Spicy Jalapeno Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (*see notes below)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, (lightly packed)
• 4 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 2 large jalapenos, (cut into 1/4 inch slices)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the prepared chicken into a bowl with the salt and ground black pepper. Toss to coat well.

2. 2

   Next, add the cornstarch and toss until all of the chicken is well coated. Set this aside until you are ready to fry the chicken.

3. 3

   In a separate, smaller bowl, add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and garlic and whisk well to combine. Set that aside.

4. 4

   Next, slice the jalapenos into 1/4 inch slices. If you want a milder taste, you can remove the seeds from the slices. If you want a nice kick, leave them in. Set those aside until ready to use.

5. 5

   Finally, add four inches of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed pot. Turn on the heat and heat the oil to 315 degrees F.

6. 6

   Once the oil is hot, using tongs, lower the chicken into into the oil one piece at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pot. I tend to fry them four or five pieces at a time. The chicken fries really quickly; it only needs about 5-6 minutes, turning at the halfway mark.

7. 7

   Once all of the chicken is fried, increase the heat of the oil to 350 degrees. Carefully place all of the chicken back into the oil. This is what I refer to as the second fry and it will add further crisp to your chicken and it only needs another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain well.

8. 8

   In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the sauce mixture and bring to a boil.

9. 9

   Once boiling, add in all of the fried chicken and the sliced jalapenos. Toss the chicken well into the sauce and jalapeno mixture.

10. 10

    Continue to move the chicken about the skillet until the sauce has thickened and the water content has evaporated.

11. 11

    Once done, transfer to a plate and garnish.