Description
Asian style crispy garlic chicken is a dish where you get tender chicken pieces coated in a crunchy garlic-infused crust that shatters when you bite into it. Your kitchen fills with incredible aromas while it cooks, and you end up with something that tastes restaurant-quality but comes together easily at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Coating and Frying:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying
Marinade and Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- Mix 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl until combined.
- Add your 1.5 pounds of bite-sized chicken pieces to the marinade and toss everything together until each piece gets coated evenly.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate your chicken for at least 30 minutes while the flavors develop.
- Set up three shallow dishes: one with 1 cup all-purpose flour mixed together, one with 2 large beaten eggs, and one with 2 cups panko breadcrumbs ready for coating.
- Take each marinated chicken piece and dredge it through the flour mixture, shake off the excess, then dip it into your beaten eggs.
- Roll the egg-coated chicken in the panko breadcrumbs and press gently so the coating sticks properly for maximum crispiness.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees fahrenheit in your skillet or deep fryer and carefully place chicken pieces into the hot oil in batches.
- Fry your chicken for 5 to 7 minutes until the coating turns golden brown, then transfer each batch to paper towels to drain.
- Warm 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a pan over medium heat and add 6 cloves of finely minced garlic, cooking for about 2 minutes until it becomes lightly golden and fragrant.
- Pour in 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 teaspoon chili flakes if using, then stir everything together.
- Let your sauce cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens slightly and the flavors meld.
- Transfer your crispy chicken pieces into the garlic sauce and toss until each piece gets evenly coated.
- Cook the coated chicken in the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes so the flavors bond together, then serve it hot with green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro as garnish if you like.
Notes
- Let your chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, but even a couple hours in the fridge makes the meat more flavorful and tender.
- Press the panko breadcrumbs gently onto each piece after dipping in egg so the coating stays crispy instead of falling off during frying.
- Keep your oil temperature steady at 350°F while frying, since cooler oil makes the chicken greasy and hotter oil burns the outside before cooking the inside.
- Don’t skip the golden garlic step in the sauce – letting it cook just until fragrant takes a couple minutes and creates a much richer flavor than raw garlic would give.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with firm tofu or cauliflower florets cut into similar-sized pieces and follow the same coating and frying steps.
- If your sauce tastes too salty, balance it with a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a bit more honey to round out the flavors.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-16 minutes
- Category: More Fried Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 514 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1075 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg