Crispy Wok-Fried Chicken Nuggets
Dim Sim LimCrispy Wok-Fried Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
For the Chicken Nuggets
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG (Chef's Choice), optional, but highly recommended for that 'yum yum'
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup ice-cold water
- 4 cups peanut oil, for deep frying
For the Garnish
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- as needed crispy chili oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- 1
First things first, let's get that chicken marinated! Grab your chicken thighs, cut into beautiful 1-inch pieces. Toss them into a bowl with the light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil, white pepper, garlic powder, and that magical MSG for the ultimate 'yum yum' factor. Mix it all up with your hands, get in there! Cover it and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This is crucial for flavor, don't skip it!
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
While the chicken is soaking up all that goodness, let's build our crispy batter. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and baking powder. Now, slowly stream in the ice-cold water, whisking continuously until you have a smooth, slightly thick batter. It should be like a thin pancake batter, not too runny, not too lumpy. This is the secret to that insane crunch!
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Time to get that wok screaming hot! Place your wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. We're looking for a deep-frying temperature of 350°F. If you don't have a thermometer, a good trick is to drop a tiny bit of batter in; if it sizzles vigorously and floats to the top immediately, you're good to go. Safety first, people!
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 4
Now, the fun part! Take your marinated chicken pieces and dredge them through the batter, ensuring each piece is fully coated. Don't overcrowd the wok! Fry the chicken in batches, about 6-8 pieces at a time, to maintain the oil temperature. Fry for 3-4 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. Use your metal spider or slotted spoon to carefully remove the nuggets and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil. This keeps them crispy!
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 5
For that extra, extra crispiness, we're going for a double fry! Once all the chicken nuggets have had their first fry, crank up the heat slightly on your oil to about 375°F. Return all the chicken nuggets to the wok for a second fry, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until they are deeply golden brown and incredibly crunchy. This is where the magic happens, people! BOOM!
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 375 - 6
Drain the nuggets again on the wire rack. Now, it's time to plate! Pile those glorious, crispy nuggets high on a beautiful serving platter. Garnish generously with fresh sliced green onions and chopped cilantro. For an extra kick, drizzle with a touch of crispy chili oil. Serve immediately and watch them disappear! Holy cow, these are good!
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Dim Sim LimCrispy Wok-Fried Chicken Nuggets
For the Chicken Nuggets
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG (Chef's Choice), optional, but highly recommended for that 'yum yum'
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup ice-cold water
- 4 cups peanut oil, for deep frying
For the Garnish
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- as needed crispy chili oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- 1
First things first, let's get that chicken marinated! Grab your chicken thighs, cut into beautiful 1-inch pieces. Toss them into a bowl with the light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil, white pepper, garlic powder, and that magical MSG for the ultimate 'yum yum' factor. Mix it all up with your hands, get in there! Cover it and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This is crucial for flavor, don't skip it!
⏱️ 5 min - 2
While the chicken is soaking up all that goodness, let's build our crispy batter. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and baking powder. Now, slowly stream in the ice-cold water, whisking continuously until you have a smooth, slightly thick batter. It should be like a thin pancake batter, not too runny, not too lumpy. This is the secret to that insane crunch!
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Time to get that wok screaming hot! Place your wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. We're looking for a deep-frying temperature of 350°F. If you don't have a thermometer, a good trick is to drop a tiny bit of batter in; if it sizzles vigorously and floats to the top immediately, you're good to go. Safety first, people!
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 4
Now, the fun part! Take your marinated chicken pieces and dredge them through the batter, ensuring each piece is fully coated. Don't overcrowd the wok! Fry the chicken in batches, about 6-8 pieces at a time, to maintain the oil temperature. Fry for 3-4 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through. Use your metal spider or slotted spoon to carefully remove the nuggets and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil. This keeps them crispy!
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 5
For that extra, extra crispiness, we're going for a double fry! Once all the chicken nuggets have had their first fry, crank up the heat slightly on your oil to about 375°F. Return all the chicken nuggets to the wok for a second fry, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until they are deeply golden brown and incredibly crunchy. This is where the magic happens, people! BOOM!
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 375 - 6
Drain the nuggets again on the wire rack. Now, it's time to plate! Pile those glorious, crispy nuggets high on a beautiful serving platter. Garnish generously with fresh sliced green onions and chopped cilantro. For an extra kick, drizzle with a touch of crispy chili oil. Serve immediately and watch them disappear! Holy cow, these are good!
⏱️ 5 min