This Takeout Style Crispy Chili Beef or Chicken comes together with very little prep and a sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce that will have you back for seconds!
Why should you make this recipe:
- It’s a quick and easy weeknight meal
- The tastes are very similar to takeout or takeaway style crispy beef and chicken 🥡
- You can adjust the heat/spiciness and sweetness to your liking
- Tastes great served over veggies, rice, or noodles
- Frying your protein is OPTIONAL, you can quickly sauté your beef or chicken if you’re in a hurry
Ideas for customizing this recipe:
- Add in Broccoli Florets or Thin-Sliced Carrots (our favorite!)
- Toss in Peanuts or Scrambled Eggs for more protein and flavor
- Remove or increase the heat with red pepper flakes or Sriracha!🥵
- If you’re feeling really adventurous, try adding in some pineapple chunks
What should you serve with your Crispy Chili Beef or Chicken:
- Rice is the obvious choice here, so go with whatever rice you want (jasmine, white, brown, wild, etc.)
- Rice noodles also pair well with this dish and can be tossed in the sauce at the end to get them coated in deliciousness
- If you eat keto, skip the breading on the chicken and try this over veggies or cauliflower mash, or just as it is without a starch
How to Make Takeout Style Crispy Chili Beef
“Mise en Place” – Gather and prep all your ingredients prior to cooking.
This recipe for takeout style crispy chili beef moves quick, so if you are prepping and looking for ingredients while cooking, your dinner will burn!! 🔥
Pre-Cook Prep:
- Thinly slice your beef or chicken, onions, and peppers
- Whisk your sauce ingredients together first and store in the fridge until ready to use
- If using fresh garlic or ginger, have both minced/grated and added into the sauce
- Have your rice or noodles cooked or cooking
How to make Crispy Chili Beef:
- Before I start cooking the actual dish, I prep the sauce, vegetables and slice up my beef
- Toss your thinly sliced beef or chicken with the cornstarch and seasonings until THOROUGHLY coated
- Fry in batches in the half cup of hot vegetable oil in a shallow pan until browned and crispy, let cool on a wire rack or paper towels. You only need to cook your beef or chicken until there is a nice crust, it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- After all of your beef or chicken is cooked, it’s time to start your veggies
- First sauté your thin sliced onion in a tablespoon of vegetable oil on medium-high heat until translucent and very tender. Adding a little salt will speed things up and draw out excess water.
- Once your onion is mostly cooked, add in your sliced carrots and continue cooking over medium heat until tender crisp.
- At this point, I like to add in my sliced peppers and broccoli at the same time so that they keep most of their crunchy texture.
- If you like your vegetables a little softer, cook longer, if you like them more crisp, cook just until hot
- When your vegetables reach their desired doneness, pour in your sauce and coat everything in hot sticky goodness.
- As soon as your sauce begins to bubble, add in your golden crispy beef or chicken and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on LOW heat until meat is cooked through
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Takeout Style Crispy Chili Beef or Chicken
Great copycat recipe that can be customized to your family's tastes and can be made within 30 to 45 minutes!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Recommended Protein Options
- 2 Whole Chicken Breasts split into 4 thin cutlets and sliced thin
- 1 Pound Sirloin Steak sliced into thin strips
Flour Dredge
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
Vegetables
- 1 Large Yellow or Sweet Onion thinly sliced
- 1 Whole Red Bell Pepper sliced into thin strips
- 2 Medium Carrots peeled and sliced into coins
- 2 cups Broccoli Florets frozen or fresh are fine
Sauce
- 2 tbsp Prepared Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Red Wine or Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Lite Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Thai Style Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Minced Ginger
- ¼ cup Water
Other
- ½ to 1 cup Vegetable Oil for frying
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil for sautéing vegetables
- ½ tsp Salt for seasoning vegetables
- 2 cups Prepared Rice or whatever starch you want
Instructions
Prep Your Sauce
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of your sauce ingredients. The water is important here as it helps your sauce more easily coat your dish. If you use broth, your sauce may be unappealingly salty so plain water is best!!2 tbsp Prepared Ketchup, 1 tbsp Red Wine or Rice Wine Vinegar, 2 tbsp Lite Soy Sauce, ¼ cup Thai Style Sweet Chili Sauce, 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, 1 tbsp Minced Garlic, 1 tbsp Minced Ginger, ¼ cup Water
Frying Your Beef
- Thinly slice your selected protein2 Whole Chicken Breasts, 1 Pound Sirloin Steak
- Coat thoroughly in flour and salt and pepper½ cup All Purpose Flour, ½ tsp. Salt, ½ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- Pour vegetable oil into a large saucepan until about ¼ inch deep½ to 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- Heat oil to 350°
- While you are cooking your protein, make sure your rice is cooking
- Fry your beef in batches until golden brown and crispy
- Let cool on a wire rack with a layer of paper towels underneath to catch some of the oil
- Set aside
Sautéing Your Vegetables
- Sauté your thin sliced onion in a tablespoon of vegetable oil on medium-high heat until translucent and very tender. Adding a little salt will speed things up and draw out excess water.1 Large Yellow or Sweet Onion, 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil, ½ tsp Salt
- Next add in your carrots and cook to your desired doneness. A little crunch from the carrots is nice in this recipe.2 Medium Carrots
- Add in your red bell pepper and broccoli florets and cook until tender crisp or longer based on your preference2 cups Broccoli Florets, 1 Whole Red Bell Pepper
Bringing It All Together
- After your veggies are done, keep your heat on medium and pour in all of the sauce and toss until thoroughly coated
- Toss your fried beef or chicken in and coat in the sauce, turn your heat to low, and let simmer for 3 or 4 minutes
- Serve immediately over rice or your preferred side!!2 cups Prepared Rice
Notes
- If you don’t want to or don’t have time, you can quickly sauté your chicken instead of frying! Quickly sauté your thinly sliced meat in a little vegetable oil seasoned with salt and pepper. Set aside and proceed with vegetables and sauce as instructed.
- Sliced green or spring onions are a classic add-in, but I really do not like them, so you do you, lol.
- If using regular soy sauce, reduce to 1 tbsp
- Out of convenience, we always use prepared minced garlic and ginger
- Any prepared Thai style sweet chili sauce will work, we use the store brand and have great results
- For more protein or flavor, add in unsalted blanched peanuts when adding your beef or chicken to the sauce.
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