Description
This Restaurant Style Dragon Chicken is a spicy and flavorful Indo-Chinese dish featuring tender boneless chicken thigh strips marinated and shallow fried to golden perfection, then stir-fried with crunchy vegetables, cashew nuts, and a tangy, spicy sauce. Perfect for a quick and delicious family meal with vibrant colors and bold tastes.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade and Frying
- 1/4 cup Oil (for frying)
- 450 grams Chicken Thigh (boneless, cut into 1/2 inch thickness strips)
- 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
- ½ – ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper (crushed)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder (or cayenne)
- 1 ½ tablespoons Corn flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons All Purpose Flour (maida)
- 1 Egg White
For the Stir Fry and Sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped Garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped Ginger
- 1 ½ tablespoons Red Chilli Paste (can reduce to 2 teaspoon if you want less spicy)
- 1 cup Onion (cut into petals)
- ½ Green Capsicum (cut into 3/4th inch squares, approx 1/2 cup)
- ½ Red Capsicum (cut into 3/4th inch squares, approx 1/2 cup)
- ¼ cup Cashew Nuts
- 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Ketchup
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper (crushed)
- 1 ½ teaspoon Corn Flour
- 1/3 cup Water
- 2 tablespoons Spring Onion Greens (for garnish)
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, salt, crushed pepper, Kashmiri red chilli powder, corn flour, all-purpose flour, and egg white. Mix thoroughly using tongs or spoons ensuring there are no lumps. Add the boneless chicken thigh strips and coat them evenly with the marinade. Set aside to marinate.
- Fry Chicken: Heat 1/4 cup oil in a frying pan, wok, or kadai suitable for shallow frying. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the marinated chicken pieces one by one. Fry over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the chicken turns golden brown and is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain excess oil on paper towels. Discard most of the oil leaving about 2 tablespoons in the wok for the stir fry.
- Saute Aromatics: Heat the reserved oil in the wok over high heat. Add the finely chopped garlic, ginger, and red chilli paste. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and aromatic.
- Saute Vegetables and Nuts: Add the onion petals, green and red capsicum squares to the wok. Stir-fry on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to soften but remain crisp. Add the cashew nuts and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to toast them lightly.
- Prepare Sauce and Toss Chicken: Pour in 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon ketchup, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon crushed pepper. In a small bowl, mix 1 ½ teaspoons corn flour with 1/3 cup water until smooth; add this slurry to the wok and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Combine Chicken: Add the fried chicken pieces to the wok and toss well to coat the chicken with the thickened sauce and vegetables evenly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle spring onion greens on top for freshness and serve the dish hot, preferably with steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of red chilli paste and Kashmiri red chilli powder to manage the spice level according to preference.
- Using chicken thigh ensures juicier and more tender meat compared to chicken breast.
- Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying to achieve a crispy coating and prevent sogginess.
- Vegetables like capsicum should remain slightly crunchy to retain texture.
- This dish is best enjoyed fresh as the sauce may thicken further upon standing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indo-Chinese
