Step by step

Method

6 steps

1. 1

   Whisk ½ cup cornstarch with the eggs in a big bowl until it looks like pancake batter. Add the chicken pieces and toss so every side is coated. If it's gluey and clumpy, loosen with a teaspoon of oil so the pieces separate.

2. 2

   In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch with the rice wine, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Set that sauce aside — you'll want it ready when the chicken comes out hot.

3. 3

   Heat 1–2 inches of neutral oil in a wok or deep skillet to about 350–375°F (a scrap of batter should sizzle hard on contact). Fry the chicken in small batches until just cooked through and lightly golden, 3–4 minutes. Drain on a rack or paper towels.

4. 4

   You can pause here and refrigerate the chicken and sauce if you're prepping ahead — bring the chicken back toward room temp before the final toss so it crisps again.

5. 5

   Pour off all but 1–2 tablespoons of oil. Stir-fry the dried chiles 20–30 seconds until they darken a shade and smell toasty — pull them sooner if they start to blacken. Return the chicken and toss another minute so the coating deepens to a crisp, mahogany crust.

6. 6

   Pour in the sauce and keep tossing 1–2 minutes until it reduces to a shiny glaze that clings. Kill the heat and get it onto rice with broccoli right away — that crust softens if it sits in the sauce too long.