Crispy Thai Thread Chicken is an easy to prepare party starter made within 30 minutes. The juicy tender chicken breasts marinated with aromatic flavors of Thai curry paste, coated with a crispy and crunchy layer of finely sliced spring roll wrappers, is served with a spicy Sriracha mayo dip.
There are no specific roots as to where the crispy thread chicken originated from, but it is a dish widely served in Indian weddings and restaurants across India. You prepare it by marinating boneless chicken strips in a variety of Indian spices. The chicken is coated with either finely cooked noodles or finely sliced pastry. Deep fried in a wok of hot oil and served with a spicy Indian version of schezwan sauce.
We have taken this wedding appetizer to a whole new level by introducing a fusion of Indian and Thai flavor. The Red Thai curry paste is so versatile, that you can incorporate it in many cuisines just like the Prawn Thai Curry Tostadas. We substituted the Indian powdered spices with Red Thai curry paste as it perfectly blends with the soya sauce and vinegar to form the marination for the chicken.
The threads for the outer layer can be formed with any ingredient available, from spring roll and samosa wrappers to noodles and even homemade finely cut pastry dough. We went with spring roll wrappers as they are very light in texture which makes it perfect for frying. Also, sprinkling cornstarch over the threads will act as a binding agent and will hold the outer layer in place.
Rolling the marinated chicken in the threads may be a little tricky at first, but you will get the hang of it once you understand the technique and find your stride.
You can either deep-fry or shallow-fry until you feel the crunchiness and tenderness of the chicken with every bite you take. Alternatively, these can also be baked or prepared in an air fryer for a healthier version. We chose to deep-fry it to achieve best results. A small trick that I usually do is I place the food in the air fryer for 5 minutes on high setting to release excess oil which may have soaked up while deep-frying.
This golden fried spicy chicken pairs well with a spicy dip and nothing beats a good Sriracha mayo. Also, adding some chopped capers to the mayo will bring out the briny flavor which will elevate the taste of the sauce.
Ingredients
Herbs, Spices and Seasoning: salt, pepper
Liquids: soya sauce, vinegar, vegetable oil, hot sauce/sriracha
Regular ingredients: boneless chicken breasts, ginger garlic paste, egg, cornstarch, Mayo, capers
Specialty ingredients: red Thai curry paste, spring roll wrappers
See recipe card for quantities.
Walk through the Recipe
Let's prepare Crispy Thai Thread Chicken.
We start off by marinating the thin slices of chicken with Thai curry paste, ginger garlic paste, soya sauce, vinegar, egg and seasoning.
Prepare the threads by aligning 25 sheets of spring roll wrappers and cutting them into fine strips. We coat it with cornstarch to prevent the wrappers from sticking and to act as a binding agent when rolling the chicken.
We now place a piece of marinated chicken in the threads and sprinkle more threads over it. Give it a light pat and roll the chicken with your fingers to form the thread chicken. Repeat this step for the remaining pieces and set aside.
Deep fry the thread chicken in a skillet for 3- 4 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove the chicken with tongs and place it over a kitchen towel to remove any excess oil.
We mix sriracha and capers along with half cup mayo to form our dipping sauce which pairs well with our Crispy Thai Thread Chicken.
Substitutions
You can replace some of the ingredients in the recipe to suit what you have at home.
- Capers: gherkins, dill pickles
- Ginger garlic paste: garlic powder, ginger powder
- Boneless chicken breasts: boneless chicken thigh
- Spring roll wrappers: Wonton wrappers ( sliced thinly), samosa sheets, cooked fine noodles, finely sliced homemade pastry dough
Tips
- Even slices: Slice the chicken evenly to ensure uniform cooking as the outer coating needs to cook as well.
- Preparing the threads: while cutting the spring roll wrappers, add cornstarch between each sheet to prevent the wrappers from sticking.
- Fry in batches: fry the chicken in small batches to prevent overcrowding the frying pan and to ensure its evenly cooked and crispy.
- Hot oil: Ensure that the oil for frying is hot enough so the chicken should sizzle immediately when added to the oil. Maintaining the right frying temperature is crucial for crispiness.
- Paper towel: drain any excess oil from the chicken once fried and place it over a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Marinate the chicken: Placing the marinated chicken in the refrigerator overnight will allow the flavor to intensify. Setting aside the marinated chicken for half an hour will also do.
FAQs
Yes, you can roll the marinated chicken in the outer thread coating and store it in a refrigerator. Deep fry in hot oil before serving.
Adding cornstarch to the threads will work as a binding agent and keep the coating together while frying. Alternatively, you can chill the coated chicken in the refrigerator for a short period before frying.
Although it is recommended to finish the dish while it is hot, you can store it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat it in a deep fryer, oven or air fryer for best results.
You can use gluten-free alternatives like rice noodles instead of spring roll wrappers. Omit or substitute any non gluten-free ingredients.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Prawns Koliwada (Mumbai-style spicy fried shrimps)
- Jerk Chicken Quesadilla
- Sumac Fries
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe (Indian style)
Fusion Recipes
Try out some of our specialty recipes:
- Jerk Shrimp Pasta (Rasta Pasta Recipe)
- Easy Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls
- Burnt Garlic Fried Rice
- Cevapi Sliders with Ajvar
Recipe
Crispy Thai Thread Chicken
Ingredients
- 250 grams boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoon red Thai curry paste
- 1 tablespoon soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
- 25 spring roll wrappers
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup Mayo
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce/ Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon capers
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- salt to taste
- pepper
Instructions
- Marinate the thin slices of chicken with Thai curry paste, ginger garlic paste, soya sauce, vinegar, egg, salt and pepper and set aside.
- Separate 25 sheets of spring roll wrappers, cut it along the center to form two rectangles. Align it together and finely slice strips of the sheets to form the threads. Add cornstarch and toss it along the cutting board to separate the threads.
- Place one piece of marinated chicken in the heap of threads and sprinkle some threads over it. Give it a light pat and lift the chicken to reveal the threads that have stuck to it. Now roll that chicken with your fingers to cover the entire chicken with the hanging threads.
- In a deep pan or skillet, heat oil for deep frying. Place in the thread coated chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes until the threads are crispy and golden. Remove the chicken from the oil with tongs and place it over a kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
- Add sriracha sauce and chopped capers to half cup mayo and mix well to form your dipping sauce. Serve the crispy Thai thread chicken while it's hot along with the Sriracha mayo dip.
Christopher
It looks so crispy. Can’t wait to try it out!