Chili chicken is a typical dish of Indochinese cuisine. It can be served as an appetizer or main course, accompanied in this case with rice. Although it requires long preparation times, the degree of difficulty is rather low.
Ingrediants
Doses for 4 servings
Meat
450 g of boneless, skinless chicken
Marinade
- 1 lightly beaten egg
- 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
- 3 cm small piece of ginger, chopped
- 1 chopped green chilli
- ½ teaspoon of soy sauce
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of ground black pepper
Batter
- 60 g of corn starch
- 60 g of all-purpose flour
- 120 ml of water
Sauce
- 15 ml of hot sauce
- 15 ml of ketchup
- 15 ml of soy sauce
- 5 ml of white vinegar
- 5 ml of sesame seed oil
Frying with sauté
- Vegetable oil (measure 60ml and 30ml separately)
- 1 small onion cut into slices
- 2 minced garlic heads
- 1 pepper cut into slices
- 2-4 small peppers, chopped and seedless
- 1 chopped spring onion (for garnish)
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Marinating the Chicken
Step 1. Wash the chicken and pat dry with kitchen paper
To make the dish taste even more authentic, prepare it with boneless, skinless chicken. Boneless cuts, such as chicken breast or fillet, can also be used
Step 2. Cut the chicken into small pieces of about 3-5 cm using a serrated knife
The morsels should be similar in size so that they cook evenly.
To make the process easier, keep the chicken in the freezer and cut it up before it finishes defrosting. At this time the meat is more compact and easier to slice. Defrosting will finish smoothly while marinating
Step 3. In a small bowl, whisk the ingredients for the marinade:
egg, ginger, chilli, soy sauce, salt and black pepper. Mix them evenly.
The egg should coat the surface of the chicken to make it easier for the batter to stick. Although it is preferable to use it whole, for health reasons it is possible to use only the egg white
Step 4. Place the chicken nuggets in a large airtight plastic bag
Pour the marinade over the meat, close the bag and shake it lightly to ensure that the morsels are evenly coated. Keep it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- If you don't have a large plastic bag, use a large bowl. Cover it with cling film or aluminum foil before putting it in the fridge.
- To prevent bacteria from growing, marinate the chicken in the fridge instead of at room temperature.
- The marinade allows the meat to be moistened, tenderized and tastier. You should let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes, although the ideal would be to wait 30 or 60 minutes.
Part 2 of 3: Fry the Chicken
Step 1. Pour 60ml vegetable oil into a large wok or skillet and heat it over medium-high heat
Step 2. Prepare the batter
While the oil heats up, whisk the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and water in a medium or large bowl. You should get a smooth and slightly diluted mixture.
To prevent lumps, first try sieving the cornstarch and flour using a fine sieve. Gradually pour in the water as you beat the ingredients. Also, during the procedure, collect the batter residues left on the sides of the bowl to incorporate them
Step 3. Take the chicken nuggets out of the bag with the help of a skimmer and transfer them directly into the batter
Stir gently to coat them well.
- Once the morsels have been taken, let the excess marinade drain for a few seconds, holding the skimmer over the bag or a sink. At this point you can lay the chicken in the batter.
- You should divide the morsels into several piles, dipping one group at a time in the batter. It is also advisable to cook one heap at a time, so that the chicken cooks evenly.
Step 4. Take the morsels out of the batter and let the excess run out
Put them in the oil and lower the heat to low.
Once the cooking process has started, help yourself with the skimmer to separate them, otherwise the morsels could stick and stick together
Step 5. Fry them in hot oil for 3-5 minutes or until the outer surface is lightly browned and the meat is cooked through on the inside
Chicken should not be cooked more than necessary. Since you will have to expose it to a heat source again, prolonged cooking can make it dry and not very flavorful
Step 6. Remove the morsels from the pan with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil
- You can also line the plate with a bag of recycled bread, parchment paper or any other absorbent paper for food. All of these materials should help you absorb excess oil from the chicken.
- Set the chicken aside for now, but keep it warm.
Part 3 of 3: Composing the Plate
Step 1. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the last 30ml of vegetable oil
Heat it over medium-high heat.
- Before adding the oil, it is a good idea to let the pan cool for a few minutes. If it's still hot, you risk making it squirt.
- Vegetables should be cooked over medium-high heat rather than low or high. The intense heat should cook them and at the same time help them maintain a crunchy texture. On the other hand, low temperatures tend to prolong cooking times and make them soggy.
Step 2. In a small bowl, whisk the hot sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, white vinegar and sesame seed oil until smooth
Set it aside.
The hot sauce can be dosed according to your tastes. If you want the dish to be particularly pungent, use 30ml. If you prefer it to have a milder flavor, avoid using it. Either way, the spices in the marinade and the peppers used during frying make the dish flavorful and peppery, so the hot sauce is just an additional ingredient
Step 3. Place the onion in the boiling oil and let it cook for about 5 minutes or until wilted
Stir often.
During cooking, the onion should give off its characteristic smell and wither. Instead, avoid letting it brown
Step 4. Add the garlic, bell pepper and chillies to the onion
Fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
The vegetables should be cooked until the garlic is lightly toasted, while the bell pepper and chillies should become slightly crunchy
Step 5. Pour the sauce into the pan and mix it with the vegetables until they are evenly coated
Step 6. Place the chicken nuggets back into the pan
Mix them with the vegetables and sauce until they are well coated and cooked through.
This step should only take 1 to 2 minutes. When cooked, remove the pan from the heat
Step 7. Plate the dish immediately and garnish it with green onion
Serve and enjoy while hot.
