Chilli Chicken (Dry)
چلی چکن
Chilli chicken is the hot one on the Chinese menu. Lightly battered chicken is fried, then tossed in a pan with a fistful of slit green chilies, garlic, onion and capsicum and a glaze that's more sour and salty than sweet. This is the dry version, where the sauce just clings to the chicken, the way it's usually served as a starter or alongside fried rice.
- ⏱ Total: 35 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the chicken with the egg white, 3 tablespoons of cornflour, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and the white pepper. Leave for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a karahi and shallow-fry the chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning, until golden. Drain and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil.
On high heat, stir-fry the garlic and green chilies for 30 seconds, then add the onion and capsicum and toss for 1 minute.
Add the remaining soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, ketchup and sugar with 3 tablespoons of water. When it bubbles, stir in 1 teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a little water.
Return the chicken and toss on high heat for a minute until the glaze coats every piece. Scatter over spring onions and serve hot.
Serve as a starter, or with fried rice.
Kitchen notes
Deseed some of the green chilies if you want the flavour without all the heat.
Keep the sauce short. Dry chilli chicken should be glossy, not saucy; for a gravy version, double the liquids.
The spicy side of desi Chinese
Pakistani diners like heat, and chilli chicken is the Chinese dish that delivers it. Where Manchurian is sweet and saucy, chilli chicken is sharp, salty and fiery, built on soy sauce, vinegar and a generous amount of green chilies that are eaten along with the chicken. It’s a favourite starter at Chinese restaurants and a common order at roadside Chinese stalls.
Light batter, quick fry
The chicken coating here is lighter than for Manchurian, just egg white and cornflour, so it stays crisp without being heavy. Shallow-frying in a cup of oil is enough. Fry in batches so the oil stays hot and the pieces don’t stick together.
Heat you can control
The heat comes almost entirely from fresh green chilies, which makes it easy to adjust. Slit them so they release flavour into the oil; deseed half of them for a milder dish. Fresh garlic, fried just until fragrant, is the other essential flavour.
Serving
Serve chilli chicken as a starter with toothpicks, or as a main with chicken fried rice or chowmein. It’s good with a milder dish like chicken with cashew nuts to balance the table.
Questions people ask
How do I make chilli chicken with gravy?
Use double the soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce, add ¾ cup of water or stock and 2 teaspoons of cornflour slurry. Serve it with plain rice or fried rice.
What's the difference from Manchurian?
Manchurian has a thicker, sweeter, ketchup-heavy sauce. Chilli chicken is drier, sharper and much hotter, with green chilies as a main ingredient.
Can I make it with paneer or fish?
Yes. Firm fish cubes work well; coat and fry them the same way but for only 3 minutes.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 30 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
