Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 6 skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into quarters
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) vegetable oil, divided
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 red chili, chopped into small pieces
- 1 green chili, chopped into small pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 3 spring onions (scallions), roughly chopped
Coat the Chicken
In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup (60 grams) of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of table salt, 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of Chinese five-spice powder.
Add the chicken thigh fillets and toss until evenly coated.
Fry the Chicken
Measure out 1 cup (240 milliliters) of vegetable oil. Reserve 1 tablespoon and add the rest to a large frying pan.
Heat over high until the oil is hot enough for frying. Test by dipping the end of a wooden spoon or chopstick into the oil; if bubbles form, it is ready.
Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil one at a time, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches if necessary. Cook each batch for 5–7 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is golden brown and fully cooked.
Transfer the fried chicken to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain excess oil. Turn off the heat once all the chicken is fried.
Make the Aromatic Stir-Fry
While the second batch of chicken is cooking, heat the reserved 1 tablespoon of oil in a separate pan over medium-high heat.
Add the chopped onion, red chili, green chili, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic and chopped spring onions. Cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
Combine and Serve
Add the fried chicken to the pan with the aromatic vegetables. Toss everything together for 1 minute until well combined and heated through.
Turn off the heat and serve immediately.
Salt & Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 60 grams cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 6 skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into quarters
- 1 cup 240 milliliters vegetable oil, divided
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 red chili, chopped into small pieces
- 1 green chili, chopped into small pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 3 spring onions, scallions, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Combine cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and Chinese five-spice powder in a large bowl.
- Add chicken thigh fillets and toss until evenly coated.
- Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil (reserving 1 tablespoon) in a large pan until hot.
- Fry coated chicken in batches for 5-7 minutes each, turning once. Drain on paper towels.
- In a separate pan, heat reserved 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.
- Stir-fry chopped onion, red chili, green chili, remaining salt, and black pepper for 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic and chopped spring onions. Cook for another minute.
- Combine fried chicken with stir-fried vegetables, toss for 1 minute until heated through.
- Serve immediately.