Description
Spicy Dragon Chicken is a flavorful and vibrant Asian-inspired stir-fry dish featuring crispy chicken strips tossed in a rich, sweet, and spicy dragon sauce made with soy, honey, sriracha, and fresh aromatics. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner served over rice or noodles, this recipe balances heat and sweetness with a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Preparation
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Dragon Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (or more to taste)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
Garnish (Optional)
- Sesame seeds
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: In a medium bowl, toss the chicken strips with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Dip each piece into the lightly beaten egg to help the coating adhere and create a crispy exterior when cooked.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips in batches to avoid overcrowding, and cook each side for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove cooked chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté the vegetables and aromatics: In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if necessary. Sauté the sliced red bell pepper, chopped green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and vegetables are slightly softened but still crisp.
- Make the dragon sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, ketchup, sriracha, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil until smooth. Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet with the sautéed vegetables and bring to a simmer.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir in the cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) into the simmering sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the crispy chicken strips to the skillet and toss well to coat all pieces evenly in the spicy dragon sauce. Heat for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to warm through.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the Spicy Dragon Chicken hot, ideally over steamed rice or noodles. Garnish with optional sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- Adjust the heat by increasing or decreasing the amount of sriracha and crushed red pepper flakes according to your preference.
- For a juicier texture, boneless chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breasts.
- This recipe also works well with shrimp or tofu as a protein alternative for variation.
- Serve over jasmine rice, brown rice, or your favorite noodles for a complete meal.
- Make sure to cook the chicken in batches to keep it crispy and avoid steaming.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
