Go Back
+ servings

Dragon Chicken

Dragon Chicken is a modern Indo-Chinese dish that’s savory, sweet, sour and SPICY – but don’t worry, you can customize the heat!  This finger lickin’ favorite is made with breaded chicken strips pan fried until crispy (no need to deep fry!), crunchy, buttery cashews, sweet stir fried bell peppers and white onions and zippy garlic and ginger all tossed in an outrageously tasty fiery red chili sauce layered with soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinkiang and sesame oil. Enjoy the spicy Dragon Chicken as an appetizer along with homemade egg rolls, or serve with jasmine rice and ramen noodle salad to round out the meal. No matter how you serve it, this spicy chicken recipe is destined to become a family favorite!
Course Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

QUICK MARINADE

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp EACH ginger powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, sliced into 1/2-inch strips

CHICKEN BREADING

SAUCE

STIR FRY

  • 1 cup UNSALTED cashews
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
  • 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

GARNISH

Instructions

  • MARINATE CHICKEN: Whisk the egg, 1 TBS soy sauce and marinade spices together in a large bowl or freezer bag. Add the sliced chicken and turn to coat. Marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients, preferable 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate overnight, then let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before breading.
  • MAKE SAUCE: Whisk the Sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved; set aside.
  • BREAD CHICKEN: In a separate large freezer bag, combine the flour, cornstarch and chili powder. Remove the chicken from the marinade, dab off excess with paper towels, then add to the breading bag. (To quickly remove excess marinade, I plop the chicken on a wad of paper towels using a slotted spoon.) Shake the chicken until well coated, pressing coating into chicken. If needed, open the bag and use your hand to separate and coat any last pieces.
  • COOK: Heat 1/4 cup canola, vegetable or peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large NONSTICK skillet (you may use less oil but it will be less crispy). Working in 2-3 batches, shake off excess breading from chicken and add to the sizzling oil in a single layer. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping halfway. Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate. Add another drizzle of oil to the skillet if needed and repeat with remaining chicken. Set aside.
  • CASHEWS: Toast the cashews in a dry, large cast iron skillet over medium heat until toasted in spots, stirring a few times; remove cashews from the skillet.
  • STIR FRY: Heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat in the now empty skillet. Once hot, add the onion and bell pepper and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds..
  • ADD SAUCE. Whisk the sauce again to recombine. Add to the skillet and bring to a simmer, stirring often until thickened, about 1 minute.
  • COMBINE: Add the chicken and cashews and stir to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately. The sooner you enjoy the chicken, the crispier it will be. If everyone isn't seated at the table yet, wait to add the chicken until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Meal Prep

This recipe has a few steps, but almost everything can be prepped ahead of time for a speedy dinner:
  • Prep chicken: Slice chicken and refrigerate, or go one step further and marinate in the egg/seasonings up to overnight in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before breading.
  • Prep breading: Whisk the flour, cornstarch and chili powder together in a large freezer safe bag.
  • Make sauce: Whisk the ingredients together up to 24 hours in advance and store in the refrigerator.
  • Chop veggies and aromatics: Slice the bell pepper and onion, mince the garlic and grate the ginger 24 hours in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How to Store and Reheat

  • Storage:  This spicy Dragon Chicken is best served immediately from the piping hot skillet. The longer you wait to serve it, the softer the breading will become. While leftovers are tasty, they will not be crispy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
  • How to reheat in the microwave: Transfer small portions to a microwave-safe dish, heat for 1 minute, stir, then continue to heat at 30-second intervals.
  • How to reheat on the stove: Heat a tablespoon of neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and rewarm gently, stirring often. Once warm, crank up the heat to help crisp the chicken back up.