Chilli Paneer is a sweet, sour, and spicy Indo-Chinese dish from the Chinese Hakka Heritage. It is the vegetarian version of the popular Chilli Chicken and is usually made with paneer, bell peppers, chili sauce or Chinese sauces and aromatics.
This restaurant-style Chilli Paneer is one of the best appetizer dishes that tastes great with fried rice, noodles, and other sides of your choice for lunch and dinner. And the best part is it comes under in 30 minutes.
The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make Chilli Paneer 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 make the cooking process visually clear.
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What is Chilli Paneer?
Chilli Paneer is a sweet, sour, and spicy Indo-Chinese dish from the Chinese Hakka Heritage. It is the vegetarian version of Chilli chicken and is usually made with paneer, bell peppers, Chinese sauces, and aromatics.
It is one of the popular restaurant-style dishes and you may find Chilli Panner in gravy and dry form. Some restaurants also offer semi-gravy versions according to individual preferences.
The recipe is usually made with shallow or deep-fried paneer that is stir-fried in a spicy sauce. You may also find crunchy bites of onions, and bell peppers that add so much flavor to this dish.
This lip-smacking Chilli Paneer pairs great as a starter or side dish with egg fried rice, Schezwan fried rice, or noodles or even tastes great with brown rice and basmati rice.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this Chilli Paneer are basic Indian and Chinese pantry elements. So let's see what are they below.
For Marination
Following are the ingredients you will need for the marination.
- Paneer - Storebought paneer or homemade paneer both work perfectly well for this recipe
- 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 paneer. 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 paneer
- Flours - All-purpose flour and cornstarch for coating the chicken
- Ginger Garlic Paste - For fresh aroma and flavor and also delivers a unique taste to your dish
For Chilli Paneer
Following are the ingredients required to stir-fry the Chilli Paneer.
- 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
- Brown Sugar - Delivers earthy, caramel-like mild sweet taste and perfectly balances the other spicy and sour flavors
- Rice Vinegar - For mild sweet, acidic taste and you can also use regular or apple cider vinegar instead for similar results
- 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 Paneer Dry?
The recipe I have shared here is a Chilli Paneer, a popular restaurant-style Indo-Chinese recipe. It is the vegetarian version of the classic chilli chicken. The recipe involves three steps marination, frying of paneer, 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 wide bowl, add paneer and other ingredients mentioned in the marination list above
- Mix - Give everything a good mix until all the seasonings coats well on the paneer. (Here I haven't added salt as the soy sauce already has enough salt in it). Also, I did not rest the marinated paneer here before shallow frying
- Add Paneer - In a frying pan with medium heat, add 2 to 3 tbsp of oil and add the marinated paneer one by one without overcrowding the pan
- Shallow Fry - Shallow fry the paneer until all the sides turn a golden color
- Remove - Remove the fried paneer and reserve it for later use
- Saute aromatics - Now in a wok with high heat, add ¼ cup of oil and add ginger, garlic, green chili, and green onions, and saute until it turns aromatic
- Stir Fry - Add the onions, and bell peppers and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until everything turns crisp
- Season - Now add the soy sauce, chili sauce, black pepper powder, and salt, and give it a good toss
- Thicken the sauce - Add the cornstarch slurry and mix well until it turns glossy and saucy texture
- Add Paneer -Now add the fried paneer and give it a good toss
- Garnish - Finally, garnish with spring onions and remove from the heat
- Serve - Serve this Chilli Paneer as a starter, or appetizer with fried rice, noodles, or with plain basmati rice for lunch and dinner
Note: Even though the recipe I have shared here is Chilli Paneer Dry, I have also shared how to make Chilli Paneer with gravy in the following section.
How to make Chilli Paneer Gravy?
To make Chilli Paneer with gravy, the steps from marination to frying the Paneer remain the same. Check out the following steps to make the best Chilli Paneer 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 tbsp of soy sauce instead of 2 tbsp and 1½ tbsp of chili sauce instead of 1 tbsp while stir-frying
- Suggestion for liquid - So for the liquid base, add 1 cup of water along with other sauces. (I haven't used water for the above dry recipe). Note: the cornstarch slurry that is 1 tbsp starch diluted in 3 tbsp water remains the same. You can also use 1½ cups of water if you are looking for extra gravy
- Thicken the gravy -After adjusting the quantities, allow the sauce to turn glossy and thick
- Toss - Then toss in the fried paneer and garnish with spring onions.
- Serve - Now the Chilli Paneer with Gravy is ready for you to enjoy
Tips
- For Soft Paneer - Both Homemade and store-bought Paneer work perfectly well for this recipe. Always don't let the cut paneer stay out for long which makes a hard and dry outer layer. Remove the paneer from the package and cut and marinate immediately. Or you can also soak the cut Paneer in warm or lukewarm water until you marinate them
- Marination - marinating the Paneer helps to absorb the flavor from the seasoning. And they don't taste flavorless once they are stir-fried. Usually, people make batter to coat the paneer before frying. But here I have added cornstarch and all-purpose flour along with other marination ingredients to coat the paneer. No watery batter is required for this recipe. By doing this way the flour and seasoning never fall apart while frying
- Sauces - Sauce plays an important role in enhancing the taste of the dish, so I recommend not compromising on it. But to cut down the high sodium intake, I suggest using low-sodium soy sauce and organic rice vinegar, ketchup, and homemade chili sauce for making the recipe a little healthier
- Shallow Fry - Even though most restaurant-style Chilli Paneer recipes call for deep frying, I recommend shallow frying the paneer in little oil. Shallow frying also delivers the same results as deep frying
- Prep Ahead - Since the ingredients have to be stir-fried on high heat wok quickly, I suggest preparing your ingredients and veggies ahead. Because you will not have time to cut, chop or search for ingredients when stir-frying starts
- Frying Temperature - Always shallow fry the paneer in medium heat oil to achieve a reddish-golden color texture. Also, don't fry them too long which makes them burn and hard
- Stir Frying Temperature - The wok should always be on high heat, and you should stir fry the ingredient quickly to achieve crispy yet tender veggies
- Good Quality Wok - In authentic Chinese recipes, home cooks, as well as in restaurants, people use a wok to stir fry dishes. It helps to achieve an earthy and rustic flavor in your food. But you can also use a regular pan if the wok is not handy for you
Storage Suggestions
This Chilli Paneer tastes excellent 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.
Note that stir fry recipes turn soggy if it is reheated often and you may not feel the same crispiness compared to freshly made ones.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Chilli Paneer 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 can also find similar recipes below and more at starter recipes and Indo-Chinese recipes.
- Chilli Chicken
- Chicken Lollipop
- Dragon Chicken
- Chicken Manchurian
- Tofu Chilli
- Bread Chilli
- Green Chilli Chicken
- Garlic Chili Chicken
- Vegetarian Chili
- White Chicken Chili
More Paneer recipes.
Chilli Paneer Recipe Video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Chilli Paneer Recipe below that I hope will help you to make a restaurant-style dish at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Chilli Paneer
Ingredients
For Marination
- 1.75 lb Paneer, cut into small squares
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Paprika, or Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce, low sodium
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
For Stir Frying
- ¼ cup Oil, +2 tbsp for shallow frying paneer
- 1 tsp Ginger, chopped
- 1 tsp Garlic, chopped
- 3 Green Chili, slited
- 2 tbsp Green Onion, white part
- ¼ cup Onion, chopped and layers separated
- ¼ cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce, low sodium
- 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Chilli Sauce, or chili paste or sambal oelek
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- Salt, as needed
- 1 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch, diluted in 3 tbsp water
- Green Onions , to garnish
Instructions
To marinate Paneer
- In a wide bowl, add paneer and other ingredients mentioned in the marination list above
- Give everything a good mix until all the seasonings coats well on the paneer. (Here I haven't added salt as the soy sauce already has enough salt in it). Also, I did not rest the marinated paneer here before shallow frying
To make Chilli Paneer
- In a frying pan with medium heat, add 2 to 3 tbsp of oil and add the marinated paneer one by one without overcrowding the pan
- Shallow fry the paneer until all the sides turn a golden color
- Remove the fried paneer and reserve it for later use
- Now in a wok with high heat, add ¼ cup of oil and add ginger, garlic, green chili, and green onions, and saute until it turns aromatic
- Add the onions, and bell peppers and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until everything turns crisp
- Now add the soy sauce, chilli sauce, ketchup, black pepper powder, brown sugar, salt and give it a good toss
- Add the cornstarch slurry and mix well until it thickens or turns glossy and saucy texture
- Now add the fried paneer and give it a good mix
- Finally, garnish with spring onions and remove from the heat
To Serve
- Serve this Chilli Paneer as a starter, or appetizer with fried rice, noodles, or with plain basmati rice for lunch and dinner
Video
Notes
- For Soft Paneer - Both Homemade and store-bought Paneer work perfectly well for this recipe. Always don't let the cut paneer stay out for long which makes a hard and dry outer layer. Remove the paneer from the package and cut and marinate immediately. Or you can also soak the cut Paneer in warm or lukewarm water until you marinate them
- Marination - marinating the Paneer helps to absorb the flavor from the seasoning. And they don't taste bland once they are stir-fried. Usually, people make batter to coat the paneer before frying. But here I have added cornstarch and all-purpose flour along with other marination ingredients to coat the paneer. No watery batter is required for this recipe. By doing this way the flour and seasoning never fall apart while frying
- Sauces - Sauce plays an important role in enhancing the taste of the dish, so I recommend not compromising on it. But to cut down the high sodium intake, I suggest using low-sodium soy sauce and organic rice vinegar, ketchup, and homemade chili sauce for making the recipe a little healthier
- Shallow Fry - Even though most restaurant-style Chilli Paneer recipes call for deep frying, I recommend shallow frying the paneer in little oil. Shallow frying also delivers the same results as deep frying
- Prep Ahead - Since the ingredients have to be stir-fried on high heat wok quickly, I suggest preparing your ingredients and veggies ahead. Because you will not have time to cut, chop or search for ingredients when stir-frying starts
- Frying Temperature - Always shallow fry the paneer in medium heat oil to achieve a reddish-golden color texture. Also, don't fry them too long which makes them burn and hard
- Stir Frying Temperature - The wok should be always on high heat, and the ingredient has to e stir-fried quickly to achieve crispy yet tender veggies
- Good Quality Wok - In authentic Chinese recipes, home cooks, as well as in restaurants, people use a wok to stir fry dishes. It helps to achieve an earthy and rustic flavor in your food. But you can also use a regular pan if the wok is not handy for you
Nutrition
FAQ
Chilli Paneer is a sweet, sour, and spicy Indo-Chinese dish from the Chinese Hakka Heritage. It is the vegetarian version of Chilli chicken and is usually made with paneer, bell peppers, Chinese sauces, and aromatics.
It is usually made with paneer, bell peppers, Chinese sauces, and aromatics. You may also find crunchy bites of onions, and bell peppers that add so much flavor to this dish.
No, it is not a healthy dish, as it contains spices, sauces, and oil. To make it a little healthier, you can choose organic sauces and shallow fry the paneer instead of deep frying.
Serve this Chilli Paneer 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.
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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