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Dragon Chicken is a spicy and flavorful dish featuring tender breaded chicken stir-fried with vegetables and coated in a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce. It’s a crowd favorite for those who enjoy a fiery twist on the classic stir-fry!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Spice Lovers: This dish is perfect for spice lovers with its tangy, sweet, and fiery sauce. Get your glass of milk ready.
- Versatile Dish: Dragon chicken pairs well with rice, noodles, or even on its own. I love making my chicken potstickers and fried rice to have on the side.
- Customizable: It’s easy to adjust spice levels and which veggies you use to suit your taste.
Ingredients for Dragon Chicken
With its bright red color and bold flavor, this restaurant-style dragon chicken is just like a restaurant style dish! It’s simple, delicious, and sure to please the whole family! Check the recipe card for exact measurements.
For the Marinade
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: The star of the dish! It absorbs the flavors while staying tender and juicy.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and helps coat the chicken evenly, giving it a crispy texture during cooking.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a savory, umami flavor and balances the spice.
- Chili Paste: Brings the heat and gives this recipe its signature kick.
- Ginger Paste or Grated Ginger: It adds warmth and depth to the dish.
- Garlic Paste or Grated Garlic: Enhances the flavor with a garlic taste.
Dragon Chicken Breading
- All-Purpose Flour: This creates a crisp outer layer for the chicken.
- Cornstarch: Adds an extra crispy texture to the coating.
- Chili Powder: For subtle heat and bold flavor.
- Garlic Powder: Adds a savory depth and enhances the overall flavor.
- Ground Ginger: Brings a warm, slightly spicy taste.
- Black Pepper: Enhances the flavors and gives a bit of heat.
- Oil: Choose a neutral oil for frying.
Stir fry
- Vegetable Oil: To sauté the vegetables and toast the cashews.
- Cashew Nuts: They add a rich, nutty crunch to the dish.
- Red Bell Pepper: Brings a pop of color and a slight crunch to the stir-fry.
- Red Onion: Adds a mild, slightly sharp flavor that mellows when cooked.
- Dried Red Chilis: Gives the dish heat and a smoky depth.
- Sliced Green Onions: Garnish for a mild onion flavor and vibrant color.
Sauce
- Ketchup: Adds a sweet flavor to contrast the heat in the dragon chicken and serves as the base for the sauce, helping to balance the heat.
- Soy Sauce: Provides a savory, umami depth.
- Chili Paste: Brings extra spicy heat for a fiery kick.
- Garlic Paste: Gives the best savory flavor!
- Ginger Paste: Adds a warm, slightly sweet, and zesty note to the sauce.
- Sugar: Balances out the spice with a touch of sweetness.
- Rice Vinegar: Brightens the flavors and adds a slight tang.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
How to Make Dragon Chicken
This dragon chicken recipe comes together really easily for a meal that you will absolutely love! Adjus the spice levels to suit your tastes. Just be aware that spice can increase as it cooks. So add the spice in small doses!
Chicken
- Prep: Cut the chicken into ½-inch by 2-inch strips and then put them in a sealable bag or large bowl. Whisk together the marinade ingredients: egg, soy sauce, chili paste, ginger, and garlic. Pour the mixture into the same container as the chicken, cover or seal, and then let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Mix: Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the breading ingredients, which include the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, chili powder, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper.
- Heat: In a large skillet heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, but not smoking, remove the chicken from the marinade. Coat the chicken in the breading mixture evenly.
- Fry: Working in batches, lay the breaded chicken in an even layer in the hot oil and then fry for about 4-5 minutes, turning the chicken to evenly brown. Place the cooked chicken onto a paper towel-lined plate and then set aside. Remove the oil from the pan or get a new pan.
Stir Fry
- Stir Fry : Heat 1 tablespoon of new vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the cashews, red bell pepper, red and green onion, and dried chilis, then cook stirring frequently until they are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Make the Sauce: While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients: ketchup, soy sauce, chili paste, garlic, ginger, sugar, rice vinegar, and cornstarch.
- Combine: Add the cooked dragon chicken to the pan with the vegetables, then pour the sauce over everything. Cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens and coats everything in the pan. Remove from heat and serve!
Dragon Chicken Tips and Variations
You can easily switch things up with this dragon chicken recipe. Add your favorite veggies and various serving options. Additionally, here are a few tips and variations that you might find helpful!
- Marinating Time: This recipe calls for the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes. I usually let it sit while I prepare the rest of the recipe, but don’t marinate longer than 2 hours.
- Test the Oil: To test if the oil is ready for frying, take a wooden skewer or a long toothpick and poke it into the oil at the bottom of the pan. Bubbles should form around the skewer quickly. If the oil starts smoking, it’s too hot.
- Serving: I like to serve this dish with rice or soba noodles.
- Vegetable Options: You can use any color of bell pepper or add other vegetables like green beans, broccoli, or carrots!
How to Store Leftovers
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 375ºF for 10-15 minutes if fridge or 30-40 minutes if frozen OR in the air fryer at 350ºF for 5-8 minutes if fridge, 15-20 minutes if frozen. You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave but I suggest using the oven or air fryer to get that crispy outside.
More Delicious Asian Recipes
If you’re a fan of Asian food like I am, you’ve come to the right place. We have tons of options, from savory to sweet! Check out these popular Asian chicken dishes to try at home!
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Dragon Chicken
Dragon Chicken is a spicy and flavorful dish featuring tender breaded chicken stir-fried with vegetables and coated in a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce. It's a crowd-favorite for those who enjoy a fiery twist on the classic stir-fry!
Ingredients
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
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Oil for frying
Stir fry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup cashews, unsalted
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 dried red chilis
- Sliced green onions for garnish
Sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ 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 by cutting it into ½-inch by 2-inch strips, and add the chicken to a sealable bag or large bowl.
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients; egg, soy sauce, chili paste, ginger, and garlic. Pour the marinade into the same container as the chicken. Cover or seal and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the breading; all-purpose flour, cornstarch, chili powder, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper.
- In a large skillet heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, but not smoking, remove the chicken from the marinade. Coat the chicken in the breading mixture evenly.
- Working in batches, lay the breaded chicken in an even layer in the hot oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes, turning the chicken to evenly brown.
- Place the cooked chicken onto a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Remove the oil from the pan or get a new pan.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of new vegetable oil over medium-high heat, add the cashews, red bell pepper, onion, and dried chilis. Cook stirring frequently until they are tender, about 5 minutes.
- While the vegetables cook, whisk together the sauce ingredients; ketchup, soy sauce, chili paste, garlic, ginger, sugar, rice vinegar, and cornstarch.
- Add the cooked chicken to the pan with the vegetables and pour the sauce over everything. Cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens and coats everything in the pan.
- Remove from heat and serve!
Notes
This recipe calls for the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes. I usually let it sit while I prepare the rest of the recipe, but don’t marinate longer than 2 hours.
To test if the oil is ready for frying, take a wooden skewer or a long toothpick and poke it into the oil down to the bottom of the pan. Bubbles should form around the skewer quickly. If the oil starts smoking it’s too hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 25gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 1083mgPotassium: 625mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 955IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
