Best Chili Chicken
Crispy fried chicken tossed in a spicy, garlicky Indo-Chinese sauce with onions, bell peppers, and green chilies. This restaurant-style chili chicken has a light glossy coating, plenty of heat, and a satisfyingly crunchy texture.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 400kcal
Cost $12 for entire recipe
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Small mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Deep skillet, Dutch oven, or deep fryer
- wire rack
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Wok or large skillet
- Wooden spoon or wok spatula
- Instant-read thermometer (recommended for oil temperature)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water
- Vegetable oil for frying
Stir-Fry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 5 to 6 large garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely minced
- 3 to 6 green chilies sliced
- 1 teaspoon finely minced celery optional
- 3 scallions whites and greens separated
- 1 large onion cut into chunks
- 1 green bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
Sauce
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon ketchup optional
- 1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon MSG optional
Slurry
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Garnish
- Sliced scallion greens
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, soy sauce, ginger-garlic paste, salt, white pepper, cornstarch, flour, and water. Mix until the chicken is evenly coated. Let marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
- Fry the chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Fry the chicken a second time for 60 to 90 seconds until deeply golden brown and crispy. Return to the wire rack.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ketchup if using, rice vinegar, sugar, white pepper, chicken broth, and MSG if using.
- In another small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make the slurry.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil.
- Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, green chilies, celery if using, and scallion whites for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the onion and bell peppers. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, keeping the vegetables slightly crisp.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the wok and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Stir the slurry again and add it to the sauce. Cook for 20 to 30 seconds until the sauce becomes lightly glossy.
- Add the fried chicken and toss quickly for 20 to 30 seconds until evenly coated.
- Remove from the heat and stir in a handful of scallion greens.
- Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the remaining scallion greens. Drizzle with sesame oil if desired.
- Serve immediately.