Chilli chicken is a popular Indo-Chinese dish made with marinated and fried chicken tossed in a spicy, tangy sauce. It’s typically made by coating chicken pieces in a batter, frying them until crispy, and then stir-frying them with onions, peppers, garlic, and a flavorful sauce made with soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce. It’s a delicious blend of spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavors! Would you like a recipe to try making it?
Here’s a detailed recipe for making chili chicken:
Ingredients:
For Marination:
- 500g boneless chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch/cornflour
- Salt to taste
For Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 1 bell pepper/capsicum (sliced)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit lengthwise, adjust to your spice preference)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 spring onion (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions:
Marinating the Chicken:
- In a bowl, mix the chicken pieces with soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger-garlic paste, black pepper powder, and salt.
- Add the egg and cornstarch/cornflour to the chicken. Mix well, ensuring the chicken pieces are evenly coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cooking the Dish:
- Heat oil in a pan/wok over medium-high heat for frying.
- Once the oil is hot, fry the marinated chicken pieces in batches until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Making the Sauce:
- In the same pan, keep a tablespoon of oil and sauté chopped garlic and ginger until fragrant.
- Add sliced onions, bell peppers, and green chilies. Stir-fry on high heat for a couple of minutes until they’re slightly tender yet crispy.
- Lower the heat and add soy sauce, chili sauce, tomato ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce. Toss and coat the chicken evenly with the sauce.
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat, allowing the chicken to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- Garnish with chopped spring onions.
Serving:
- Serve hot garnished with more spring onions.
- It pairs excellently with steamed rice or fried rice as a main course or can be served as an appetizer.
Enjoy your homemade chili chicken! Adjust the spice levels and sauces according to your taste preferences.
