Spicy Crispy Chicken
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Crispy battered chicken fried at a high heat then tossed in a spicy-sweet glaze made from soy, hoisin, and chili sauce. Uses a double dredge with paprika and sriracha in the wet mix for an extra kick. The sauce thickens with cornstarch until shiny and clings well. Green onions and toasted sesame seeds finish it off for texture and freshness. Balance between the crunch and sticky coating is key. Inspired by classic General Tso but swapped buttermilk for yogurt to tweak tang and used sambal oelek instead of chili sauce for sharper heat. No deep marinade, just flour and spice layers. Real kitchen play, all about feel and smell in frying and sauce simmering.
Prep:
50 min
Cook:
18 min
Total:
Servings:
6 servings
#Chinese American
#fried chicken
#spicy chicken
#double dredging
#homemade sauce
#weeknight dinner
Starting with oil heating, listen to the soft bubbling around the chopstick, a steady hiss means perfect temperature. Flour mix dusty pinked with paprika, adds warmth beyond the obvious salt pepper base. Yogurt in the wet mix surprises – thicker than buttermilk, tang punches sharper, which balances the sweet glaze better. A misstep? Rushing frying temps too high chars batter without cooking interiors, or too low drowning the chicken in grease. Ginger and garlic sizzle aromatics awaken the kitchen, brown edges signal flavor development not burnt bitterness. Cornstarch slurry thickens sauce just right, watch carefully – too thick becomes gummy, too thin won’t cling. Tossing immediately to preserve crispness, vibrant green onions and toasted sesame seeds finish tactilely and visually. Real General Tso moments for messy, fragrant satisfaction.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt (instead of buttermilk)
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
- 3 inches vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (in place of chili sauce)
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water
- Chopped green onions for garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
About the ingredients
Swapping buttermilk for plain whole milk yogurt thickens the wet dip, adds tang that cuts sugar-heavy glaze well; buttermilk works fine if preferred. Smoked paprika is favorite for smoky depth, but regular paprika or cayenne (reduce amount) also viable. Sambal oelek instead of bottled chili sauce gives stronger heat with texture and fresher pepper notes, but sriracha alone works. Flour mix precise salt to bloom flavor and create crunchy crust; can add corn starch for extra crunch but I keep it simple here. Use fresh garlic and ginger – dried minced reduces brightness and aroma. Sesame oil intense, a splash enough for aroma; pantry vegetable oil works fine for frying if neutral. Cornstarch slurry vital – no lumps, cold water mix prevents clumps and instant thickening. Common issues: oil not hot enough causes greasy chicken, too hot burns batter before chicken cooks through, so test often and adjust flame quickly.
Method
- Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or deep pot in the back burner; 3 inches deep. Watch oil carefully; aim for 365°F to 375°F. Visual bubble test near a wooden chopstick, steady stream is good. Takes around 12 minutes. Too hot and batter burns fast, not hot enough chicken gets greasy.
- Mix flour, paprika, pepper, and salt in a wide bowl. Use smoked paprika to add depth, regular paprika fine but missing smoky punch.
- In a second bowl whisk yogurt, egg, sriracha until combined. The yogurt thickens the batter, tangier than buttermilk, plus sriracha adds heat but still balancing.
- Work fast. Coat chicken piece first in flour mix, then yogurt mix, then flour again to get that thick crunchy crust that holds sauce well. Set on wire rack or plate. Don’t overcrowd prep area to avoid soggy bits.
- Once oil is hot, gently lower in a few pieces (don’t overcrowd, 4 or 5 max). Fry 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes, look for golden crust and a little puffing. If bits start turning dark too soon pull those out, lower heat.
- Drain cooked chicken on paper towels. Press lightly with another paper towel to absorb excess oil, no one wants greasy bites.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, warm sesame oil, toss in ginger and garlic. Listen for sizzle, smell aromatic pungent hint, cook until edges brown slightly (1 1/2 minutes). Watch – garlic burns easy.
- Pour soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, hoisin, sambal oelek, and brown sugar into pan. Whisk constantly to get smooth mix. Simmer until bubbling gently, sauce will start thickening slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust heat as needed.
- Bring sauce to bare simmer then slowly drizzle in cornstarch slurry while whisking vigorously. Sauce will go glossy, thick enough to coat back of spoon in about 1 to 2 minutes. Don’t add all slurry at once; stop as soon as it clings nicely.
- Transfer fried chicken to a big bowl, pour glaze on top, then toss with tongs. Listen for crisp sounds as glaze coats pieces. Work quickly to avoid steaming or sogginess.
- Serve hot topped with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Perfect over steamed jasmine rice or stir fried noodles.
- Leftover glaze freezes well in airtight container. Chicken is best fresh but can be reheated in oven to keep crunch.
Cooking tips
Oil temperature discipline makes or breaks the fry; test with wooden chopstick to see continuous small bubbles before adding chicken. Chicken dredging triple layers create crust that keeps sauce from sogging the meat fast. Double dredge - flour, wet, flour - traps moisture inside and forms crunchy exterior. Don’t rush frying; golden is key indicator not strictly time. Remove excess oil by lightly blotting, not pressing heavily to avoid crushing crust. Stir fry aromatics at medium heat, listen to sizzle and watch garlic edges brown for ideal flavor; burnt garlic turns bitter fast. Sauce simmering time flexible; watch consistency by how it coats spoon. Gradually add cornstarch slurry to control thickness, whisk nonstop to avoid lumps. Toss chicken while sauce hot; cold or delayed tossing kills crunch. Garnishes serve as textural contrast and freshness hit against sugary glaze. If glaze gets gummy on cooling, reheat gently with splash of water. Work methodically between fry batches to keep chicken warm in low oven if needed.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Oil heat crucial. Test early with wooden chopstick bubbles. Steady tiny bubbles—not roaring boil. Adjust flame fast. Oil too hot burns crust before chicken cooks, too cool leaves greasy chicken. Watch bubbles carefully.
- 💡 Double dredge for crunch. Start flour, then wet mix with yogurt and sriracha—thicker than buttermilk—then flour again. Triple layers trap moisture, build crust that resists soggy sauce attack. Work fast or batter clumps, chicken sticks together if crowded.
- 💡 Yogurt swap for buttermilk changes tang, thickens dip. Adds zing that cuts through glaze sweetness better. If no yogurt, could use regular buttermilk or milk with a dash of vinegar. Keep spices like smoked paprika for smoky depth or cayenne for punch but reduce amount.
- 💡 Sauce made with soy, hoisin, rice vinegar, sambal oelek. Whisk continuously while simmering to avoid lumps. Cornstarch slurry must be cold water mix to prevent clumps. Add slowly—once sauce coats back of spoon and shines, stop adding slurry.
- 💡 Aromatics—ginger and garlic—mustn't burn. Medium heat, watch closely. Garlic browns fast turning bitter if neglected. Listen to sizzle, smell nutty pungency. Brown edges signal developed flavor but act before too dark. Use fresh produce, dried reduces aroma.
- 💡 After frying, drain on paper towels, pat gently. Pressing too hard crushes crunchy crust, absorbs oil better if blot softly. Keep fried pieces spaced on rack or plate to avoid steaming. Toss immediately after glazing or risk sogginess, hot sauce softens crust quickly.
- 💡 If glaze gets too thick or gummy after cooling, reheat with splash water while stirring. Restoring supple coating. Sauce keeps in airtight container, freeze if needed. Reheat chicken in oven to keep crisp, microwave softens crust too much.
- 💡 Substitutions broaden options. Sambal oelek for sharper heat and texture, sriracha alone works milder. Vegetable oil neutral for frying, toasted sesame oil only for flavor boost in sauce step. Flour mix can include cornstarch to add extra crunch but keep simple unless experimenting.
Common questions
Why double dredge?
Locks moisture inside. Flour, wet, flour creates thick crust. Crunchy. Holds sauce without sogging fast. If single dredge, sauce soaks through quick loss crisp.
Can I use buttermilk instead of yogurt?
Yes but yogurt thicker. Tang sharper with yogurt, cuts sweetness in glaze. Buttermilk works fine, slight texture difference, less thick batter, less tang.
Oil too hot or cold, what now?
Too hot? Batches burn outside dry inside if too fast. Lower heat, remove dark pieces quickly. Too cold oil = greasy chicken, batter soaks oil. Heat slow, bubbles steady near chopstick show right temp.
How store leftovers?
Glaze freezes great airtight. Chicken best eaten fresh. Reheat in oven for crunch. Microwave ruins crust. Sauce reheated with splash water avoids gummy texture. Work in batches if needed, slow fryer doesn’t help crunch.
