Description
Dragon Chicken is a flavorful Indo-Chinese dish featuring crispy fried chicken pieces tossed in a spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce made with garlic, ginger, dried chilies, soy sauce, and tomato ketchup. Garnished with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, this dish offers a perfect balance of heat and aroma, ideal as an appetizer or main course served with rice or noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 egg white
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 2–3 dried red chilies or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (white or rice vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
- ¼ cup water (optional, to loosen the sauce)
- Salt, to taste
Garnishes (Optional):
- Sliced green onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Thin strips of fried onion or bell pepper for crunch
Instructions
- Marinate and Coat the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the thinly sliced chicken with egg white, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix well to ensure each piece is evenly coated. Let the chicken marinate for 10–15 minutes to absorb the flavors and to help the coating adhere during frying.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or deep frying pan over medium-high heat until hot enough for frying. Fry the marinated chicken pieces in batches, avoiding overcrowding, until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make the Sauce: Using the same skillet, remove excess oil leaving about a tablespoon. Add sesame oil and then sauté the minced garlic, ginger, and dried red chilies for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato ketchup, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water if the sauce becomes too thick to achieve a smooth consistency. Season with salt to taste.
- Toss the Chicken: Add the fried chicken pieces back into the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat the chicken evenly with the spicy sauce. Let it simmer for an additional minute to allow the flavors to meld thoroughly.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the Dragon Chicken to a serving dish. Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and optionally thin strips of fried onion or bell pepper for an added crunch. Serve immediately while hot with steamed rice, noodles, or in lettuce cups for a low-carb option.
Notes
- If preferred, chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for a juicier texture.
- Adjust the number of dried red chilies or chili garlic sauce to control the heat level.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce and ensure ketchup does not contain gluten.
- Vegetable oil is recommended for frying due to its high smoke point.
- To make the dish less oily, drain fried chicken on paper towels thoroughly.
- For added flavor, you can sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds just before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying and Sautéing
- Cuisine: Indo-Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (approx. 180g)
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Dragon Chicken recipe, Indo-Chinese chicken, spicy chicken dish, fried chicken, garlic ginger chicken, sesame chicken, Asian chicken recipe
