Chilli Chicken Recipe
Introduction: Chilli Chicken is a delectable Indo-Chinese dish known for its bold flavors and spicy kick. It’s made by marinating chicken pieces in a flavorful sauce, frying them until crispy, and tossing them in a delicious gravy. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the process of making Chilli Chicken at home.
Ingredients:
For Marinating the Chicken:
- 500 grams boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper (capsicum), thinly sliced
- 3-4 green chilies, slit (adjust to your spice preference)
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
- Salt to taste
- A handful of spring onion greens, chopped for garnish
- Water or chicken broth as needed
Instructions:
1. Marinating the Chicken:
a. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken pieces, egg, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger-garlic paste, salt, and pepper.
b. Mix well until the chicken pieces are evenly coated. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes. You can refrigerate it for a couple of hours for better flavor absorption.
2. Frying the Chicken:
a. Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.
b. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the marinated chicken pieces one by one, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
c. Fry the chicken until it turns golden brown and crispy. This should take about 4-5 minutes per batch.
d. Remove the fried chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat the frying process for the remaining chicken batches.
3. Preparing the Sauce:
a. In the same pan, remove excess oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons behind.
b. Add thinly sliced onions, bell peppers, and green chilies. Sauté them on high heat for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften and develop a slight char.
c. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
d. Lower the heat and add soy sauce, chili sauce, tomato ketchup, sugar, black pepper powder, and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for a minute.
e. Add a little water or chicken broth to create a gravy. You can adjust the amount of liquid based on your preferred consistency.
f. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the gravy to thicken slightly.
4. Combining the Chicken and Sauce:
a. Just before serving, add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce. Toss them gently to coat evenly with the flavorful sauce.
b. Garnish the Chilli Chicken with chopped spring onion greens.
5. Serving:
a. Serve the hot and spicy Chilli Chicken immediately with steamed rice or as a side dish with noodles.
Tips:
- Adjust the spice level by adding or reducing the number of green chilies and chili sauce.
- For extra flavor, you can include diced garlic or garlic sauce in the sauce.
- Ensure the chicken is completely dry before marinating to achieve a crispy texture when frying.
- Use boneless chicken thighs for a juicier and more flavorful result, but boneless chicken breast works well too.
- Feel free to customize the vegetables in the dish by adding mushrooms, broccoli, or snap peas.
- If you prefer a thicker gravy, mix 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with water and add it to the sauce.
- You can make a healthier version of this dish by pan-frying the marinated chicken instead of deep-frying it.
Variations:
- Dry Chilli Chicken: Skip the gravy step, and you’ll have a dry version of Chilli Chicken, perfect as a snack or appetizer.
- Chilli Paneer: Replace the chicken with paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes to make Chilli Paneer.
- Gobi Manchurian: Substitute cauliflower florets for chicken to create Gobi Manchurian, a popular vegetarian Indo-Chinese dish.
- Chilli Fish: Use boneless fish pieces instead of chicken to prepare Chilli Fish.
- Mushroom Chilli: Swap out the meat and use sliced mushrooms for a vegetarian Mushroom Chilli.
- Schezwan Chilli Chicken: Add Schezwan sauce to the recipe for an extra spicy kick.
With this detailed Chilli Chicken recipe, you can prepare a flavorful and spicy Indo-Chinese dish that’s sure to satisfy your taste buds. Enjoy your homemade Chilli Chicken!
