Name: Dragon Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500g (1 lb) boneless chicken thigh pieces, cut into 3cm (just over 1 inch) strips; vegetable oil, for frying; 1 small brown onion, cut into wedges; 1 capsicum (bell pepper), deseeded, roughly chopped (or use ½ red and ½ green if you like); ¼ cup salted cashews; 5 dried red chillies (or to taste), cut in half; 1 large red chilli, finely sliced; ¼ cup spring onion (scallion), cut into batons; steamed rice, to serve (optional); Stir-fry sauce:; ¼ cup tomato ketchup; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp Thai sriracha sauce; 1 tsp white sugar; 1 tsp Chinese black vinegar*; ½ tsp ground black pepper; Batter:; 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour; 2 tbsp rice flour; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp sea salt; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder*; 2 garlic cloves, grated; 1 tsp ginger, finely grated; 1 egg white; 2 tsp soy sauce

Dragon Chicken

PRINT THIS

Jump to Recipe ↓

Dragon chicken is a popular dish in the world of Indo-Chinese food (a fusion of Indian and Chinese cuisine). And for good reason – it’s pretty epic! Crispy fried chicken strips, tossed in a spicy, sweet and sour sauce along with cashew nuts, capsicum, onion and chillies. Unleash the dragon…

PREP TIME

20 minutes

COOK TIME

20 minutes

SERVES

Ingredients

500g (1 lb) boneless chicken thigh pieces, cut into 3cm (just over 1 inch) strips

vegetable oil, for frying

1 small brown onion, cut into wedges

1 capsicum (bell pepper), deseeded, roughly chopped (or use ½ red and ½ green if you like)

¼ cup salted cashews

5 dried red chillies (or to taste), cut in half

1 large red chilli, finely sliced

¼ cup spring onion (scallion), cut into batons

steamed rice, to serve (optional)

Stir-fry sauce:

¼ cup tomato ketchup

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Thai sriracha sauce

1 tsp white sugar

1 tsp Chinese black vinegar*

½ tsp ground black pepper

Batter:

2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

2 tbsp rice flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder*

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tsp ginger, finely grated

1 egg white

2 tsp soy sauce

Steps

Combine ingredients for the stir fry sauce in a bowl. Give everything a good mix to combine, then set aside for later.
To make the batter, whisk together the plain flour, rice flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add in the chilli powder, garlic, ginger, egg white, soy sauce and 100ml (3½ fl oz) of water. Mix to combine well. Now add the chicken pieces and ensure they’re all well coated.
Fill a wok or large saucepan with vegetable oil one-third of the way up. Turn onto medium-high heat. The oil is hot when a wooden chopstick or the end of a wooden spoon will bubble when placed in the oil – total Asian mum trick!). Working in batches, carefully remove the chicken pieces from the batter and lower into the hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a cooling rack set over paper towel to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Place a clean wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil then add the onion and stir-fry for half a minute. Then add the capsicum and cashews and stir-fry for a minute. Now add the dried chillies and stir-fry for another half a minute. Add the chicken, stir-fry sauce, fresh red chilli and spring onion. Toss until well combined. Serve with steamed rice, if using.

Are dried chillies hot?

This fried chicken recipe can be tailored to suit your spice level. If you want your dried chillies spicy, I recommend cutting them up into small pieces – this will release more of the oils and the seeds into the overall dish as you stir-fry. If you aren’t a fan of spicy food or prefer a milder spice level and heat, you can either leave them whole… or leave them out entirely! Also, long dried chillies are less spicy than the short ones.

What is Chinese black vinegar?

Also known as chinkiang vinegar or Zhenjiang vinegar, Chinese black vinegar is a popular condiment in Chinese cuisine to add a vibrant acidity to dishes. It’s made from glutinous rice and has a malty, slightly sweet flavour. It also makes a great dipping sauce for dumplings.

What is a substitute for chinkiang vinegar?

If you’re wondering what to use instead of chinkiang vinegar, aka Chinese black vinegar, a good substitution is half balsamic and half white vinegar.

What is Kashmiri chilli powder?

Kashmiri chilli powder is a ground chilli powder is made from Kashmiri chillies, a variety known for its lower heat rating and intense red colour. It’s widely used in Indian cuisine, especially in tandoori and butter chicken. It’s well worth seeking out online or at an Asian grocer to give this dish its colour and smoky flavour. Substitute regular chilli powder and a little sweet paprika if you can’t find this particular variety.

Best-ever chicken recipes Chicken Chinese cuisine Dinner Lunch Stir-fries Weekend meals

Editor’s picks from the shop

Kaveri Marble Centrepiece Tray - Calacatta Gold

Shop Now

Anaya Cereal Bowl Set of 4