4.49 from 25 votes

Crispy Chilli Chicken (Healthy Fakeaway Chinese)

Jump to Recipe
This crispy chilli chicken recipe is a healthier alternative to the classic Chinese crispy shredded chicken, without compromising on flavour.
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
£1.35
Makes: 5
mains
Chinese

Table of Contents

  1. Why you should try this recipe
  2. Ingredients
  3. How to make this crispy chilli chicken recipe
  4. What to serve with this recipe
  5. Storage/Reheat
4.49 from 25 votes

Crispy Chilli Chicken (Healthy Fakeaway Chinese)

Jump to Recipe
This crispy chilli chicken recipe is a healthier alternative to the classic Chinese crispy shredded chicken, without compromising on flavour.
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
£1.35
Makes: 5
mains
Chinese

Why you should try this recipe

This crispy chilli chicken recipe should be on your list of fakeaway recipes to try. This Chinese inspired recipe is so simple and delivers such an amazing result. 

Instead of deep frying twice like many crispy shredded chilli chicken recipes do (sooo good of course), this recipe pan fries the chicken pieces, which results in a healthier recipe that you can eat all the time. 

This recipe is whipped up in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight dinner or a weekend dinner to impress friends/family, as part of a feast. Instead of ordering a healthy takeaway – make your own! 

Other fakeaway recipes to try…

Peri peri chicken wings Chicken tikka masala  Chicken katsu curry  Close up of Crispy Chilli Chicken topped with sliced spring onion and red chillies in a pan.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs 

I used chicken thighs, as I love the texture and flavour they provide. They’re also a lot cheaper! In a lot of crispy shredded chicken recipes, they use chicken breast which you could alternatively use here as well. 

Soy sauce 

The salty, umami flavoured foundation to our sticky sauce, that coats our crispy chicken. 

Sweet chilli 

This brightens and sweetens the sauce. It’s such a common ingredient to have in the fridge, so it’s a perfect addition to this recipe.

Cornflour 

The cornflour allows us to achieve the crispy chilli chicken texture. 

Egg

Helps us to bind the cornflour to the chicken. 

Lime juice 

To brighten the crispy chicken sauce. 

Rapeseed oil 

Use any neutral oil that can be taken up to a high heat.

Ingredients to make Crispy Chilli Chicken laid out on a pale blue background and labelled.

How to make this crispy chilli chicken recipe

Place the prepped chicken thighs in a large bowl. Add the whisked egg into the bowl and coat the chicken. Then stir the cornflour into the bowl, until each piece of chicken is covered in the light batter.

Chicken pieces in a large glass bowl mixed with cornflour and a metal fork.

To a large non-stick frying pan, adding 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil at a time, fry the pieces of chicken in batches on a high heat.

Chicken pieces frying in a black pan with 2 handles.

Rotate the chicken thighs until golden and crispy, after around 4 minutes.

Fried, browned chicken pieces in a black pan.

Set each batch aside on a tray once golden on both sides.

Golden browned chicken pieces on a stainless steel baking tray.

Meanwhile, steam or boil your tenderstem broccoli and green beans. Also pop your rice on to cook at this point. Once all the chicken is golden and crispy, using the same pan, reduce the heat & add the garlic and chillies.

Chopped garlic and red chillies frying in a black pan with a wooden spoon.

Fry for a couple of minutes before adding the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, cornflour slurry and lime juice.

The sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and cornflour slurry in the frying pan.

Heat until the sauce thickens. Then, pour the chicken into the pan and toss to combine.

Golden. browned chicken in the pan with the sticky chilli sauce.

Serve with a portion of rice and greens and a sprinkle of spring onions and thinly sliced chillies.

The crispy chilli chicken served with rice, broccoli, a sprinkle of spring onions and thinly sliced red chillies in a bowl.

What to serve with this recipe

Veggies to serve with this recipe:

  • Crispy baked kale or crispy cavolo nero 
  • Steamed/boiled greens such as tenderstem broccoli, green beans, mange tout, edamame beans.
  • Pan-fried pak choi 

Carbs to serve the crispy sweet chili chicken with:

  • White rice 
  • Brown rice
  • Egg noodles
  • Vermicelli noodles 
Crispy chilli chicken with rice, broccoli, spring onions and red chillies in a bowl, a bowl of green beans and a pan with chilli chicken.

Storage/Reheat

Can I reheat this recipe?

To get the most authentic crispy chicken chinese vibe, I would say the recipe is best served immediately, but it is still super delicious reheated. The chicken is just a little softer, whilst the flavours are still amazing. To reheat, pop in the microwave for 2 minutes and serve with the spring onion & sliced chilli. 

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Can I freeze this recipe?

I wouldn’t freeze this recipe, as it would ruin the texture of the chicken that we’ve achieved.

More chicken recipes you should try… 

Chicken thigh curry Lemon and Thyme Chicken Thigh Tray Bake

Chicken Vermicelli Noodles Golden. browned chicken in the pan with the sticky chilli sauce, red chillies and sliced spring onion and a bowl of green beans.

Crispy Chilli Chicken (Healthy Fakeaway Chinese)

Print Pin It
4.49 from 25 votes
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
£1.35
mains
Chinese
Servings: 5
This crispy chilli chicken recipe is a healthier alternative to the classic Chinese crispy shredded chicken, without compromising on flavour.

Ingredients

  • 650 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced into thin chunks (£3.85)
  • 2 fresh chillies, 1 finely chopped & 1 thinly sliced (£0.50)
  • 1.5 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (£0.80/3)=(£0.27)
  • 250 g white rice (£0.75/2)=(£0.37)
  • ½ lime, juiced + remaining wedges to serve (£0.18)
  • 200 g tenderstem broccoli (£0.53)
  • 300 g green beans (£0.75/3)=(£0.25)
  • 50 g spring onion, thinly sliced to garnish (£0.43)
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (£0.65/3)=(£0.22)
  • 1 egg (£1.00/6)=(£0.17)

Cupboard Essentials

  • 3.5 tbsp cornflour +
  • 1.5 tbsp cornflour slurry
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2-3 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 200 ml water

Method

  • Place the prepped chicken thighs in a large bowl. Add the whisked egg into the bowl and coat the chicken. Then stir the cornflour into the bowl, until each piece of chicken is covered in the light batter.
  • To a large non-stick frying pan, adding 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil at a time, fry the pieces of chicken in batches on a high heat, rotating once golden and crispy, after around 4 minutes. Set each batch aside once golden on both sides.
  • Meanwhile, steam or boil your tenderstem broccoli and green beans. Also pop your rice on to cook at this point.
  • Once all the chicken is golden and crispy, using the same pan, reduce the heat and add the garlic and chillies. Fry for a couple of minutes before adding the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, cornflour slurry and lime juice.
  • Heat until the sauce thickens. Then, pour the chicken into the pan and toss to combine. Serve with a portion of rice and greens and a sprinkle of spring onions and thinly sliced chillies.

Nutrition

Servings: 5 servings
Fat: 19g
Calories: 588kcal
Carbohydrates: 51g
Protein: 43g
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