Dragon Chicken is a staple of Pakistani-Chinese restaurants, and if you've had it there, you know exactly what it is. Crispy seared chicken tossed in a bold, saucy stir-fry with bell peppers, carrots, and bird's eye chilies. The sauce is spicy, yes. But it's also tart, savory, and just a little sweet. That's what keeps you going back for more.
No deep fryer needed here. The chicken is coated in cornstarch and seared in a few tablespoons of oil over high heat. You get a proper crust, tender meat inside, and none of the hassle of deep frying. Serve it over steamed rice and don't hold back on the bird's eye chilies.
Love a good Chinese chicken stir-fry? Try my Chicken Chili Dry, Chinese Chicken in Garlic Sauce, or Kung Pao Chicken next.
Table of Content
Key Ingredients
- Bird's eye chilies. These give the dish a clean, piercing heat. If you can't find them, green finger chilies work as a substitute. Dried red chilies are another option, though the heat will be less sharp and more background.
- Dark soy sauce. This is what gives the sauce depth and that deep, glossy colour. Don't skip it or substitute it with regular soy.
- Chili garlic sauce. This is the backbone of the sauce. Pakistani brands like Mitchell's or Shezan are ideal. Outside Pakistan, sambal oelek is your best substitute.
- Cornstarch. Used twice. In the marinade, it coats the chicken and forms a light crust when it hits the hot pan, keeping it tender inside. In the sauce, it thickens everything to that glossy, restaurant-style consistency.
- Vegetables. Bell peppers, carrots, and onion are the classic combination. Broccoli and scallions also work well as additions or swaps.
Step by Step with Photos
Here's how to make this restaurant style Dragon Chicken recipe with a simple visual guide.
- Whisk all sauce ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Marinate chicken with black pepper, cayenne, salt, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Coat evenly and set aside.
- Sear chicken in hot oil in a single layer, undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove once golden brown.
- In the same pan, stir-fry garlic, ginger, and diced chilies until fragrant, then add the carrots, bell peppers, onion, and whole chilies. Cook on high heat until slightly tender but still crisp.
- Pour in the sauce, stir, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened and bubbling.
- Return chicken to the pan and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Helpful Tips
- This is a high heat, fast cook. Have everything prepped and ready before you turn on the stove. Vegetables sitting around while you scramble for ingredients will start to lose their crunch.
- Get your wok or pan properly hot before the chicken goes in. High heat gives you colour on the chicken and keeps the vegetables crisp. If your pan isn't hot enough, everything steams and goes soft.
- Don't move the chicken for the first 2 to 3 minutes. Let it sit and develop a crust before you flip it.
- Whole bird's eye chilies in the stir-fry are mostly for heat and presentation. The diced ones you cook with the garlic and ginger are the ones that infuse the oil.
- To control sauce consistency, add a little more chicken stock to thin it out or let it simmer longer to thicken. The cornstarch works fast so keep an eye on it.
How to Serve
With steamed jasmine rice. That's it. The sauce is bold enough that you don't need sides competing with it.
If you want to stretch the meal, plain egg fried rice works well. Or serve it as part of a larger Indo-Chinese spread alongside Hakka Noodles and Hot and Sour Soup.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken further once chilled. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen it. The vegetables soften slightly on reheating but the flavour holds well.
Not recommended for freezing as the cornstarch sauce can turn grainy once thawed.
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📖 Recipe
Dragon Chicken (No Deep Frying)
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 12 oz (350 g) boneless chicken breast or thigh cubed
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
For Stir-Frying
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon (10 g) minced ginger
- 6-7 bird's eye chilies divided (3-4 diced, 3 whole)
- 1 (90 g) carrot sliced
- ½ (65 g) small red bell pepper cubed
- ½ (65 g) small green bell pepper cubed
- 1 (100 g) small onion cubed
For Dragon Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoon chili garlic sauce see note
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock or water plus 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated and set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the ketchup, sriracha, chili garlic sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, chicken stock, crushed red pepper, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Flip and cook until golden on the other side and nearly cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic, ginger, and diced bird's eye chilies. Stir-fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers, onion, and whole bird's eye chilies and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes over high heat until the vegetables are slightly tender but still crisp.
- Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it into the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened and glossy.
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss until evenly coated in the sauce and heated through.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- I use the South Asian chili garlic sauce. Sambal oelek is the best substitute outside Pakistan.
- Stir the sauce just before pouring it into the pan. The cornstarch settles at the bottom.
- The sauce thickens fast. If it gets too thick, add a splash of chicken stock to loosen it.
- Some versions include toasted cashews. Add a handful with the vegetables if you want extra crunch.
Nutrition
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