If you are fond of eating non-veg and you like spicy crispy dishes, then Chicken Chilli is the perfect recipe for you. It is an Indo-Chinese dish and I have seen that nowadays it is available in almost every restaurant and street food stall and people also like it very much. It is very tasty to eat, but the most special thing is that you can make it at home very easily. Be it a house party, a gathering of friends or evening hunger, Chicken Chilli always wins everyone’s heart.
Today, we’ll show you an easy way to make the perfect spicy and crispy chicken chilli at home. This recipe is unique and includes some little secrets that make it just like the restaurant version. So, let’s find out.
What is Chicken Chilli
Chicken chilli is actually an Indo-Chinese dish, which means it originated in India and is made using Chinese cooking techniques. Its biggest speciality is its crispy texture and tangy-sweet and spicy flavour. It is perfect for those who love spicy food and also want something crunchy. According to me, now you must have understood well what chicken chilli is.
Ingredients: What do you need?
First of all, let’s know what things we are going to need to make Chicken Chilli
For Chicken Marination
- Chicken breast (boneless), cut into small cubes – 500 grams
- Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
- Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
- Green chili paste – 1 teaspoon
- Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
- Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
- Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
For the crispy coating on the chicken
- Cornflour – 1/2 cup (the key to crispiness!)
- All-purpose flour – 2 tablespoons
- Egg – 1 (vegetarians can omit this if they prefer)
- Cold water – 3-4 tablespoons (to keep the batter thick)
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – for deep frying
For the sauce and gravy
- Oil – 2 tablespoons
- Dried red chilies (broken) – 2-3
- Garlic (finely chopped) – 1 tablespoon
- Ginger (finely chopped) – 1 teaspoon
- Green chilies (finely chopped) – 1-2
- Onions (cut into large squares) – 1 medium-sized
- Capsicum (green, red, yellow – all colors, large-cut) – 1 each
- Soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
- Tomato ketchup – 2 tablespoons
- Coriander leaves (chopped) – 2 tablespoons
- Salt – to taste
- Sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Water or vegetable stock – 1/2 cup
- Cornflour – 1 teaspoon (to thicken the gravy)
How to Make Chicken Chilli: Step-by-Step Guide
With the help of the below, we will understand how to make Chicken Chilli spicy and crispy and that too very easily.
Marinating the Chicken (Step 1 of the Flavoring)
First of all, take the chopped chicken pieces in a bowl, add soya sauce, ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, lemon juice, black pepper powder and salt, mix it well and keep it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Remember, the more time you give to marination, the more delicious and soft the chicken will become, which will be even more enjoyable to eat.
Preparing the crispy coating
In a separate bowl, add cornflour flour and a little salt. Now break an egg into it and add it (if you do not have an egg), then add a little water and make a thick batter and mix it very well. Keep in mind that the batter should not be too thin, it should be thick enough to coat the chicken pieces well.
Now dip the marinated chicken pieces in this mixture and coat them well.
Frying the chicken until golden and crispy
Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough (check by dropping a small piece in it, if it floats then the oil is ready), then add the coated chicken pieces one by one.
Keep in mind not to add all the chicken pieces at once or else they will stick together. Add them little by little and fry them on medium flame till they turn golden brown and crispy. Once ready, take them out and place them on a kitchen paper towel. This will drain out the extra oil and you will be left with fried chicken.
Preparing the zesty sauce
- Take another pan or wok and heat two tablespoons of oil in it.
- Add dry red chilies and finely chopped garlic to the hot oil and fry them lightly.
- Now add chopped green chillies, large chopped onions and capsicum in it. Fry them a little on high flame so that they remain crunchy and do not become soft. Do not fry them for more than two-three minutes.
- Now add soya sauce, tomato ketchup, sugar and salt as per taste and mix them all well.
- If you want a little gravy in chicken chilli, then take one spoon Cornflour in three-four spoons of water and put it in the pan, then add half a cup of water or stew and cook till the sauce thickens a little.
Final Assembly
Now add the fried crispy chicken pieces to this hot sauce and mix everything well on low flame for just a minute or two so that all the chicken pieces get coated well in the sauce. Do not cook for too long otherwise the crispiness of the chicken will be lost.
Some special tips and tricks
- The secret to crispiness : Cornflour is what gives chicken the perfect crunch. You can also use cornflour to make your chicken even more crunchy.
- Double Fry Trick : For more crispiness, lightly fry the chicken once and remove it. Heat the oil again, add all the pieces and fry until crispy. This method helps keep the chicken crispy for a longer time.
- Vegetables : Always stir-fry vegetables (onions, capsicum) over high heat to maintain their crunch.
- No bathing in sauce : Don’t cook the chicken in the sauce for too long; just coat it and take it out, only then will it retain its crunch.
Conclusion
Chicken Chilli is not just a dish but a huge Indian favourite where the spicy taste meets the crunchiness. The perfect combination of marinated chicken, crunchy coating and spicy sauce makes it a perfect choice for every foodie. It wins hearts every time in terms of taste and you can make it your special recipe by adjusting the spices and crunchiness as per your taste. So once you make it, you will want to make it again and again.
