Dragon chicken made restaurant style in which chicken is fried till crispy and tossed in spicy sauce with dry red chillies and cashews. This dish is a family favorite just like my schezwan chicken. Learn how to make dragon chicken with step by step pictures and video.
Dragon Chicken
I tasted this dragon for the first time in a restaurant. As I was enjoying it, I tried to identify some of the ingredients which they have added in it. And the next day I tried dragon chicken. And to my surprise it turned out so yummy.
Jump to:
The chilli paste which I used here is freshly made in my best mixer grinder. That added a nice spicy kick to the whole dish. You can grind it coarse or fine as you like.
I made singapore veg fried rice the same day and served it with that. Will surely share that recipe soon. The taste of this comes from the crispy cashews, so add a good amount of it.
About Dragon Chicken
Dragon chicken is a popular fusion Indo-Chinese dish which was invented recently. It is a dish in which chicken in cut into thin strips which are coated in a batter and fried till crispy texture and coated in a sauce is made with chillies, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Check my dragon prawns.
Addition of whole red chillies and cashews add a good texture to the chicken dish. This is a dry dish usually served with soups like chicken clear soup and chicken hot & sour soup.
Indo-chinese cooking basics
Always stock up on sauces if you love cooking chinese at home. Some of the basic sauces includes soy sauce, red chilli garlic sauce, vinegar, dark soy sauce and green chilli sauce. If you want you can stock on occasionally used sauces like oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sweet chilli sauce.
Always have good supply of the chinese trio of vegetables ginger, garlic and spring onions which is called as Aromatics in chinese cooking.
Watch Dragon Chicken Video
Dragon Chicken Ingredients
Chicken - I used thinly cut strips of boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe. It is easy to use and cooks super fast.
Sauces - a mix of tomato ketchup, soy sauce and red chilli garlic paste is used as sauce.
Cashews - one of the main ingredient in dragon chicken is cashews. Roasted cashews adds wonderful crunch in this dish.
Dry Red Chilli - freshly ground chilli garlic paste adds a spicy and garlicky aroma.
Onions and Capsicum - slice onions and capsicum thinly so it cooks faster and coats the chicken really well.
How to make dragon chicken at home (3 Easy Steps)
Marinating & Frying Chicken - Take chicken in a bowl and add all the marination ingredients. Mix well and let it marinate for 15 mins. Now heat some oil for deep frying. When the oil is hot drop the chicken in oil and fry till golden. Drain and set aside.
Making Sauce - Now heat oil in a frying pan. Add in dry red chilli and cashews and fry till the cashew turn golden brown. Now add in onions and bell peppers and toss well in the oil. Add in ginger garlic paste, red chilli paste, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, salt, ajinomoto, sugar and mix well. Cook this for a couple of mins till the water evaporates and sauce thickens.
Tossing Chicken - Now add in the fried chicken and toss well in the sauce. Add in chopped coriander or spring onion and mix well.
How to Make Dragon Chicken (Stepwise Pictures)
Marinating Chicken
1)I am using chicken breast in this recipe, slice chicken breast into thin slices and take it in a bowl.
2)Add salt, pepper and a little msg if you are using it.
3)Add some soy sauce. This not only adds colour, but imparts flavour.
4)Add in chilli garlic paste. This is my homemade chilli garlic paste.
5)Add in ginger garlic paste.
6)Add in one egg. Egg helps with binding of the chicken when frying.
7)Now add in a mix of cornstarch and plain flour.
8)Mix this really well and let this sit for 10 minutes while you heat oil for deep frying.
Frying Chicken
9)Heat some neutral oil like canola, refine oil in a small pan for deep frying. Drop chicken in hot oil and fry till golden brown. It will take only around 2 to 3 minutes.
10)Strain the fried chicken using a slotted spoon.
11)Fry the entire batch of chicken till crispy. Set aside till needed.
Making Sauce
12)Heat oil in a saute pan. Add in cashews and dry red chillies. Stir fry in the oil till it is lightly toasted.
13)add in sliced onions and capsicum. If you want you can add in chopped garlic and green chillies as well.
14)Saute onions and capsicum for 2 minutes till aromatic and cooked.
15)Add in ginger and garlic paste.
16)Cook that till fragrant.
17)Now lets add in the sauces. First add some red chilli garlic paste.
18)add in some tomato ketchup.
19)add in soy sauce.
20)Now add in some salt, sugar and a little MSG if you are using it.
21)Mix everything really well and cook till the sauce thickens up.
Tossing Chicken
22)Add in the fried chicken into the sauce.
23)Toss the chicken into the sauce really well.
24)Now sprinkle some coriander leaves or spring onion greens.
25)Serve.
Expert Tips
- Make sure you slice the chicken into thin strips so it cooks faster and evenly.
- You can adjust the sauces to your taste, always taste check before using more.
- Add more cashews for crunch.
- Chopped garlic and green chillies can be added in the sauce for flavour.
More Chinese Takeout Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Restaurant Style Dragon Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Fry Pot
- Mixing Bowl
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
- 500 grams Boneless Chicken Breast cut into thin strips
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
- Oil for Deep frying
For Marination:
- 2 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Chilli garlic paste
- 1 Egg
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Corn Starch
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Pepper
- ¼ tsp Ajinomoto / MSG optional
For Sauce:
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 3 no Dry Red Chilli
- 2 tbsp Cashews
- 1 large Onion sliced thinly
- 1 large Capsicum / Bell Peppers sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Chilli garlic paste
- 2 tsp Dark Soy sauce
- ¼ cup Tomato Ketchup
- Salt to taste
- ¼ tsp Ajinomoto / Msg optional
- 2 tsp Sugar
Instructions
- Take chicken in a bowl and add all the marination ingredients. Mix well and let it marinate for 15 mins. Now heat some oil for deep frying. When the oil is hot drop the chicken in oil and fry till golden. Strain and set aside.
- Now heat oil in a frying pan. Add in dry red chilli and cashews and fry till the cashew turn golden brown. Now add in onions and bell peppers and toss well in the oil. Add in ginger garlic paste and saute for a min. Now add in red chilli paste, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, salt, ajinomoto, sugar and mix well. Cook this for a couple of mins till the water evaporates and sauce thickens.
- Now add in the fried chicken and toss well in the sauce. Add in chopped coriander or spring onions and mix well. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you slice the chicken into thin strips so it cooks faster and evenly.
- You can adjust the sauces to your taste, always taste check before using more.
- Add more cashews for crunch.
- Chopped garlic and green chillies can be added in the sauce for flavour.
Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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Dipti Joshi
Really awesome starter. Love the bright red color you have got.
Venisri Senthan
Used to have this chicken dish in a restaurant here. Really spicy and delicious. Yours look exactly the same dear...wow!!!
chhavi kusum
This looks really yummy!!! I sm going to be trying it pretty soon!!!
Anonymous
Your recipes are very yummy ! What is red chilli paste and where can it be purchased ?
Ashlee
20 tbs cashews? Is that correct??
Aarthi
It is 2 tbsp of cashews. Sorry it is a typo
Hamaree Rasoi
Simply awesome and tempting looking dragon chicken. Wonderfully prepared.
Deepa
Aarthi
@AnonymousRed Chilli Paste is nothing but, dry red chillies soaked in hot water for 10 mins. Then drain it and grind it to a paste
Anonymous
Should we have to remove the seed of dried red chilli before grinding it ?
Anonymous
Thank you for the reply! Im gonna make this tomorrow with your garlic noodles and fried rice recipe !
Anonymous
I cooked yesterday for the first time & everybody liked it...... 🙂
Sumathi Thirumugam
An awesome Recipe..
Tried a dish with Chicken for the first time and came out very well..
Thanks a lot..
Sudha G
Wow...looks soo yummy ....gng to try this today ....,thanks for the recipe .....
Anonymous
I tried this aarthi... It tasted awesome... Loved it.. Thank you dear.... SUMI
Anonymous
Yum recipe..thnx for posting..!!
Anonymous
Super..thank u 4 posting
Anonymous
I have tried this several times super hit with my family. I of course go easy on the red chills as kids love this dish too!!
usha
Awesome recipe ..tasted very good..thanks..
Anudath Brahmadathan
Good recipe and well presented. I made it today and tasted so nice. Thank you
Anonymous
Don't use msg in ur dishes pls it's not good for health
ABK
That’s actually a myth and rooted in racism. Something I learned from an Anthony Bourdain interview and confirmed with some research.
Anonymous
You are doing a great job ! One small suggestion.
Kindly change your yummy tummy logo. To something better than Piggie.
Filwakn
Hey Aarthi... I made this with Singapore fried rice it turned out yummm.... My hubby loved it.... Grt. Combination.... Thanx for putting ur. Combinations too...
Anonymous
good recipe aarthi...made it last Sunday ...it came out very good...the way you presented the dish is really colorful found some interesting points in your blog let me tell you point wise..
1.step by step pictorial explanation
2.showing almost all south Indian and Chinese recipes in one blog
3.giving replies almost for all the doubts
4. making me feel hungry by posting wonderful pics.
Prakrithi Dh
i tried this...Everyone liked it..Thanks for the recipe...:)Hoping to try out more recipes..:)
Anonymous
I like your recipe
sneha
Awesome recipe..just tried it...turned out fantastic 🙂
Anonymous
Thanks for this recipe what can I substitute ajinimoto with.. I really want to add something instead of that
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can skip that. Add extra ginger and garlic
Abhijit Roy
Aarthi, the recipe is awesome and magical. My wife and me prepared it and couldn't believe such a nice dish would come out. Our children also wowed! Thanks for your efforts.
Adila
Tried this dish..turned out really well and my family loved it...shall make it when guests come visiting..thanks a lot for posting it.
P.P.Roy
Fantastic dish Aarthi. The dish is really Yummy. Thanks for sharing this. Keep up all the good work.
Partha Roy
Fantastic dish Aarthi. This is really Yummy and thanks for sahring this.
Swetha B
! Made just now really came out yummy especially my dad thank you for posting such wonderful recipes 🙂
Unknown
Fabulous!!
laya shahin
I tried toooo.....,its really super
karthigaa karthi
I tried ur dragon chicken recipe it came out well me being a vegetarian and this was my first attempt to cook non veg dish...
My husband just loved it...
Thanks a lot.. now I can impress him more with non veg cooking too...
karthigaa karthi
I tried ur dragon chicken recipe it came out well me being a vegetarian and this was my first attempt to cook non veg dish...
My husband just loved it...
Thanks a lot.. now I can impress him more with non veg cooking too...
Fouzia Nasir Ahmad
It looked fab in your pictures but i was very sad when i did nt have enough sauce ...it was dry and i could only find taste here and there...i thought it have lots of sauce...
Aarthi
@Fouzia Nasir Ahmadif you want it more saucy you can add double the sauce mix...this is a kind of dry dish
Anonymous
P.S. Ajinamoto is cancerous to health. Modern chefs have discontinued & discarded the use of Ajinamoto in food.
Sapana V
This is so mouth watering!! Got to try it!
RareEpiphany
made a vegetarian version. it was wonderful!
Priya
Hi, I tried this today, got wonderful
appreciation from my darling Hubby...thanks to you as well for posting this yummy recepie...!!
Emily
This looks spicy and amazing. Will add this to a must make list. Thanks
gulamabbas alarakhia
DEAR AATHI,
WAS GOIND THRU YOUR SITE UFF U HAVE SOME DELICIOUS STUFF..
REGARDING THE ABOVE RECEIPE..HOW TO MAKE THE RED CHILLI PASTE PLEASE ADV THNX..
SHABNAM
Anonymous
hiii Aarthi , i have only tried your recipes and this is one of them. It was delicious . Thanks for this recipe
Anonymous
DEAR AARTI...
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHILE PREPARING SAUCE CAN WE ADD WATER.
Aarthi
@Anonymousdont add a lot, just a little is good
MADHU SHETTY
I TRIED DRAGON CHICKEN THIS WEEKEND, IT WAS TOTALLY SUPER HIT, THANKS A LOT FOR SHARING WONDERFUL RECEIPES
Fathima Aafreen
Hi Aarthi. This recipe looks absolutely wonderful! I wanted to know whether I can follow the same recipe for making Dragon Prawns, by substituting Chicken with Prawns or is there any separate recipe for that? Thanks in Advance .. 🙂
Aarthi
yes u can
apple bud Desk
REALLY YUMMY......
k@shi$h
Look fab and tempting i will.surely try.
Unknown
Hai arathi.I prepared this for my family they really loved it. But I didn't get this red colour.And my hubby doesn't like capsicum so is there any other veg I can substitute
pavi
mam, pls say substitute for tamato ketchup
Anonymous
This is amazing! Have been looking for this recipe for a while and I'm so glad I landed here. Wonderful job Aarthi! Thanks for the amazing recipes.
Also
For the person who commented on MSG.this has been used in Chinese cooking for ages. There is enough scientific evidence that proves that in moderation (very little is used in cooking) it is not harmful. It's yet another Western myth.
Once again. . Good going! !!
Lona
Tried this reciepe today. Tasted awesome. Full family liked it a lot.. Thanks for the wonderful reciepe.
Unknown
Tried this recipe. It came out good. Thank you Mrs.Aarthi.
Joseph M Joy
Great recipe. Thank you very much
Fasee Khadz
Superb! Dragon prawn also same method ah ?
Anonymous
amazing receipe.. kindly avoid using ajinomotto.. it is really not good for health..
Rai
Tried it
Very Nice
Anonymous
Arathi chechi I love u....by a small fan of yours....god bless u akka
Anonymous
Looks amazing,thank u for the recipe..Will try it soon
Anonymous
What is dry red Chilli paste? Or how can I make it?
Aarthi
Check this link
https://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2015/06/homemade-chilli-garlic-paste-recipe-how.html
Suriya
Came out really well ! Good Recipe !! ^^
Steve
Nice recipe. It is a little dry, liquid wise. I added some water just to have a little sauce. It did make the chicken coating soft, but still tasted great
Birthday party
Nice Dish
Priya
Hi Arthi,
Looks mouth watering and going to try soon. Shall we make with chicken with bone. My hubby won’t like chicken breast.
Aarthi
yes u can
Mrs. Lura F. Butt
I wanted to make a copy of this recipe, and try it. But there is nothing on your site to do this. Why?
Sam
Why would you put MSG in your food?
JT
Why wouldn't you? Come on do some research, MSG is not bad for you. Just another myth.
Minahil adeel
Hi! I tried this recipe and turned out yummy. One small thing. It was slightly drier than I wanted. What to add to make a bit of gravy ?
I added more ketchup but that took it to the sweeter side
Trudy Ward
We loved this! Thank you !
chiranjib Pradhan
Very nicely explain thankyou
Produktking
Awesome! Keep it up! Love your Blog!
Uma
We have tried this recipe during lockdown period. Tastes so good. Fingerlicking...Thanks for sharing the recipe.
riya chuhan
Your post is really a beautiful post, as well as a knowledge sharing post, your post will give a lot of inspiration in life, here is a best post.
ishagarg
Your restaurant style to make dragon chicken made my husband too happy, recently, I cooked through your recipe, if you won't see the pictures of it then visit on my site, Now my stomach is fully filled with dragon chicken, thanks for share.
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This is nice and awesome thanks for share us
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Excellent
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its the best article good job
Smitha
Came out really well...
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Vyom overseas
very nice dragon chicken recipe.
Bindu Chandrabose
This is really a fantastic recipe. Better than most restaurants, I think. I've been making it for a few years (review long overdue), it is pretty straightforward, and it never fails to get requests for the recipe. As an aside, I see my cousin has reviewed this with a five star rating as well (totally randomly/before I started making it, and he is not someone who usually cooks, hah!).
Dean
Do you mean 2Tbs of cashews not 20?
Sandhya Venkatesh
I made this recipe when friends came over for dinner. It was a good accompaniment for fried rice. The taste was very nice. Everyone enjoyed eating it.
Mel
Wow!! So good! So flavorful. We made the garlic chili sauce which added some time - not the fault of the recipe our timeline didn’t match the card - but was totally worth it. This will be added to the rotation
Ankit
Amazing recipe thanks for sharing