Description
Crispy fried chicken bites tossed in a sweet, tangy, and spicy Thai chili lime sauce. Perfect as an appetizer or served with jasmine rice for a flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 6–7 pieces each
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp + ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- Oil for frying
- 2 tbsp Thai chili paste (nam prik pao)
- 4 large Thai dried chilies
- 1½ tbsp vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1½ tbsp lime juice
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely julienned and minced
- Zest of ½ lime (or zest of 1 whole lime if no kaffir lime leaves)
Instructions
- Place chicken in a bowl, add egg, 2 tbsp cornstarch, and salt. Mix well and let sit.
- Cut dried chilies into chunks, remove seeds if desired, and grind into powder.
- In a small pot, combine chili paste, ground chilies, vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, garlic, fish sauce, and water. Simmer over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until thickened.
- Turn off heat, add kaffir lime leaves, lime zest, and stir. Then add lime juice and cover.
- Heat 2 inches of oil to 375°F (190°C).
- Mix flour and ¼ cup cornstarch in a bowl. Add chicken and coat well. For a thicker crust, drizzle a little water over chicken and toss again.
- Fry chicken in batches for 2½ – 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Pour sauce into a large bowl, add fried chicken, and toss until coated.
- Serve immediately with jasmine rice if desired.
Notes
- Adjust the number of dried chilies to control heat level.
- If kaffir lime leaves are unavailable, use extra lime zest.
- For best results, serve immediately after tossing in the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: Thai fried chicken, sweet chili lime chicken, crispy chicken bites, Thai chicken recipe