Description
Dragon Chicken is a spicy and flavorful dish featuring tender breaded chicken stir-fried with cashews, bell pepper, and onion, all coated in a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce with a fiery twist. This crowd-pleaser combines crispy chicken with a vibrant vegetable stir-fry and a bold homemade sauce, perfect for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons chili paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste, or grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste, or grated garlic
Breading
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Oil for frying (about 2 inches in pan)
Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup cashews, unsalted
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 dried red chilis
- Sliced green onions for garnish
Sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons chili paste
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste, or grated garlic
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste, or grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast into ½-inch by 2-inch strips and place them in a sealable bag or large bowl.
- Marinate the chicken: Whisk together 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons chili paste, 1 tablespoon ginger paste, and 2 teaspoons garlic paste. Pour this marinade over the chicken, seal or cover, and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Mix the breading: In a separate bowl, combine ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk these together well.
- Heat oil for frying: Pour about 2 inches of oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high until hot but not smoking. Test readiness by dropping a wooden skewer in; bubbles should form quickly.
- Bread and fry the chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, coat thoroughly with breading mixture, and fry in batches for about 4-5 minutes per batch, turning to brown evenly. Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Discard or drain the frying oil.
- Cook vegetables and cashews: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a clean skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup cashews, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, ½ thinly sliced red onion, and 3 dried red chilis. Stir frequently and cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Prepare the sauce: While vegetables cook, whisk together ¼ cup ketchup, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons chili paste, 2 teaspoons garlic paste, 2 teaspoons ginger paste, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch until smooth.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Add the fried chicken back into the pan with vegetables. Pour the sauce over everything and cook while stirring continuously until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the chicken and vegetables.
- Serve and garnish: Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours to prevent overly soft texture.
- To check if oil is hot enough for frying, insert a wooden skewer into the oil; if bubbles form quickly, the oil is ready. Avoid overheating to prevent smoking.
- Fry chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding, which can cause sogginess instead of crispiness.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to control salt levels in the dish.
- For a vegetarian alternative, substitute chicken with firm tofu and adjust frying time accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
