crispy chilli beef 

If you’re craving a Chinese takeaway classic, but want to use your air fryer instead, then this crispy chilli beef recipe is for you. Tender and crispy beef strips in a sweet and spicy sauce.

If you’ve never had crispy chilli beef, then it’s time you tried it.

A crispy chilli beef recipe sees thin strips of beef coated in egg and cornflour, deep-fried to crispy perfection, and then coated in a delicious sauce made from sweet chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, garlic and rice wine vinegar. 

• PREP TIME 15minutes mins
• COOK TIME 15minutes mins
• TOTAL TIME 30minutes mins

Ingredients

• 360 g steak of choice sliced against the grain into thin strips
• 6 tablespoons of cornflour
• 1-2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of ketchup
• 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 2 cloves of garlic pressed
• 1 red pepper sliced into strips
• 2 teaspoons of sriracha sauce or hot sauce more if you like it spicy
• Sesame seeds for garnish
• Chopped spring onions for garnish

Instructions

• Start by thinly slicing your chosen cut of beef into fairly uniform and even strips and slice against the grain to ensure you get tender pieces of meat.
• Put the steak strips in a bowl, then add one egg. Using your hands make sure all the the beef strips are coated in the egg.
• Spray your air fryer basket with oil to prevent sticking or line with baking paper or foil. Preheat your air fryer to 200°c (390F) for five minutes.
• Add the cornflour/cornstarch to a bowl, and then add a few strips of beef to the cornflour at a time, making sure that each strip is coated in the cornflour. Put to one side, and continue to coat the beef strips.
• Once you’ve coated each strip, lightly spray with vegetable oil on both sides or using a brush, dip in some vegetable oil and lightly brush over each strip.
• Lay the strips in a single layer in your air fryer basket.
• Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding. Air fryer the beef for 5-6 minutes at 200°C (400°F), and then turn the beef strips over and air fry for another 5-6 minutes until they have a crispy texture.
• Meanwhile, make the tangy sauce. In a saucepan, combine sweet chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, sriracha sauce and minced garlic. Stir well then add the sliced red peppers/bell peppers and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Once the beef strips are crispy, transfer them to the pan with the tangy sauce and red peppers and stir until each strip is coated in deliciousness.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds and spring onions over the top before serving.