These dishes are usually served as entrees or mains alongside rice or noodles prepared with different seasoning, sauce and flavours. One of the dishes that is hands-down the most popular in both street-side stalls and fine dining restaurants is chilli chicken. There is something about chilli chicken that makes it a delicacy we can never get enough of. The boneless tender chicken pieces batter-fried and tossed with stir-fried veggies, coated with an array of sauces is a fiery fusion of flavours makes it a glutinous, greasy winner.

To make this dish you will need chicken leg, refined flour, cornflour, red chilli paste, chopped ginger, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, spring onion, coriander, egg, green chilli, oil, salt, white pepper powder. Begin by thoroughly cleaning the chicken leg then cut it and marinate with salt, 2 grams of pepper powder, some chopped ginger, chopped chilli and a dash of soy sauce. To this mix, add 30 grams of refined flour and 30 grams of cornflour.

Heat about 75 ml of oil in a pan and fry the marinated chicken cubes on high heat first and then lower the heat. You have to fry the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown and crisp. Check if it is cooked from inside, remove the pieces from the hot oil and keep it aside on a plate. Now take a wok and add some oil, after the oil is hot add about 10 grams of chopped ginger, 15 grams of chopped garlic, some Bhavnagri chilli dices, 50 grams of spring onion whites and 25 grams of red chilli paste.

After cooking it for a while, toss the fried chicken pieces and add some more soy sauce. Saute well so that the chicken dices get coated with the rest of the ingredients. Finish with about 20 grams of freshly chopped coriander leaves and 25 grams of spring onion greens. Serve it steaming hot.

You can serve chilli chicken as an entrée, for the main course, lay a serving of chilli chicken on a bed of noodles or steamed rice. If you want to try something different from the classic combination, serve it as a roll or use it as a sandwich filling with some pita bread. Try this restaurant-style chilli chicken recipe at home and share your experience in the comment section below.

Ingredients;

  • 500 grams chicken thighs or chicken breasts
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons cornflour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chilli sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
  • 1 egg
  • Oil for Frying

For the Sauce;

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chilli sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon distilled vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water

For the stir fry;

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3–4 green chillies
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • 3 large onions
  • 1 large green capsicum
  • 2–3 spring onions, finely chopped

Instructions;

  1. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients listed under marinade (flour, cornflour, ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, chilli sauce, chilli powder, pepper powder and egg) and add chicken.
  2. Set aside for 15 minutes to an hour.
  3. Heat oil for deep frying in a deep pan or kadhai to the depth of 3/4 inches. Once the oil is hot enough, start adding the chicken pieces and deep fry for 5-8 minutes, turning once or twice till golden brown on both sides.
  4. Take the chicken pieces out on a tray lined with tissue to absorb any extra oil and set aside.
  5. In the meanwhile, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce (soy sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli powder and vinegar) with 1/4 cup water and set aside.
  6. In another wok or kadhai, heat one and a half tablespoons oil and add green chillies, ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute or so and add the cubed onions.
  7. Stir fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes and add the capsicum and fried chicken. Toss together and cook for 2 minutes. This helps the chicken take on the smoky flavour from the capsicum.
  8. Add the sauce to the chicken on high heat and toss well till the sauce coats the chicken. Stir fry for a minute or two and switch off the flame. Top with spring onions and serve immediately