One of my favorite Chinese dishes is Kung Pao Chicken and this Spicy Fried Garlic Chicken take on it has quickly become my favorite.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken
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Ingredients
- Chicken:
- ½ pound chicken breast (about 230 grams), cut into bite size small pieces
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup potato starch
- 1 egg white (If you use 1 pound chicken, use 1 whole egg)
- Spicy garlic- and leek-infused oil:
- ¼ cup vegetable or corn oil
- ½ cup thinly shredded leek
- 4 garlic cloves, cut into halves
- 1 tablespoon coarse red chili flakes
- Vegetables and seasonings:
- 1 green chili pepper, deseeded, sliced thinly
- 1 fresh red chili pepper, deseeded, sliced thinly
- 1 green onion, chopped
- ½ medium sized onion, chopped
- 3-4 small dried red chili peppers
- Sweet and sour sauce (all mixed together in a small bowl):
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons rice syrup (or sugar)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon potato starch
- Oil:
- 1 cup cooking oil (grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or corn oil)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Prep the chicken
- Combine the chicken, ginger, soy sauce, and ground black pepper in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon and let sit for 10 to 20 minutes.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Prep Chicken - Add the egg white and ½ cup potato starch. Mix well by hand.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Prepped Chicken
Prep the spicy garlic- and leek-infused oil
- Heat up a small pan with ¼ cup cooking oil. When the oil is heated, lower the heat to medium and add the garlic and leek. Stir them with a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes until the garlic and leek turn light golden brown and crispy.
- Take the garlic and leek out with tongs and put them in a small plate.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Fried Leek - Turn off the heat and add the chili pepper flakes to the hot oil. Stir it and let it cool for a few minutes. Strain the oil.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Infused Oil
Fry the chicken
- Heat up 1 cup of cooking oil in a 12 inch skillet or frying pan for 3-4 minutes over high heat (335-350°F).
- Turn down the heat to medium high and fry the chicken. When the bottom of a piece of chicken turns crunchy and light golden brown, turn it over with your tongs. It’s ok if the skillet is crowded, but split the chicken pieces with your tongs if they get stuck together. Keep rotating the chicken pieces and turning them over so they’re cooked evenly, about 5 minutes.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Cooking - Take them out and strain, and turn off the heat.
- Heat up a large pan. Add the spicy garlic leek infused oil. When the oil is heated, add the onion, green onion, red chili pepper, green chili pepper, and the small dried red chili peppers. Stir over medium high heat until the onion starts turning crispy for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sweet and sour sauce and stir it for about 20 to 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Sauce 
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Sauce FinishedReheat the oil in the skillet and fry the chicken one more time for about 3 to 5 minutes, turning over with your tongs until it’s very crunchy and golden brown. Strain. - Reheat the sauce until it’s sizzling. Add the chicken, the fried leek and garlic, and a drop of sesame oil. Stir and mix to coat the chicken.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Cooked - Reheat the sauce until it’s sizzling. Add the chicken, the fried leek and garlic, and a drop of sesame oil. Stir and mix to coat the chicken.
Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken – Finished
