Tangy Crispy Chicken (Print-Friendly Version)
Golden fried chicken tossed with sweet pineapple, peppers, and onions in a homemade tangy glaze. Tastier than takeout, ready fast!
# Ingredients:
→ Sauce Mix
01 -
1/2 cup water
02 -
1/4 cup ketchup
03 -
1 tablespoon soy sauce
04 -
3 tablespoons white vinegar or cane vinegar (or swap for rice or apple cider vinegar)
05 -
2 teaspoons cornstarch
06 -
1/4 teaspoon optional red pepper flakes
07 -
1/4 cup sugar
→ Chicken Prep
08 -
12 ounces chicken thighs or breasts, no bones or skin, and diced into 1-inch chunks
09 -
1 egg white, whisked lightly
10 -
1 teaspoon baking powder
11 -
1/4 cup cornstarch
12 -
Salt and pepper to season
13 -
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
→ Veggies and Add-ins
14 -
1 medium onion (white or yellow), chopped into 1-inch bits
15 -
2 stalks scallions, sliced into 1½-inch pieces
16 -
1/2 green bell pepper (1 cup), sliced into 1-inch pieces
17 -
1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh, canned, or frozen), diced into 1-inch chunks
18 -
1/2 red bell pepper (1 cup), sliced into 1-inch pieces
19 -
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
20 -
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
21 -
Vegetable oil (any high-heat type like avocado or canola) for frying and sautéing
# Steps:
01 -
Whisk together the vinegar, ketchup, water, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set it aside for later.
02 -
Toss the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and egg white. In another bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, and baking powder. Coat each chicken chunk in the mixture until it's covered.
03 -
Warm some oil in a pan set to medium-high. Fry your coated chicken for roughly 2 minutes until it's golden and crisp. Take them out, let the oil drain on paper towels, and leave a bit of oil in the pan.
04 -
Using the same pan, crank up the heat to high. Toss in the pineapple, onion, and bell peppers. Cook for 2 minutes so they're slightly charred but still crunchy. Sprinkle some salt and pepper.
05 -
Slide the veggies to the side of the pan. Turn the heat down a bit and pour in a touch of oil if needed. Drop in the garlic and ginger, cooking for half a minute until it smells great. Mix the veggies back in.
06 -
Pour in the sauce and scallions. Let the sauce bubble and thicken (about a minute). Turn off the heat, toss in the crispy chicken, and coat everything evenly with the sauce. Grind fresh black pepper over the top, if you'd like.
# Notes:
01 -
Just the egg white (no yolk!) helps your chicken pieces get crispier.
02 -
The mix of cornstarch and flour gives a light but strong crunch.
03 -
Baking powder creates tiny air bubbles that make the coating super crispy.