Battered Chicken in Chili Vinegar Sauce
Battered Chicken in Chili Vinegar Sauce
Ingredients
For the Battered Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 egg, large
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Chili Vinegar Sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For Garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chili vinegar sauce: In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, granulated sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 8 min
- 2
Prepare the chicken batter: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg and 3/4 cup cold water until combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until a smooth batter forms. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Heat the oil: Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring the oil is at least 3 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 4
Batter and fry the chicken: Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, dip each piece of chicken into the batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Carefully lower the battered chicken into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C). Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the cooked chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 5
Toss and serve: In a large bowl, gently toss the fried chicken with the prepared chili vinegar sauce until evenly coated. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles, if desired.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Battered Chicken in Chili Vinegar Sauce
For the Battered Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 egg, large
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Chili Vinegar Sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For Garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chili vinegar sauce: In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, granulated sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 8 min - 2
Prepare the chicken batter: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg and 3/4 cup cold water until combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until a smooth batter forms. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Heat the oil: Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring the oil is at least 3 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 4
Batter and fry the chicken: Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, dip each piece of chicken into the batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Carefully lower the battered chicken into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C). Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the cooked chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 5
Toss and serve: In a large bowl, gently toss the fried chicken with the prepared chili vinegar sauce until evenly coated. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles, if desired.