Prawn Paste Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 servings chili sauce (see note above)
• 0.5 cup cornstarch (see note above)
• 2.5 teaspoons granulated sugar 
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 
• 2 quarts vegetable oil; peanut oil preferred 
• 1  chicken whole

Equipment

• bowl
• paper towels
• whisk
• slotted spoon
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Break chicken down into the following portions: each leg cut into 2 pieces, each thigh cut into 3 pieces, wing tip separated from wing drumette, each bone-in breast cut into 4 pieces total (see note above).
2. Whisk har cheong, 1/4 cup water, sugar, and oyster sauce until smooth.
3. Add chicken pieces to bowl and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and chill for 3 hours, stirring occasionally to evenly marinate chicken.
4. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat to 375°F. Adjust heat to maintain temperature.
5. Working in batches, remove chicken pieces from shrimp paste mixture and pat lightly with paper towels. Dredge well in cornstarch. Cook until chicken is golden and cooked through (160°F for white meat, 165°F for dark), 4 to 6 minutes.
6. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel lined plate.
7. Heat oil to 375°F. Working in batches, return chicken to oil and cook until deep golden, about 2 minutes more.
8. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and serve immediately with chili sauce on the side.