Description
Dragon chicken brings fiery flavors straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Spicy, crispy, and packed with bold Asian-inspired seasonings, this dish will make your taste buds dance with excitement.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), sliced thin
Coating:
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 egg white
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Sauce and Flavor:
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 2–3 dried red chilies (or crushed red pepper flakes)
- ¼ cup water (to loosen the sauce, if needed)
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Sliced green onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Thin strips of fried onion or bell pepper for crunch
Instructions
- Marinate 1 lb chicken breasts by thoroughly coating with ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 egg white, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat to 350°F. Carefully fry chicken pieces in small batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and 2-3 dried red chilies. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon sugar into the pan. Stir and simmer the sauce for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Drop the crispy chicken pieces into the sauce. Gently toss to ensure each piece is completely glazed with the spicy-sweet coating.
- Transfer the dragon chicken to a serving plate. Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and crispy fried onion strips for extra crunch.
Notes
- Coat the chicken thoroughly in the cornstarch mixture to create a crispy exterior that locks in moisture and provides a perfect golden crunch.
- Fry the chicken in small batches to maintain high oil temperature, which ensures each piece becomes evenly crisp without becoming greasy.
- Adjust the chili level by reducing or increasing dried red chilies based on your heat tolerance, making the dish adaptable for spice-sensitive palates.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in a skillet to maintain the chicken’s crispiness, avoiding microwave reheating which can make the coating soggy.
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 278 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg