Crispy Shredded Chicken with Sweet, Sour and Savoury Sauce
By Liam Carter
Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Servings
3
Level
Easy
Coating marinated chicken in egg white and corn or potato flour creates a crisp shell during the brief hot fry, while the final fast toss coats it without long simmering. This Chinese-style crispy shredded chicken combines crunchy bell pepper and spring onions with a light sweet, sour and savoury sauce.
Boneless chicken thigh or breast is cut into thin strips, then marinated with light soy sauce, garlic paste, sesame oil, sugar and black pepper. Egg white helps the flour cling to the chicken before frying. The sauce uses light and dark soy sauces, lemon juice and honey, giving the finished dish its sweet-tangy balance while garlic, bell pepper and spring onions provide fresh contrast.
The chicken should turn crispy and golden brown after its short fry, with the coated strips kept separate so they do not stick together. Shake away excess flour before frying; loose flour can darken in the oil and leave a heavier coating. Once the sauce simmers briefly, use high heat for the final toss so the chicken is coated quickly rather than softened by prolonged cooking.
Serve immediately with steamed rice, stir-fry noodles or fried rice, with a green stir-fry dish alongside if desired. It also works as a savoury snack or starter. Leftovers will lose some of their fried crispness after sitting in sauce, so the just-tossed texture is best enjoyed straight away.
Why you'll love this recipe
- A brief hot fry forms a crisp golden coating because the separated, flour-coated chicken strips cook quickly without clumping together in the oil.
- The final high-heat toss coats the chicken fast, so the sweet, sour and savoury sauce clings without requiring a long simmer.
- Egg white helps the corn or potato flour adhere to the marinated strips, creating a more even shell before the chicken reaches the fryer.
- Fresh bell pepper and spring onions are stirred only briefly, which keeps their crunchy texture noticeable against the fried chicken.
- Lemon juice and honey balance the two soy sauces, producing a light sweet-tangy glaze instead of a heavy, long-cooked sauce.
- Prep happens before frying, including mixing the sauce and slicing vegetables, so the short wok finish can proceed without pausing.
Ingredients
- •250 g boneless chicken thigh or breast
- •1 egg white
- •1 cup corn or potato flour (plus more if needed)
- •0.5 bell pepper
- •3 spring onions (3-4)
- •3 cloves garlic
- •oil (for frying and stir-frying)
- •1 tbsp light soy sauce (for marinade)
- •1 tsp garlic paste
- •1 tsp sesame oil
- •0.5 tsp sugar
- •0.25 tsp black pepper
- •2 tbsp light soy sauce (for stir-fry sauce)
- •1 tsp dark soy sauce
- •2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- •2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken into thin strips.
- 2
Marinate the chicken strips with the light soy sauce, garlic paste, sesame oil, sugar and black pepper.
- 3
Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes.
- 4
Cut the bell pepper into thin slices.
- 5
Cut the spring onions into 1-inch pieces.
- 6
Mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- 7
Add the egg white to the marinated chicken strips and mix well.
- 8
Coat the chicken strips with the corn or potato flour, keeping all strips separated.
- 9
Toss away the excess flour before frying.
- 10
Heat the oil to high heat, about 350°F.
- 11
Deep-fry the coated chicken for 1 to 2 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
- 12
Remove the chicken from the oil and transfer it to paper towel or a cooling rack.
- 13
Heat a wok or pan over medium-high heat.
- 14
Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the garlic for a few seconds.
- 15
Add the bell pepper slices and stir-fry for a few seconds.
- 16
Pour in the sauce mixture and let it simmer for 5 seconds.
- 17
Add the chicken strips and spring onions.
- 18
Stir well over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes to combine.
- 19
Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.
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