Sweet & Spicy Chili Chicken Bowls

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Crackly cornstarch-dredged chicken thighs shallow-fried in a skillet, then tossed for 30 seconds in a glossy chili-garlic glaze that's sweet, tangy and just hot enough. Piled over rice with a fistful of green onion, it's the takeout-chain favorite made faster and cheaper at home — and the last-second toss keeps every piece crisp.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 large egg white
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 cups neutral oil, for shallow frying

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce
• 1 tbsp water
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp cold water

• 4 cups hot cooked white rice
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 cup steamed broccoli florets (optional)

Instructions

1. Toss the chicken pieces in a bowl with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the sesame oil, and the egg white until every piece is slick and coated. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature while you build the sauce.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, ketchup, sambal, 1 tablespoon water, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. In a separate small cup, stir the 2 teaspoons cornstarch into 1 tablespoon cold cold water to make a smooth slurry. Set both near the stove.
3. In a shallow dish, stir the 3/4 cup cornstarch with the salt and pepper. Lift the chicken from its marinade a few pieces at a time and press firmly into the cornstarch, coating on all sides. Set the coated pieces on a wire rack or plate in a single layer — the coating should look dry and chalky, with no wet spots.
4. Pour the frying oil into a 12-inch skillet or wok to a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat over medium-high to 350°F (a pinch of cornstarch should sizzle immediately). Fry the chicken in 2 or 3 batches, spacing the pieces out, for 4 to 5 minutes per batch, turning once, until deep golden and crisp and the interior reads 175°F. Drain on a rack — not paper towels — and don't crowd the pan or the crust will steam.
5. Carefully pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of oil (save it or discard once cooled). Return the skillet to medium heat, add the green onion whites, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a brisk simmer, about 1 to 2 minutes, until the raw garlic smell mellows. Stir the cornstarch slurry again and whisk it in; cook 30 to 45 seconds more until the glaze is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
7. Kill the heat, add all the fried chicken at once, and toss quickly — 20 to 30 seconds, no more — just until every piece is lacquered. Serving immediately is what keeps it crisp.
8. Divide the hot rice among 4 bowls, add steamed broccoli if using, and pile the chili chicken on top. Shower with the green onion greens and sesame seeds and serve right away, with extra sambal at the table.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem