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Thin strips of chicken in a light batter, tossed in a sweet chilli glaze that clings without softening the crust. The takeaway version, without the queue.
Crispy shredded chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the chicken strips dry. Toss with the beaten egg, then with the cornflour and five spice until lightly and evenly coated. Shake off the excess.
- Mix the sweet chilli sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and garlic in a small pan.
- Simmer the sauce for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan to 170C.
- Fry the chicken in three batches for 3 minutes each until pale gold. Drain on a wire rack.
- Raise the oil to 190C and fry each batch again for 60 to 90 seconds until deep gold and crisp.
- Warm the sauce through, take the pan off the heat, then add the chicken and toss for 30 seconds.
- Serve at once, topped with the carrot, spring onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Why this recipe works
The sauce is reduced separately and the chicken only meets it at the last second. Most home versions simmer the two together, which is exactly when a crisp coating turns to paste. Thirty seconds of tossing is enough to coat every strip.
- Cornflour and egg give a shell that stays crisp under sauce.
- The glaze is reduced until it coats a spoon before the chicken goes near it.
- Rice vinegar cuts the sugar so it does not taste like jam.
What is crispy shredded chicken?
Crispy shredded chicken is a British Chinese takeaway dish of chicken cut into thin strips, coated in cornflour batter, fried until crisp and tossed in a sweet chilli sauce. It usually comes with shredded carrot and spring onion. The chicken is sliced, not pulled apart.
The secret to keeping it crispy
Fry twice. The first fry cooks the chicken through, the second drives off surface moisture and sets the crust hard enough to survive the sauce. Rest the strips on a rack between fries so steam escapes instead of pooling underneath.
Tips for the best results
Cut and coat carefully. Uneven strips cook unevenly, and a thick batter goes stodgy.
- Slice the chicken no thicker than a pencil.
- Shake off excess cornflour before frying.
- Fry in three small batches rather than one big one.
- Sauce the chicken in the pan, off the heat, and serve at once.
Swaps and variations
Same method, different middle. The sauce is the part worth keeping.
- Crispy shredded beef: use thin strips of sirloin and fry for less time.
- Tofu or oyster mushrooms for a vegetarian version.
- Air fryer: spray the coated strips and cook at 200C for 14 minutes.
- For more heat, add a sliced red chilli to the sauce.
Make ahead and storage
The sauce can be made up to three days ahead and reheated. The chicken cannot wait. If you do have leftovers, keep them for a day and reheat in an air fryer at 200C for five minutes, which brings back some of the crunch.
What to serve with crispy shredded chicken
The dish is sweet and sticky, so pair it with plain rice and something sharp or crunchy. Avoid a second sweet dish on the same table.
- Egg fried rice or special fried rice
- Chicken chow mein
- Salt and pepper chips
- Cucumber in rice vinegar to cut the sugar
Frequently asked questions
Is it actually shredded?
No. Despite the name, the chicken is sliced into thin strips before coating, not pulled apart after cooking. Shredded here describes the shape, not the technique.
Breast or thigh?
Breast is traditional here, because the strips stay neat and pale under the batter. Thigh works and tastes better, but it holds more moisture, so dry it well.
Can I bake it instead of frying?
An air fryer gets close. A conventional oven does not, because the coating needs contact heat to crisp. If you only have an oven, use a preheated tray and a light spray of oil.
What can I do with the leftovers?
Crisp them up in an air fryer and use them cold in a salad with cucumber and carrot, or roll them into wraps. They will not go back to their original texture, so lean into the sauce instead.
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- Cornflour. Coats the chicken for a light, crisp finish.
- Chinese five spice powder. Adds warmth to the coating.
