Description
A comforting, restaurant-style dish featuring crispy chicken coated in a sweet and tangy sauce with a hint of heat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lb chicken thighs (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup corn starch (for dredging)
- 1/4 cup extra light olive oil (for frying, plus more as needed)
- 2 tbsp minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece of ginger)
- 3 cloves garlic (or 1 Tbsp grated or finely minced)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or added to taste)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional for garnish)
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar (or more to taste)
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch (for the sauce)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Trim excess fat and cut the thighs into 1-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Dredge: Toss chicken pieces in cornstarch and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Whisk together cold water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Heat the pan: Preheat a large skillet and add olive oil until shimmering.
- Fry the chicken: Cook chicken in batches until golden and cooked through, then remove from the pan.
- Aromatics: Reduce heat, add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and sauté until fragrant.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour in the sauce and let simmer for about 1 minute.
- Combine: Add cooked chicken back into the pan and toss to coat in the sauce.
- Finish and serve: Transfer to a plate, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve.
Notes
For best results, ensure chicken is dry before dredging, and avoid overcrowding the pan while frying. Adjust the sauce’s sweetness and acidity to your taste.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 110mg