Indian · Indo-Chinese · main

Crispy Chili Garlic Chicken

Crispy Chili Garlic Chicken reads umami 6.1, richness 5.9 and salinity 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian · Indo-Chinese main, about 11 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.6 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.1 · Richness 5.9 · Salinity 5.0 · Allium 4.3 · Sourness 3.2 · Sweetness 3.1 · Heat 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Herbaceous 1.6 · Bitterness 1.5 · Nutty 1.4 · Floral 1.3 · Fruity 1.1 · Earthy 0.8 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (16)

• boneless chicken — 454 g
• egg — 100 g
• cornstarch — 89 g
• all-purpose flour — 15 g
• salt — 4 g
• black pepper — 1 g
• vegetable oil — 871 g
• onion — 110 g
• green bell pepper — 100 g
• garlic — 15 g
• ginger — 15 g
• soybean soy sauce — 44 g
• ketchup — 30 g
• chili-garlic sauce — 30 g
• rice wine vinegar — 11 g
• green onions — 330 g

Time & effort: about 11 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 167.9 kcal, 11.4 g protein, 9.1 g fat, 10.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Toss the chicken with the egg, 5 tablespoons of the cornstarch, the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper in a medium bowl until every piece is coated in a thick, clinging batter.
2. Heat the vegetable oil to a depth of 2 inches in a wok or heavy pot until it reads 325 F. Fry the chicken in two batches, turning occasionally, until pale gold and cooked through to 165 F, 3-4 minutes per batch; lift to a wire rack.
3. Raise the oil to 375 F and return all the chicken to the pot; fry a second time until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp, 1-2 minutes. Drain on the rack and season with a pinch of the remaining salt.
4. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth; set the slurry aside.
5. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the frying oil from the wok (or heat 1 tablespoon fresh oil in a clean skillet) and set over high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir-fry until just crisp-tender and lightly charred at the edges, 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the soy sauce, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, and rice vinegar and bring to a brisk simmer, about 1 minute.
8. Give the cornstarch slurry a stir and pour it into the sauce, stirring constantly until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds.
9. Add the crispy chicken to the wok and toss quickly to glaze every piece without letting it sit in the sauce, about 30 seconds.
10. Scatter with the green onions and serve immediately, while the chicken is still crackling crisp.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Crispy Chicken 65 — Indian
• Gochujang Chicken Pasta — Fusion
• Sausage and Kale White Bean Stew — Italian-American
• Lumpiang Shanghai (Crispy Pork Spring Rolls) — Filipino
• Baked Manicotti — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.