Description
Salt and Chilli Chicken is a flavorful and crispy Chinese-inspired dish featuring marinated chicken thighs coated in a crunchy cornflour batter, stir-fried with aromatic garlic, vibrant peppers, and fiery bird’s eye chillies. Perfect as a delicious main course, this recipe combines the richness of sesame oil and fragrant Chinese 5 spice with a satisfying crunchy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 600 g boneless skinless Chicken Thighs
- 2 tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely grated into a paste
- 1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice
- 1 tsp White Pepper
- 1 tsp Fine/Table Salt
Coating and Frying
- 160 g Cornflour/Cornstarch (plus more if needed)
- 1 medium Egg, beaten
- 360 ml Vegetable Oil (or as needed for frying)
Stir-Fry Vegetables and Seasoning
- 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 thighs with sesame oil, grated garlic paste, Chinese 5 spice, fine salt, and white pepper. Mix well to coat evenly and let it marinate for 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Prepare the Coating: Spread the cornflour in a large shallow dish. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of cornflour to the marinated chicken and mix using your hands until evenly coated and sticky. Allow it to rest for a few minutes to let the cornflour soak into the chicken.
- Add Egg and Coat Chicken: Stir the beaten egg into the chicken mixture until combined. Then, one piece at a time, thoroughly coat each chicken piece in the remaining cornflour, pressing the cornflour into every crevice to create a crispy flaky texture. Place the coated pieces on a baking tray and add more cornflour if needed.
- Fry the Chicken: Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-based or cast-iron pan to a depth of about 3/4 inch (enough to cover just over half the chicken pieces). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 190°C (375°F). Fry the chicken in 2-3 batches for approximately 3 minutes on each side until golden, crisp, and cooked through. Remove chicken onto a wire rack lined with kitchen paper to drain excess oil. Reheat the oil to the correct temperature between batches.
- Stir-Fry Vegetables and Chillies: Using 2 tablespoons of the leftover oil from frying, heat a wok or deep pan over high heat. Add sliced onion, red and green peppers, diced garlic, and bird’s eye chillies. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables soften slightly and become fragrant.
- Toss Together and Season: Add the fried chicken pieces back into the wok along with sliced spring onions, flaky sea salt, Chinese 5 spice, and white pepper. Toss everything together thoroughly to ensure the chicken is well-coated with the aromatic seasoning and vegetables.
- Serve: Serve the salt and chilli chicken immediately while hot and crispy. Enjoy this bold, flavorful dish as a main course or part of an Asian-inspired meal.
Notes
- Use bird’s eye chillies according to your preferred spice level; remove seeds for less heat.
- Ensure the oil temperature stays consistent at 190°C (375°F) during frying for crispy chicken.
- Pressing the cornflour coating well into the chicken creates extra flaky bits that add crunch.
- Serve with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
- To keep leftovers crispy, reheat briefly in an oven or air fryer instead of microwave.
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
