Wo-chicken Bomber Recipe

Trim and flatten

Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. If pieces are thick, butterfly or gently pound to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch so they cook uniformly.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl combine 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs hoisin, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tbs brown sugar and 1 tsp black pepper. Stir until sugar dissolves.

Place the chicken in the marinade, turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Remove from fridge 10 minutes before cooking to take the chill off.

Prepare dry mix

In a shallow bowl or wide dish whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp white pepper until evenly combined.

Make batter

In a separate bowl beat 1 large egg lightly. Add 3/4 cup cold sparkling water (or ice water) to the egg and whisk briefly. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until combined — small lumps are fine. Batter should be thick enough to coat but still slightly fluid. If too thick add 1–2 tbs cold water. Keep batter chilled until ready to use.

Heat oil

Pour 2 cups neutral oil into a medium heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan to reach about 1/2 inch depth. Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a pinch of batter sizzles immediately and browns in ~30 seconds.

Coat and fry

Working in batches (do not overcrowd), dip each marinated chicken piece into the batter, letting excess drip back into the bowl, then carefully place into hot oil. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until coating is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat to maintain oil temperature. Transfer fried pieces to a wire rack set over a baking sheet (not paper towels) to keep crisp.

Combine sauce

In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup hoisin, 1 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs honey, 1 tsp sambal oelek, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp grated garlic and 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil. Stir to combine and place over medium-low heat.

Thicken sauce

Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tsp cold water to make a slurry. When sauce starts to bubble gently, whisk in the slurry and continue to cook for 30–60 seconds until glossy and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust: add a touch more honey if you want sweeter, or 1/2 tsp more sambal for heat. Remove from heat.

Keep the glaze warm until the chicken is fried.

Glaze the chicken

Place the fried chicken in a large bowl. Pour the warm WO sauce over the chicken and toss quickly but gently to coat each piece evenly so the crisp crust retains some texture. Alternatively, brush sauce onto the pieces on the rack for less sogginess.

Garnish and serve

Transfer glazed chicken to a serving plate. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lime wedges and optional sliced jalapeño alongside for extra heat. Squeeze lime over the chicken just before eating.