Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Dry-Fried Chilli Chicken
389 kcal a serving, against 815 for the traditional version. That is 426 kcal off, or 52%, with 48g of protein. Serves 4. 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Skin-on chicken chopped straight through the bone, marinated in soy sauce and wine, then plunged into a wok of smoking peanut oil. The fried nuggets are scooped out, then stir-fried again in more oil with a ridiculous amount of dried chillies, fresh ginger and garlic until the meat absorbs all the fire.
What changed, and what each change costs
800g of skin-on chicken thigh and 1 litre of frying oil for skinless chicken breast roasted with 20g of oil
Taking the skin off and swapping to breast meat removes a massive block of pure fat. Roasting instead of deep-frying means you only need enough oil to stop the chicken sticking to the baking tray.
What it costs you. Chicken breast dries out incredibly easily. You lose the glorious rich, fatty chew of deep-fried skin, and you have to watch the oven closely to stop the meat turning to dust.
50g of cornflour down to 15g
A heavy flour coating absorbs hot oil in a wok beautifully, turning into a crispy shell. In an oven, a thick flour coating just tastes like raw dust. A tiny dusting is all you need to help the soy sauce stick to the meat.
What it costs you. The chicken pieces won't have that classic craggy, battered surface that catches all the spicy oil and sauce.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 815 | 389 |
| Protein | 36.1g | 48g |
| Fat | 59.6g | 11.1g |
| Saturated fat | 13.5g | 2.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 31.4g | 20.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.4g | 12.4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, peanuts, soybeans, sulphites.
The method is in the book
This is the first recipe in the book where I actually prefer the dry heat of the oven over a traditional hot wok. You end up with a fiery, lean dinner. The version that's a greasy pub snack is still out there and still better. The sheer volume of chilli tricks your brain into thinking you're eating something far richer than you actually are. The chicken breast stays surprisingly tender if you pull it from the oven at the exact right moment. Yes, it lacks the fatty crunch of the original dish, but the trade is a colossal hit of protein that will actually fill you up without making you want to sleep. Just don't skip opening a window when you fry those chillies, or you'll choke.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback