If you think you have tasted all the flavours of chicken till now, then wait a minute, today I will take you to a world of Andhra spices and your taste buds, where chicken is not just a dish but a passion. This recipe is for the brave hearts who can taste a little ‘heat’ without any fear. You will find this recipe nowhere else in Andhra Pradesh but only at Nama Bengaluru restaurant. This dish has been made popular by famous Bengaluru Andhra restaurants like RR, Nandini and Nagarjuna.
This isn’t the typical restaurant-style “chili chicken,” where the sole purpose is to make the chicken look red. Here, every bite is infused with the aroma of Andhra’s fiery chilies and tadka. So, let’s make it without further ado.
Ingredients to make it
For marination
- Boneless chicken – 500 grams (cut into medium pieces)
- Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
- Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
- Corn flour – 2 tablespoons
- Maida – 2 tablespoons
- Egg – 1
- Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
To make the gravy/sauce
- Oil – for frying
- Curry leaves – 1 handful
- Green chilies – 5 to 6 (sliced lengthwise)
- Garlic – 6 to 8 cloves (finely chopped)
- Onion – 1 (thinly chopped)
- Red chili paste – 1 tablespoon (optional)
- Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Soy sauce – 1 teaspoon
- Vinegar – 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
Method of making it
To marinade the chicken
Take chicken pieces in a big bowl, add red chilli powder, turmeric, soya sauce, vinegar, ginger garlic paste and salt and mix everything well. Each piece of chicken should be coated well. Now add cornflour and mix again because cornflour will give crispy texture to the chicken. Now keep it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The longer the chicken is marinated, the better it will taste.
Frying the Chicken
Heat oil in a wok or pan. Once hot, fry the marinated chicken pieces over medium heat until golden and crispy. Once fried, remove them and place them on a plate.
Prepare the sauce
Add a little more oil to the same pan (if needed). Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds to the hot oil. When they start crackling, add curry leaves. Add chopped ginger, garlic, and green chilies and fry until lightly golden, until fragrant. Then add the sliced onion and fry over medium heat until the onion becomes slightly translucent and soft. Add the bell peppers and fry for another 2 minutes. The bell peppers should remain slightly crunchy.
The most important things
- Add freshly ground coriander-cumin powder, black pepper powder, and garam masala to the onion-capsicum mixture and mix well.
- Now add the fried chicken pieces.
- Coat all the pieces thoroughly with the spices, ensuring each piece is coated in the sauce. Let it cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the flavor of the sauce.
- Finally, add the freshly chopped coriander leaves and mix lightly.
Tips and Secrets to Make Perfect Spicy Andhra Chilli Chicken
- Maintaining the crunch : If you prefer a more crunchy chili chicken, deep-fry it. You can also shallow-fry it if you prefer a slightly crispier version.
- Control the spiciness : The spiciness is up to your liking. You can adjust the amount of green chilies. You can also adjust the amount of red chili powder. Otherwise, the amount of chili will become too much and you won’t be able to eat it, so add chili sparingly.
- Sauce consistency : Andhra-style chili chicken typically doesn’t have much gravy. It’s a dry or semi-dry dish. If you prefer a little gravy, you can add a little tomato sauce or water to the spices.
Conclusion
Andhra-style chili chicken isn’t just a dish, it’s a powerful combination of flavor and spice. If you want to make it at home without the hassle, you can follow the steps above. The aroma of garlic, chilies, and curry leaves in every bite will be so strong that you won’t be able to resist. So, give it a try at home.
