Description
This Crispy Chicken with Sticky Sauce recipe features boneless chicken thighs fried to perfection and coated in a sweet and savory sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Oil for frying (vegetable or peanut oil recommended)
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Sliced green onions (for garnish)
- Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prep the chicken. In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and garlic powder until evenly coated. This cornstarch coating gives the chicken its signature crispy texture when fried.
- Step 2: Heat the oil. Pour about 1 to 2 inches of oil into a deep pan or wok. Heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. You can test it by dropping a small piece of chicken in — it should sizzle right away.
- Step 3: Fry the chicken. Working in batches, fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and crisp, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack or paper towels to drain.
- Step 4: Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, water, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Set aside. In a large wok or skillet, add a splash of oil and sauté the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Give the sauce mixture a quick stir and pour it into the wok.
- Step 5: Toss and serve. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring frequently until it thickens and becomes glossy. Add the fried chicken and toss well to coat every piece in the rich, sticky sauce.
- Step 6: Garnish and enjoy. Top with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
- This dish pairs well with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg