Chilli Chicken is a crispy, spicy, and mildly sweet Indo-Chinese dish that has been adapted from Chinese Hakka Heritage. It is usually made with boneless chicken breast or thighs, basic chili sauce or Chinese sauces, and other aromatics. The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make Chilli Chicken Dry and Gravy with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe below to show the making process visually clear. This Chinese Chilli Chicken is one of the best stir-fry dishes and is usually served as a starter or appetizer for lunch and dinner. And the best part is it also tastes great as a side dish for fried rice, noodles, or soups.
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What is Chilli Chicken?
Chilli Chicken is a crispy, spicy, and mildly sweet Indo-Chinese dish that has been adapted from Chinese Hakka Heritage. It is usually made with boneless chicken breast or thighs, basic Chinese sauces, and other aromatics. This fusion Chinese Chilli Chicken is usually served as a starter or side dish with fried rice, noodles, or soups.
So what is a fusion recipe? Even though the classic Chilli Chicken is rooted in Chinese cuisine and its cooking technique, they are modified with some of the Indian ingredients. For instance, you may find ginger garlic paste, chili powder, and green chilies for making this dish.
Chilli Chicken is usually made either dry or in gravy form, depending on individuals' preferences. And these variations are made by adjusting the amount of sauces, and liquid base.
Even though authentic Chinese recipes usually have a sweet and sour taste, here I have skipped adding sugar and vinegar to achieve that flavor. Since the chili or homemade Schezwan Sauce already has a good amount of sugar and vinegar in it. If you are not using homemade sauces and you need to feel the sweet flavor then feel free to add a tsp of sugar to your recipe.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this Chilli Chicken are basic Chinese and Indian pantry elements. So let's see what are they below.
For Marination
Following are the ingredients you will need for the marination.
- Chicken - Boneless Chicken Breast or thighs both work for this recipe. But I would suggest cutting them into bite-size pieces
- Soy Sauce - I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to cut down the high sodium intake
- Paprika and Black Pepper - I have used paprika here which delivers a deep red color to your chicken. But you can also substitute it with Kashmiri chili powder for similar results. Also adding some fresh ground black pepper delivers an earthy spicy flavor profile to your chicken
- Flours - All-purpose flour and cornstarch for coating the chicken
- Ginger Garlic Paste - For fresh aroma and flavor
For Chilli Chicken
Following are the ingredients to stir fry the Chilli Chicken.
- Aromatics - Ginger, garlic, green chili, and onion for stir-frying
- Bell Peppers - Delivers a sweet and crunchy texture when stir-fried
- Sauces - Low Sodium Soy Sauce, chili sauce or can substitute with Schezwan sauce or Sambal Olek
- Ketchup - For mild sweet, and tangy flavor
- Cornstarch Slurry - To thicken the sauces
For a detailed ingredients list, please check out the recipe card below
How to make Chilli Chicken Dry?
The recipe I have shared here is a Chilli Chicken, a popular Chinese fusion recipe. The recipe involves three steps marination, frying of chicken, and stir-frying it along with veggies and sauces.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Marinate - In a bowl add the boneless chicken breast, ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, black pepper powder, salt, paprika, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch. Give everything a good mix
- Rest - Close the bowl with a lid and rest the chicken for at least 15 minutes
- Add - In a frying pan with medium heat, add oil and add the marinated chicken pieces one by one without overcrowding the pan
- Fry - Fry the chicken pieces for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until it turns reddish brown color
- Remove - Remove it from the oil and reserve it for later use
- Saute the aromatics - Now in a wok with high-medium heat, pour oil and add ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Saute until everything turns aromatic
- Saute the Bell Peppers - Now add onions, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Saute until everything turns crisp yet tender
- Season - Add salt, ketchup, soy sauce, chili paste or Szechuan sauce, and ground black pepper, and give it a good stir
- Thicken the sauce - Add the cornstarch slurry and give it a good mix. Here I have added 3 tbsp water to slightly bring to thick sauce consistency
- Stir the fried chicken - Now add the fried chicken and give it a good stir until the sauce coats the chicken pieces
- Garnish - Finally, garnish with chopped spring onions and remove from the heat and serve
Note: Even though the recipe I have shared here is Chilli Chicken Dry, I have also shared how to make Chilli Chicken with gravy in the following section.
How to make Chilli Chicken Gravy?
To make Chilli Chicken with gravy, the steps from marination to frying the chicken remain the same. Check out the following steps to make the best Chilli Chicken with Gravy
- Adjust the sauce and liquid - The only thing you have to adjust is the quantity of the sauces while stir-frying and the liquid base
- Suggestion for sauce - So I would suggest adding 3 tsp of soy sauce instead of 2 tsp and 2 tsp of chili sauce instead of 1½ tsp while stir-frying
- Suggestion for liquid - So for the liquid base, adjust the water to 1 cup (I have used only 3 tbsp water for the above dry recipe). Note: the cornstarch slurry that is 1 tbsp starch diluted in 2 tbsp water remains the same
- Thicken the gravy -After adjusting the quantities, allow the sauce to turn glossy and thick
- Toss - Then toss in the fried chicken and garnish with spring onions.
- Serve - Now the Chilli Chicken with Gravy is ready for you to enjoy
Tips
- Marination - marinating the chicken and resting it for at least 15 to 30 minutes plays an important role in delivering a flavorful chicken. Resting them helps the chicken to absorb all the flavor from the seasoning, so I recommend not skipping it
- For Juicy Chicken - The size and cut of the chicken really matters when it comes to frying. So recommend cutting it into small bite-size pieces to achieve a crispy and juicy chicken
- Brining - Another important step for a juicy and tender chicken is brining. So in a bowl, add warm water that is enough to soak the chicken breast. Then add a tsp of salt. Add the boneless chicken breast or thighs to the water and soak it for at least 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the salt water and pat try with a kitchen paper towel. Then cut it into small bite-size pieces. Doing this will helps to achieve juicy chicken bites after it is cooked or fried
- Frying temperature - Frying the chicken at medium temperature is key for a perfect crispy chicken. So always make sure to maintain the temperature of the oil throughout the frying process
- Stir Frying Temperature - Also stir frying the veggies and sauces also should be done on high heat which delivers crispy veggies. So maintaining the heat of the wok at high temperatures is also important
- A Good Quality Wok - Using a good quality wok delivers earthy and rusting flavors to your dish. And if you look into many authentic Chinese recipes, home cooks, as well as restaurants, use a wok to make most stir fry dishes. But you can also use a regular pan if the wok is not handy for you
- Sauce - I also suggest using low-sodium soy sauce, homemade chili sauce, paste, or Schezwan sauce to cut down the high sodium content in your food
Storage Suggestions
This Chilli Chicken tastes great as soon as it is out of the wok. But you can also store the leftovers in the refrigerator in a closed container for up to a day. Reheat it in the microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes on high heat or until it is heated evenly.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Chinese Chilli Chicken as a starter or as a side dish with fried rice, brown rice, basmati Rice, or vegetable soup to enjoy it as a comforting meal. You can also pair it with Schezwan fried rice, egg fried rice, or other fried rice of your choice.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar Indo-Chinese recipes below and more at fried chicken recipes.
- Chicken Lollipop
- Chicken Manchurian
- Dragon Chicken
- Chili Garlic Chicken
- Chilli Paneer
- Tofu Chili
- Bread Chilli
- Andhra Chilli Chicken
- KFC Popcorn Chicken
- White Chicken Chili
More Chinese recipes.
Chilli Chicken Recipe Video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Chilli Chicken Recipe below that I hope will help you make the best Chinese recipe at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Chilli Chicken
Ingredients
For Marination
- 1.75 lb Boneless Chicken Breast, or thighs, cut into small bite size
- 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¾ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Paprika, or Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
For Chilli Chicken
- ¼ cup Oil, for frying
- 2 tsp Garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp Ginger, chopped
- 4 Green Chilies
- ¼ cup Onion, or 1 medium size sliced
- ¼ cup Green Bell Pepper, diced
- ¼ cup Red Bell Pepper, diced
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- Salt, as needed
- 1½ tsp Chili Sauce, or Schezwan Sauce
- 2 tsp Ketchup
- 2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch, diluted in 2 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp Water
- Spring Onions, to garnish
Instructions
To marinate the Chicken
- In a bowl add the boneless chicken breast, ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, black pepper powder, salt, paprika, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch. Give everything a good mix. Close the bowl with a lid and rest the chicken for at least 15 minutes
To make Chilli Chicken
- In a frying pan with medium heat, add oil and add marinated chicken pieces one by one without overcrowding the pan. Fry the chicken pieces for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until it turns reddish brown color
- Remove it from the oil and reserve it for later use
- Now in a wok with high-medium heat, pour oil and add ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Saute until everything turns aromatic
- Now add onions, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper, and saute until everything turns crisp yet tender
- Add salt, soy sauce, chili paste or Szechuan sauce, and ground black pepper, and give it a good stir
- Add the cornstarch slurry and give it a good mix. Here I have added 3 tbsp water to slightly bring to thick sauce consistency
- Now add the fried chicken and give it a good stir until the sauce coats the chicken pieces
- Finally, garnish with chopped spring onions and remove from the heat
To Serve
- Serve this Chinese Chilli Chicken as a starter or as a side dish with fried rice, brown rice, basmati rice, or vegetable soup to enjoy it as a comforting meal
Video
Notes
- Marination - marinating the chicken and resting it for at least 15 to 30 minutes plays an important role in delivering a flavorful chicken. Resting them helps the chicken to absorb all the flavor from the seasoning, so I recommend not skipping it
- For Juicy Chicken - The size and cut of the chicken really matters when it comes to frying. So recommend cutting it into small bite-size pieces to achieve a crispy and juicy chicken
- Brining - Another important step for a juicy and tender chicken is brining. So in a bowl, add warm water that is enough to soak the chicken breast. Then add a tsp of salt. Add the boneless chicken breast or thighs to the water and soak it for at least 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the salt water and pat try with a kitchen paper towel. Then cut it into small bite-size pieces. Doing this will helps to achieve juicy chicken bites after it is cooked or fried
- Frying temperature - Frying the chicken at medium-high temperature is key for a perfect crispy chicken. So always make sure to maintain the temperature of the oil throughout the frying process
- Stir Frying Temperature - Also stir frying the veggies and sauces also should be done on high heat which delivers crispy veggies. So maintaining the heat of the wok at high temperatures is also important
- A Good Quality Wok - Using a good quality wok delivers earthy and rusting flavors to your dish. And if you look into many authentic Chinese recipes, home cooks, as well as restaurants, use a wok to make most stir fry dishes. But you can also use a regular pan if the wok is not handy for you
- Sauce - I also suggest using low-sodium soy sauce, homemade chili sauce, paste, or schezwan sauce to cut down the high sodium content in your food
Nutrition
FAQ
Chilli Chicken is a crispy, spicy, and mildly sweet Indo-Chinese dish that has been adapted from Chinese Hakka Heritage. It is usually made with boneless chicken breast or thighs, basic Chinese sauces, and other aromatics. This fusion Chinese Chilli Chicken is usually served as a starter or side dish with fried rice, noodles, or soups. And it is usually made either dry or in gravy form, depending on individuals' preferences.
Yes, you can use boneless thighs instead of breasts for this recipe.
It is a spicy, crunchy, and mildly sweet chicken dish. The chicken is usually marinated in a soy sauce, and flour marinade, fried, and then stir-fried with onions, bell peppers, and some sauces. So you can also taste the crunchy bites from the veggies and the deep flavor and taste of the Chinese sauces.
Serve this Chinese Chilli Chicken as a starter or as a side dish with fried rice, brown rice, basmati rice, or Vegetable Soup to enjoy it as a comforting meal. You can also pair it with Schezwan Fried Rice, Egg Fried, or other fried rice of your choice.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe I shared here and I would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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