provide a vibrant, verdant contrast to the rich, deep-hued sauce.
- Present alongside steamed rice or noodles, inviting diners to experience the dynamic, multilayered taste sensation of this Dragon Chicken creation.
Notes
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing chili powder and sauces for personal heat preference.
- Replace cornflour with gluten-free alternatives like arrowroot or rice flour for celiac or gluten-sensitive diets.
- Enhance chicken tenderness by marinating longer, ideally 1-2 hours in refrigerator for deeper flavor absorption.
- Create a healthier version by baking chicken instead of deep-frying, using minimal oil and placing on parchment-lined baking sheet at 400°F for 20-25 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg