DRAGON CHICKEN
Dragon Chicken is a fiery and flavorful Indo-Chinese dish. Crispy fried chicken pieces are tossed in a spicy and tangy sauce, often featuring a blend of chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. It's a popular appetizer or main course known for its bold flavors and satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 4-6 dried red chilies broken into pieces (adjust to your spice preference)
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce or Schezwan sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces with ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce, egg white, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably for a few hours in the refrigerator.
- Fry chicken: Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the marinated chicken pieces in batches until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Prepare sauce: Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and green bell pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the dried red chilies, chopped ginger, and minced garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
- Add sauce ingredients: Stir in the soy sauce, chili sauce (or Schezwan sauce), rice vinegar, and sugar. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Thicken sauce: Pour in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
- Toss chicken in sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and toss until they are evenly coated.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve the Dragon Chicken hot.
Notes
- Spice Level: Adjust the number of dried red chilies to your spice preference. You can also add chili flakes or hot sauce for extra heat.
- Ginger and Garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic are essential for the flavor of this dish.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch in the marinade and sauce helps to create a crispy coating on the chicken and thicken the sauce.
- Frying: Be careful when frying the chicken. Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the chicken, and don't overcrowd the pan.