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Chile Chicken
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Chile Chicken

This is a home version of the Indo-Chinese restaurant staple. The process involves two main parts: first, frying chicken that has a specific cornstarch-based coating to make it crispy, and second, creating a sticky, sweet, and spicy sauce to toss it in. Frying in batches is the most important step for getting the chicken right; if you crowd the pan, the chicken will steam and get soggy.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

For the Chicken & Marinade

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp chili-garlic sauce like Sambal Oelek
  • 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp water
  • Peanut oil for frying

For the Sauce

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp chili-garlic sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock

For the Stir-Fry

  • 1 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1 tbsp garlic-ginger paste
  • 1 large scallion whites and greens separated, both minced
  • 2-3 dried red chilies snapped in half
  • 1/2 medium onion cut into 1-inch squares
  • 1/2 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch squares

Method

  • Mix chicken chunks with soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, salt, and pepper.
  • Whisk cornstarch, flour, and water to make slurry. Pour over chicken, coat evenly.
  • Refrigerate 30 minutes.
  • Combine all sauce ingredients in bowl, set aside.
  • Heat 1/2 inch peanut oil in wok over medium-high heat.
  • Fry chicken in 2-3 batches for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Drain on wire rack.
  • Wipe wok clean, heat 1 tbsp fresh oil over high heat.
  • Stir-fry garlic-ginger paste, scallion whites, dried chilies for 30 seconds.
  • Add onion and bell pepper, stir-fry 1-2 minutes until edges char.
  • Pour in sauce, add fried chicken, toss to coat.
  • Top with scallion greens and serve immediately.

Notes

Serve while chicken is still crispy for best texture.