Dragon chicken is an Indo-Chinese dish featuring spiced fried chicken coated in a spicy ketchup-based sauce with peppers and cashew nuts.
My version is a play on a restaurant-style dish that adds sriracha sauce and fish sauce into the mix and takes just over 30 minutes to cook.
Spicy Fried Indo-Chinese Chicken
When I stumbled up dragon chicken I knew that it was a recipe that I had to put my slant on PDQ!
It is a dish that comes from India but from the significant Chinese diaspora in India and it is delicious.
It is essentially spiced fried chicken in a tomato ketchup-based sauce… it’s basically, all of my childhood food dreams come true.
The chicken is fried in a batter that has much more in common with an Amritsari fish fry than Chinese sweet and sour pork balls.
It is that glorious mix between crispy and chewy, particularly when combined with the sauce.
And what a sauce it is! Tomato ketchup, soy sauce, Sriracha (added by me) garlic and ginger.
Dragon chicken may sound silly to purists of the finest gastronomy, but it is pure indulgence and I LOVE it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to fry dragon chicken?
In my opinion yes! It could be baked or air fried, but both give disappointing results as far as I am concerned and do not recommend them.
Can I use a deep fat fryer?
Yes, if you have one that you use knock yourself out. It is easier to maintain a consistent temperature with a deep fat fryer.
I really find the maintenance of a deep fat fryer a chore so do not use one.
Do I have to use the MSG?
No, it can be omitted. However, it is a wonderful flavour enhancer that is much maligned for no good reason.
Can I use other nuts?
I have made dragon chicken with peanuts in the past and they work well, although the sweetness of cashew nuts is better in this dish in my opinion.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, they work well, just take care when slicing to ensure that you get a fairly uniform size.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve served my dragon chicken here with egg fried rice, but that can be challenging on the timing front if you are not gonna use two woks.
But it is just as good with plain rice or something like this very low maintenance Chinese inspired rice!
As I mentioned above this dish is the sort of thing that “young” me would have loved and I would have “demanded” chips.
Some crispy fried potatoes would be awesome with the spicy sweet and sour coating… in for a penny in for a pound on the fried stuff as far as I am concerned
One final suggestion… whack this stuff on a baguette, it makes the most incredible sandwich!
Equipment Used
I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that it will genuinely assist in cooking a dish. If you have any requests for advice, feel free to ask in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- Wok, I use a large carbon steel wok. If you use a deep fat fryer then use it in this recipe, it is an even better solution.
- Metal spoon for stir-frying.
- 28cm or 11″ frying pan.
- Mixing bowls.
- Whisk.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Grater.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Kitchen paper.
Dragon Chicken Recipe
A dish that comes from Chinese communities in India dragon chicken is a fun and delicious fried chicken recipe that is loaded with bold spicy sweet flavours and I love it!
Ingredients
- 2 Small Chicken Breasts
For the Marinade:
- 1 Egg White
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
- ½ Tsp Garlic Granules
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
- 50g (5 Tbsp) Cornflour
- 2 Tbsp Plain Flour
- ¼ Tsp Monosodium Glutamate
For the Sauce:
- 1 Pepper (I like to use half of a red pepper and half of a green pepper)
- 75g Onion
- 50g (⅓ Cup) Cashew Nuts
- 75g (¼ Cup) Tomato Ketchup
- 2 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 15g (Half Thumbnail Sized Piece) Ginger
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil (Plus Extra for Frying the Chicken)
- 2 Spring Onions
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients for the marinade into a bowl and whisk to form a smooth but viscous batter.
- Slice the chicken breasts into strips 5-6mm thick across the breast, then add it to the marinade and toss to coat. Then transfer to the fridge whilst you prepare the sauce.
- Top and tail the onion then cut it in half and slice it into 5-6mm thick slices.
- Deseed the pepper then cut it into 5-6mm thick strips.
- Peel the garlic and mash it into a paste.
- Peel and grate the ginger.
- Finely slice the spring onions.
- Heat the oil for the sauce in a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium-high heat.
- Add the cashew nuts and cook until golden, stir continuously and then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Add the garlic, ginger and onions to the pan you tasted the cashew nuts in and fry for 60 seconds.
- Throw in the sliced pepper and stir fry for 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato ketchup, soy sauce and sriracha sauce fr the sauce and stir to coat, then reduce the heat to low whilst you cook the chicken.
- Pour 4-5 (1½"-2") of cooking oil into a large wok and heat it to 170°C or 340°F.
- When the oil is hot add the chicken piece by piece and fry it for 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 73°C or 165°F. You will need to do this in 3-4 batches to ensure that the oil stays at the required temperature. Transfer to kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil whilst you fry the remaining chicken.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to the sauce and stir to coat, this is a sauce that coats the chicken rather than it being a "wet" dish.
- Serve sprinkled with the chopped spring onions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 864Total Fat: 59gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 49gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 3313mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 48g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.