Restaurant Style Dragon Chicken
by Jay Wadams
My restaurant-style Dragon Chicken recipe is fiery hot and sure to please any spice lover. Packed with juicy chicken, colourful bell peppers, crunchy cashews, and lots of chillies, you might feel like breathing fire yourself!
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless chicken breast
for the batter:
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
- 2 Tbsp red chilli paste
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- freshly ground black pepper
for the spicy sauce:
- 4 Tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 Tbsp red chilli paste
- 1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
to cook:
- vegetable oil for shallow frying
- 125 g cashew nuts
- 2 bell peppers roughly diced (I like to use 1 red bell pepper and 1 green)
- 2 red onions halved and sliced
- 2 dried red chillies seeds removed
to serve:
- sesame seeds
- 2 spring onions / scallions sliced
- 200 g basmati rice see FAQ'S for cooking instructions
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- PREPARE THE CHICKEN: Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces, either long strips or smallish cubes. Put your rice on to cook, if serving.
- MAKE THE BATTER: Whisk together all batter ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir through the sliced chicken and set aside while you make the sauce.
- MAKE THE SAUCE: Whisk together all sauce ingredients with 60ml / ¼ cup of water.
- FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat 4-5 cm / 2 inches of oil in a medium saucepan. When the oil is hot (see notes for how to tell if oil is hot enough for frying), fry the chicken until golden brown. It is best to work in batches. When the chicken is golden and crisp, transfer the fried chicken pieces to a plate lined with a kitchen towel.
- SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES: Pour 3 tablespoons of the frying oil into a large frying pan or wok placed over high heat. Add the cashews and cook for 1 minute, then add the peppers, onions and dried chillies. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften.
- COMBINE THE INGREDIENTS: Add the sauce, stirring to coat the vegetables. Allow to bubble for 2 minutes, then add the chicken, stirring again to coat. Cook for 2 minutes further to warm through.
- SERVE: Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions, and with plenty of steamed basmati rice on the side.
Notes
For shallow frying, it is best to heat the oil over medium-high heat so that you can control the temperature. If you are using a digital thermometer, the best temperature range for shallow frying is 180°C (350°F) - 190°C (375°F).
If you don't have a thermometer you can dip the end of a wooden spoon in the oil. If it starts fizzing gently with little bubbles, the oil is hot enough to cook with.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 plate | Calories: 1227kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 1611mg | Potassium: 2043mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 3959IU | Vitamin C: 166mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 8mg