Description
A flavorful and crispy Salt and Chilli Chicken recipe featuring marinated chicken thighs coated in cornflour and fried to perfection, then stir-fried with aromatic vegetables and spices for a spicy, savory dish perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp fine/table salt
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated into a paste
Coating
- 160 g cornflour/cornstarch (plus more if needed)
- 1 medium egg, beaten
Frying
- 360 ml vegetable oil (or as needed for deep frying)
Vegetables and Stir Fry
- 1 small/medium white onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 2 Red Birds Eye chillies, thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the diced chicken with sesame oil, grated garlic, Chinese 5 spice, white pepper, and fine salt. Mix well and leave to marinate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Coat with Cornflour: Add the cornflour to a large shallow dish. Take 2 1/2 tablespoons of the cornflour and mix it thoroughly into the marinated chicken using your hands. Let it sit for a few minutes so the cornflour absorbs into the chicken, creating a sticky coating.
- Add the Egg: Mix the beaten egg into the sticky chicken and cornflour mixture until evenly combined.
- Final Coating: One piece at a time, thoroughly coat each chicken piece in the cornflour, pressing it into every crevice to create a crispy texture. Lightly shake off excess cornflour and place the coated chicken on a baking tray. Add more cornflour if needed to coat all pieces well.
- Heat Oil for Frying: Pour vegetable oil about 3/4 inch deep into a heavy-based or cast-iron pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 190C/375F. Be cautious with oil temperature to get a perfect crisp.
- Fry the Chicken: In batches of 2-3 pieces, carefully add chicken to the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp on the outside, and fully cooked inside, about 3 minutes per side. Use a wire rack lined with kitchen paper to drain excess oil after frying. Bring oil back to temperature between batches.
- Stir Fry Vegetables and Chillies: Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the leftover oil and heat it in a wok or deep pan over high heat. Once hot, add sliced onion, red and green peppers, diced garlic, and sliced chillies. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables soften slightly.
- Combine and Season: Add the fried chicken pieces and spring onions to the wok. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, extra Chinese 5 spice, and white pepper. Toss everything together until well distributed and heated through.
- Serve: Serve the salt and chilli chicken immediately while hot and crispy. Enjoy your flavorful homemade dish!
Notes
- For extra heat, adjust the quantity of Birds Eye chillies or add chilli flakes.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying to ensure crispiness without sogginess.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier results; chicken breast can be used but may be less tender.
- Shake off excess cornflour to avoid clumps that can burn in oil.
- If you don’t have flaky sea salt, use fine salt but add slightly less as it’s more concentrated.
- The dish is best served immediately to retain crispiness; leftovers can be reheated in an oven or air fryer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 486 kcal
- Sugar: 3.87 g
- Sodium: 895 mg
- Fat: 18.84 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.747 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.415 g
- Trans Fat: 0.034 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.04 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 32.44 g
- Cholesterol: 182 mg
