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A white bowl filled with white rice and easy chili crisp chicken, garnished with sliced red chilies, green onions, and sesame seeds, on a blue textured surface.
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Crispy Chili Crisp Chicken Recipe

This chili crisp chicken features crispy pan-fried thighs tossed in a sticky, spicy sauce with garlic, ginger, soy, and sesame. Bold flavor, ready in 20 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili crisp, chili crisp chicken, chili crisp chicken recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

CHILI CRISP SAUCE

  • 3 tablespoons chili crisp Lao Gan Ma or homemade
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

FOR THE CHICKEN

  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Neutral oil for frying avocado, vegetable, or peanut oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced

For Serving

  • Sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, extra chili crisp for finishing, steamed rice

Instructions

  • For the Chili Crisp Sauce, whisk together the chili crisp, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or brown sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then add to a large bowl along with the cornstarch, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until the chicken is lightly coated. This creates a thin crust when fried. (Optional: Let the chicken sit for 15 minutes to develop even more flavor.)
  • Heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook 2-3 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to a plate.
  • Remove most of the oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
  • Add the fresh garlic and ginger. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Stir in the reserved chili crisp sauce and simmer 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
  • Return the crispy chicken to the pan and toss until well coated in the chili crisp sauce. Heat through about 1 minute.
  • Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions, sesame seeds, extra chili crisp.

Notes

  • Chili crisp brand. Lao Gan Ma is the original. Fly By Jing works well for a more complex flavor. Or use homemade like I do.
  • Chicken. Thighs are recommended but breasts work. Watch the cook time, they dry out faster.
  • Dry the chicken. Pat it well before coating. Moisture kills the crunch.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed. Crowding steams instead of fries.
  • Optional rest. Let the coated chicken sit 15 minutes before frying for extra flavor development.
  • Heat level. Three tablespoons of chili crisp is medium heat. Add chili flakes, Thai chilies, or ghost pepper flakes to push it higher.
  • Storage. Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet for best texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 467mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg