What causes the fried chicken to be crispy?

Coating the raw chicken pieces in cornflour or cornstarch is the key. Cornflour/cornstarch is often used instead of other types of flour because it absorbs less moisture/fat during the cooking process.

Why is my fried chicken not crispy?

Adding the chicken to the pan before the oil is hot is the most common cause of greasy and soggy chicken. Test the oil is hot enough to start cooking by adding a breadcrumb to the pan. If it sizzles up you are good to go but if it sinks you need to leave the oil to heat up for a little longer and test again.

Which oil is best for frying chicken?

Use neutral oils with a high burn point like sunflower, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil. It cannot withstand high temperatures and has a lower burn point.

Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken

Description

A mouthwatering 30-minute stir-fry recipe with crispy fried chicken and red peppers in a sweet, spicy and tangy honey chilli sauce.

Serves 2. Use the scaling buttons below to double or triple the quantity.

Ingredients

Scale

Sauce:

3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Honey Chilli Chicken:

2 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp (Pinch) of white pepper - optional
1/4 tsp salt
4 chicken thighs - cut into bite-sized chunks
Vegetable or sunflower oil for frying (Note 1)
1 inch (or 2cm) fresh ginger - finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic - crushed
1 red chilli - de-seeded and chopped
2 large red or green peppers - cut into bite-sized pieces

To serve:

2 spring onions/scallions - thinly sliced
Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small jug or bowl and set aside.
Mix the cornflour/cornstarch, garlic powder, and optional white pepper in a medium-sized bowl that is large enough to hold the chicken pieces.
Place the chicken pieces in the bowl and mix with your hands until they are evenly coated with the flour mixture.
Put frying pan on a high heat and add around 0.5cm or 1/4 inch oil. Add chicken when the oil is hot (Note 2) and fry for a couple of minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside when it is crispy on the outside and cooked in the middle. (Note 3)
Carefully remove the excess oil from the pan or use a clean frying pan (you should be left with about a tablespoon - Note 4). Fry the chilli, garlic and ginger for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and add the peppers and fry for a few minutes until they begin to soften.
Pour in the sauce let it reduce for a few seconds before adding the chicken pieces.
Serve immediately with rice, topped with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

Choose an oil with a high burn point like sunflower oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Olive oil is not suitable for this recipe.
For perfectly crisp chicken, check whether the oil is ready by dropping a breadcrumb into the pan. If it sizzles up the oil is ready. If the crumb sinks it needs longer.
Chicken pieces are done when they are white and opaque in the middle. If in doubt, cut the largest piece in half to check.
Be very careful when removing the hot oil from the pan. Ensure it does not come into contact with water and carefully pour it into a Pyrex heat-proof jug or bowl and set it aside in a place where there is no risk of it being knocked over by you or anyone else in your household. Do not pour it down the sink. Instead, transfer it to a container with a lid when it is cool and dispose of it in your normal waste bin.

Category: Chicken
Method: stir-fry
Cuisine: Asian

Keywords: Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken Stir Fry (quick and easy)