Chili Crunch Chicken Recipe
Crispy ginger garlic fried chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, chili pineapple, sesame kale slaw, green onions, sesame seeds, chili crunch, and a side of ranch. Served with a base of your choice and topped with lemon wedge. (Gluten-free)
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Ingredients
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Chicken & Marinade
Crispy Coating & Frying
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Chili Pineapple
Sesame Kale Slaw
Ranch & Garnishes
Base (choose one)
Method
Chicken & Marinade
Marinate chicken
In a bowl combine grated ginger, minced garlic, tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tsp kosher salt, and black pepper. Add the 1 lb chicken pieces and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
Crispy Coating & Frying
Prepare coating
In a shallow bowl or rimmed plate whisk together rice flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, ground ginger, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Set aside.
Coat chicken
Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Working in batches, dredge each piece in the dry coating, pressing lightly so a thin, even coating adheres.
Fry chicken
Pour oil into a deep skillet or pot to a depth of about 1" and heat to 350°F (175°C) — or heat oil until a small piece of coating sizzles and rises. Fry chicken in batches (do not overcrowd) 3–5 minutes per batch until crisp and golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if needed while finishing remaining batches.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil, smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast 20–25 minutes, flipping once halfway, until tender and edges caramelize. Keep warm.
Chili Pineapple
In a small bowl combine the diced pineapple, 2 tbsp chili crunch, lime juice, and honey. Taste and adjust: add a little more chili crunch if you want more heat or 1 tsp water to loosen. Let sit 5–10 minutes to marry flavors.
Sesame Kale Slaw
Massage kale with a pinch of salt and the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and honey until it softens (about 1–2 minutes). Add sliced cabbage, 3 tbsp green onions, and toasted sesame seeds; toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/4 tsp salt if needed. Keep chilled or at room temperature.
Ranch & Garnishes
Warm ranch slightly if desired. Prepare garnishes: thinly slice remaining green onions and toast sesame seeds if not toasted. Have lemon wedges ready.
To finish, toss about 1 tbsp chili crunch with 1 tbsp ranch for a spicy ranch drizzle (optional).
Assembly
Divide the chosen base (about 1 cup cooked rice) between bowls. Arrange roasted sweet potatoes on one side, sesame kale slaw on another, and scoop chili pineapple into a small segment of the bowl.
Top each bowl with the crispy ginger-garlic fried chicken, spoon a little extra chili crunch over the chicken (about 1 tbsp), and scatter sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over everything.