Crispy Salt and Pepper Chicken Better Than Takeaway

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

If crispy salt and pepper chicken is your weakness at the local Chinese takeaway, this recipe is about to save you a small fortune. The chicken is juicy in the middle, golden and crunchy on the outside and absolutely loaded in garlicky chilli goodness. Serve it over fluffy rice with a little dumpling sauce on the side and you’ve got proper fakeaway food worth fighting over.

Crispy salt and pepper chicken served on a white plate with fresh chilli, coriander and spring onion, styled on a rustic white timber table with chopsticks, steamed rice and a lime water in soft natural light.

What is crispy salt and pepper chicken?

Crispy salt and pepper chicken is a popular Chinese takeaway dish made with bite-sized pieces of battered fried chicken tossed through garlic, chilli and a savoury salt and pepper seasoning. This version uses chicken thigh fillets for extra juicy chicken, plus a quick velveting marinade which keeps the chicken tender and full of flavour.

While it is usually served dry-style, I love serving it with fluffy rice and a side of homemade dumpling sauce for drizzling over the top. It is salty, savoury and completely unnecessary in the best possible way.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Crispy, golden chicken with a light crunchy coating
Chicken thighs stay juicy thanks to the velveting marinade
Packed with garlic, chilli and savoury seasoning
Easy ingredients you will find at most supermarkets
The homemade dumpling sauce takes it over the top
Perfect fakeaway dinner for Friday nights or lazy weekends
Makes a great appetiser or sharing plate with drinks

Ingredients needed

Chicken thigh fillets – Juicy, tender and much more forgiving than chicken breast. Thighs stay moist after frying and work perfectly with the crispy coating.
Chinese cooking wine – Used in the velveting marinade to add flavour and help tenderise the chicken.
Chicken stock powder, salt, MSG, white pepper and Chinese five spice – This combination seasons the chicken all the way through and gives it that classic takeaway flavour. The MSG is optional but adds extra savoury flavour.
Bicarb soda – A small amount helps tenderise the chicken and gives it that soft, juicy texture inside.
Cornflour and self-raising flour – The cornflour keeps the batter light and crispy while the self-raising flour adds a little puff and crunch.
Cold water – Helps create a light batter which fries up crisp and golden.
Garlic, red chilli, green chilli and spring onions – The aromatics. These get stir fried after the chicken is cooked and coats everything in garlicky chilli goodness.
Salt, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, MSG, sugar and Chinese five spice – The salt and pepper seasoning mix. Salty, peppery and slightly sweet with a little warmth from the five spice.
Oil for frying – Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable, canola or peanut oil.

How to make crispy salt and pepper chicken

Thinly slice the chicken thigh fillets into strips and place them into a bowl. Add the Chinese cooking wine, chicken stock powder, bicarb soda, five spice, salt, MSG and white pepper. Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornflour and self-raising flour. Gradually add cold water, whisking as you go, until you have a smooth batter thick enough to lightly coat the chicken.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan, wok or saucepan. Dip the chicken strips into the batter, letting the excess drip off, then carefully fry in batches until lightly golden and cooked through. Transfer to a rack or paper towel.
Increase the heat of the oil slightly and fry the chicken a second time until deep golden, crispy and crunchy.
Heat a large wok or frying pan over high heat with a drizzle of oil. Add the garlic and cook, tossing for 10-15 seconds then add the red chilli, green chilli and spring onion. Stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Return the crispy chicken to the pan and toss everything together for another 30 seconds.
Sprinkle over as much as as little of the seasoned salt and toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
Serve immediately with steamed rice and a side of dumpling sauce if you like. Garnish with coriander if desired.

Thinly sliced chicken thigh fillets coated in batter in a bowl on a white timber background

Salt and pepper chicken frying in hot oil in a wok with battered chicken draining on a wire rack

Top tips

Prep everything first – Once the chicken starts frying, the recipe moves quickly. Have the aromatics sliced, seasoning mixed and serving bowls ready to go.
Make the batter last – Mix the batter right before frying so it stays light and crispy.
Use thigh fillets for best results – Chicken thighs stay juicy and tender after frying, though chicken breast also works if preferred.
Use cold water in the batter – Cold water helps create a crispier coating.
Fry in batches – Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes the chicken greasy instead of crispy.
Double fry the chicken – The first fry cooks the chicken through, while the second fry gives it that golden crunchy coating.
Season while hot – Toss the seasoning through while the chicken is fresh from the pan so it sticks properly.

Serving suggestions

For a main, I serve this crispy salt and pepper chicken over fluffy steamed rice with extra spring onion, chilli and coriander scattered over the top. I love serving it with my 4 Ingredient Dumpling Sauce over the rice and chicken before eating. It is not the traditional way to serve salt and pepper chicken, but the salty savoury sauce works ridiculously well with the crispy chicken.

If you are making a full fakeaway feast, you could start with Homemade Chicken Dumplings, Pork and Prawn Wontons, Chinese Ham and Chicken Rolls or crunchy Sesame Prawn Toast. Serve it with two appetisers for the full experience!

For mains and sides, this pairs perfectly with my 15 Minute Cantonese Soy Sauce Noodles, Chicken with Roasted Almonds or Restaurant Style Sweet and Sour Pork.

This is also the perfect snack to serve with drinks when entertaining. It goes extremely well with a lovely cold beer or chilled glass of white wine in summer or a plate of it passed around the fire in winter!

Storage

FRIDGE
Store leftover salt and pepper chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The coating will soften slightly but the flavour will still be great.

REHEAT
Reheat in the air fryer or oven until hot and crispy again. The microwave works too, though the coating will be softer.

FREEZER
Freeze the fried chicken before tossing through the aromatics for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer until hot and crispy, then toss through freshly cooked garlic, chilli and spring onion before serving.

Crispy salt and pepper chicken served over rice in a white bowl on a rustic white timber table, garnished with fresh chilli, coriander and spring onion, with dumpling sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?

Yes. Chicken breast works well in this recipe, though chicken thighs stay juicier and are harder to overcook.

Why do I need to fry the chicken twice?

The first fry cooks the chicken through while the second fry gives it the crispy golden coating. Double frying makes a big difference to the texture.

What does bicarb soda do to the chicken?

The bicarb soda helps tenderise the chicken and gives it that soft juicy takeaway-style texture inside.

Is MSG necessary?

No. The recipe still tastes great without it, though a small amount adds extra savoury flavour similar to restaurant-style salt and pepper chicken.

What should I serve with salt and pepper chicken?

Steamed or fried rice is the classic choice. I also love serving it with dumpling sauce, noodles or other fakeaway favourites like sweet and sour pork or prawn toast.

Does this recipe have to be deep fried?

Yes. This batter is designed for deep frying or shallow frying, giving the chicken its light crispy coating and classic takeaway-style texture. Air fryers work best with dry crumbed or floured coatings rather than wet batters like this one.

This crispy salt and pepper chicken is crunchy, garlicky and dangerously easy to demolish straight from the bowl. If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

More fakeaway recipes you may love