Description
Dragon Chicken brings fiery flavor straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Crispy, tender chicken pieces dance with a spicy sauce that’ll make your taste buds spark with excitement.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), sliced thin
Breading:
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 egg white
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 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
Garnish:
- Sliced green onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Thin strips of fried onion or bell pepper
Instructions
- Whisk 1 egg white into 1 lb sliced chicken with ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Allow the mixture to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Pour vegetable oil into a skillet, heating to 375°F. Carefully fry chicken pieces in small batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and 2-3 dried red chilies. Sauté for 90 seconds until aromatic.
- Pour ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon sugar into the skillet. Stir the sauce continuously for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Gently fold the crispy chicken pieces into the sauce, ensuring each piece gets fully coated. Simmer for an additional minute to lock in flavors.
- Transfer the dragon chicken to a serving plate. Sprinkle with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and optional fried onion strips. Serve immediately alongside steamed rice or crisp lettuce cups.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken longer for deeper flavor absorption, up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Use a heavy-bottomed skillet to ensure even, crispy chicken without burning.
- For a gluten-free version, swap soy sauce with tamari and use gluten-free cornstarch.
- Adjust the heat level by reducing or increasing the number of dried chilies to match your spice preference.
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-11 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 286 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg