Description
A fiery, crunchy Asian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken coated in a light cornflour crust and tossed in a sweet‑spicy chili sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 750 g (1.65 lbs) skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets (trimmed), chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 egg
- 6 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in North America)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 4 tbsp oil divided (avocado oil)
- ½ tbsp oil (for sauce)
- 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips
- 1 red chilli, finely sliced (discard seeds if less heat desired)
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (light or all-purpose)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree paste
- 6 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (Thai-style)
- 1 tbsp water (optional, to adjust sauce consistency)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional, for finish)
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt, black pepper, and white pepper.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg, then add cornflour and mix to form a smooth coating.
- Add the chicken pieces and toss until each piece is evenly coated with the cornflour mixture.
- Heat 2 tbsp of the divided oil in a large skillet over medium‑high heat for deep‑frying.
- Fry the coated chicken until golden and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes, then remove and set aside on paper towels.
- In the same skillet, add ½ tbsp oil and sauté the onion and red chilli until softened.
- Add ginger and garlic, cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato puree, ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
- Add caster sugar and stir until dissolved, then pour in ¼ cup water if the sauce is too thick.
- Return the fried chicken to the skillet, toss to coat with the sauce, and cook briefly until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil, and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
Adjust the amount of chilli to control heat. For extra crispiness, double‑coat the chicken with an additional sprinkle of cornflour before frying.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir‑fry
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
Keywords: crispy,chili chicken,quick dinner,stir‑fry,Asian cuisine