Chili Crisp Fried Eggs (sunny side up)

Almost more of an idea than a recipe, this is such a simply delicious way to serve eggs. If you’ve never sampled (let alone heard of) chili crisp before, then this is going to be a wonderful introduction for you. It is just about the most delicious, addictive condiment since … maybe Sriracha? It is a spicy, garlicky, crunchy, creamy pan of food that is incredible when served up with some fluffy, warm flatbread for dragging. A true MKL favorite to be sure …

What is Chili Crisp?

In a word? It’s a condiment. In several words? It is as follows:

Salty, crunchy, oily (in a good way, though), garlicky, and of course – spicy. It is my dream condiment, to be exact. I use it so much and on so many things that I cook/eat, that I really wanted it to hold some sort of spot here on this site.

Chili Crisp is a Chinese condiment defined by its uniquely crunchy texture and umami-bomb of a flavor profile. I say unique in that, it manages to hold an addictive crunch even though the whole lot of it is swimming in oil. Wonderful!

This stuff gained a huge following during the pandemic, which is when I first laid eyes (and spoon) on the stuff. Let’s just say I was more than pleased to make its acquaintance.

Lao Gan Ma is the most well-known, mass-produced chili crisp. It was created by Tao Huabi, who started bottling it and selling it in 1997 after realizing how popular the condiment was at her noodle shop in the Guizhou province of southern China. It became one of the most beloved condiments in China and soon became an obsession overseas as well. Eventually, Huabi retired as a multi-billionaire and was even voted “hottest woman in China” in 2017 at 70 years old.

While Huabi made chili crisp famous, similar infused oil condiments have been used in China for centuries.

Today.com

The trick to cooking sunny side up eggs is this …

Okay, so really this is the easiest way to cook an egg, in my opinion. It’s easier than scrambling, because you save a bowl (i.e. a dish to wash). You also don’t have to scramble or stir a thing. It is easier than making an omelette, because let’s be honest – all manner of egg cookery is probably easier than cooking an omelette. You don’t have to flip them, you don’t have to really pay attention to the yolks, wondering if they’re over-hard, over-medium, or over-easy.

No, with sunny side up eggs (and in this Chili Crisp Fried Eggs version), you’re simply spooning the hot, buttery-oily mixture over the gently cooking whites to help them along in their pursuit of opacity. What I mean is, we’re just spooning the oil over the whites to finish cooking them. Easy!

Put it this way, if you can spoon sugar into your coffee, or dressing over your salad – you can make these eggs, no sweat.

The Sunny Side Up Eggs Method, in Three Easy Steps

1. Crack your eggs into a (preferably nonstick) skillet that has been slicked and primed with a good amount of fat – in this case, butter and chili crisp. The chili crisp is an infused oil, so that oil is a perfect cooking medium for the eggs. The butter helps counter the spice and also adds a good amount of fat for the eggs to cook in, which they need.
2. Don’t flip the eggs – baste them. Yes, we’re “basting” here, and by that I simply mean that we are spooning the buttery, chili crisp oil up and over the egg whites (not the yolks!) so they can gently finish cooking.
3. Gently transfer the cooked eggs to a serving plate/platter or enjoy straight out of the pan.

What you’ll need

Simple as can be yet packed with drool-worthy flavor, this is a totally perfect addition to our library of minimalist recipes. I’m thrilled to share and spread the chili crisp gospel with y’all.

You only need some eggs (a great time to use some high quality eggs, if you can), butter, chili crisp (sometimes referred to/sold as chili crunch), and freshly chopped cilantro. I do HIGHLY recommend having some sort of bread-like option at the ready, because all of that warm, buttery chili crisp goodness isn’t going to sop itself, you know? I mean, eggs will do a little bit of that, sure

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons chili crisp (depending on your heat preference, stir before using)

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (tender leaves and stems)

Serving Suggestion: Freshly toasted flatbread, naan, or sourdough for dragging and dredging through all of the spicy, buttery, yolk-y goodness. 

How to Make Chili Crisp Fried Eggs

Sometimes the content I share here is almost intended to stand more as simple-yet-effective inspiration, rather than original recipes. These Chili Crisp fried eggs aren’t some invention of mine – I saw them on YouTube one day when I was procrasti-scrolling and literally drooled (always a sign that you should give something a try). I adore chili crisp (put it on most things I eat) and I do think that sizzling up some fresh, sunny side eggs in all of that allium-sceneted, spicy-as-all-get-out goodness is a really great idea.

Again, not an original thought on my part – I take zero credit for it. I’m just a girl, sitting in front of a computer screen, hoping my dear readers will jump on this crazy spicy train with me. It’s a delicious thing to do, what can I say?

Without further ado, here’s what you do:

DIRECTIONS

Place a large (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium heat and add the butter and chili crisp. Ensure this buttery mixture is evenly spread across the pan, and feel free to add more of each component to suit your taste here.

When it’s all nice and hot, add your eggs, ensuring they each get their own area of the pan. Let them sizzle and cook for about 30 seconds, season with salt and (if you like) some black pepper. 

For sunny side up eggs, you don’t ever flip them but rather, you simply spoon some of the hot chili crisp butter up and over the whites, cooking them gently all the way through (tilting the pan slightly helps). Avoid the yolks to keep them nice and runny. 

When you’ve sufficiently cooked the whites (i.e. no more translucent rawness visible) you can serve the whole skillet family style with bread on the side, or transfer them to individual plates. Shower with cilantro and enjoy. 

If you like the looks of these Chili Crisp Fried Eggs, you might also want to check out:

Spinach, Tomato, and Brie Souffle Omelette

Pasta Frittata with Fixins

Everything Can Be Breakfast Tostadas

Print