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    Home » Recipes » Chicken, Lamb & Seafood

    Chilli Chicken

    February 28, 2023 . By Meeta Arora . | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Easy Restaurant style Chilli Chicken in a plate and a pan
    Easy Restaurant style Chilli Chicken in a plate
    Easy Restaurant style Chilli Chicken in a plate and a pan

    Try this restaurant-style Chilli Chicken at home with this easy recipe. Crispy and flavorful is how I would describe this Chilli Chicken. Boneless chicken is marinated in chinese sauces, fried until crispy, this is stir fried with lots of ginger, garlic, onions, bell peppers and sauces.

    Crispy Saucy Chilli Chicken piece in chopsticks

    Hands down Chilli Chicken is my most favorite appetizer to order at an Indian restaurant (or Chilli Paneer if my hubby is there). You will find the best chilli chicken at small street side restaurants all over India.

    Most people don't think about making it at home, however it is a pretty easy recipe and you probably have most of the ingredients needed at home too. 

    All you need to make this deliciousness is chicken, onions, peppers, spring onions, lots of ginger, garlic and Chinese sauces. You can make it in the air fryer or in a pan on stovetop.

    Serve it as an appetizer or enjoy as a gravy with Hakka Noodles or fried rice, you will love it!

    Check out my collection of 25+ Best Indian Appetizers.

    Jump to:
    • What is Chili Chicken?
    • How to make Chilli Chicken?
    • Tips to make Perfect Chilli Chicken
    • How to make Chilli Chicken with gravy?
    • How to Serve?
    • How to Store?
    • Chilli Chicken

    What is Chili Chicken?

    Chilli Chicken is a sweet, spicy and crispy appetizer, most popular in Indo-chinese cuisine. Crispy marinated chicken is sautéed in a spicy sweet sauce along with onions and bell peppers. This Chilli Chicken can be made as a dry appetizer or as a gravy to enjoy with rice.

    This chilli chicken is crispy on the outside, coated with flavorful sweet spicy sauces on the outside. It is super flavorful, moist, and crispy - everything you want in a chicken starter (appetizer).

    You might be wondering what is Indo-chinese cuisine - I am picking this from wikipedia – The adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian tastes.

    You will find that the dishes have lots of garlic and are much more spicier. The favorites are chow Mein, chopsuey, chilli paneer or potatoes, sweet corn soup...and the list can go on and on!

    My favorite Indo-chinese street side restaurant in Mumbai is Uncle's Kitchen. If you are in Mumbai, do not miss going there!

    Back to this Chilli Chicken, I usually fry the chicken before adding it to the sauce. If you want to make it healthier, you can air fry the chicken, but I have not tried that yet.

    This recipe is a dry chilli chicken version, however if you prefer the gravy version to enjoy as a main dish with rice or noodles, see details about that below.

    chili chicken indian served in a plate with spicy sauce

    How to make Chilli Chicken?

    This recipe uses the very basic ingredients which are generally available in the pantry.

    I use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe, as the chicken thighs remain juicy and moist after they are fried. 

    To marinate the chicken, I have used ginger, garlic, egg, Chinese sauces and all purpose flour and cornflour to get the crispy texture. For frying, you can use oil of your choice. I used canola oil.

    For the stir fry, I have used a lot of chopped ginger, garlic and green chili. You can reduce the amount of green chilli if you don’t want your chilli chicken too hot. 

    Apart from these, I add onions and bell peppers to get some veggies in with the chicken and then the basic chinese sauces like soy sauce, vinegar and red chili sauce are added.

    Let's talk about the chili sauce. I like to use Sambal Oelek chili paste. Another option is to use Ching's Secret schezwan chutney (I like the chutney better than the sauce from this brand). You can also make schezwan sauce at home if you prefer.

    Marinate the Chicken

    • Start with cutting the chicken into thin slices. Then add it to a bowl along with all the marinade ingredients. Mix it all well, so that the chicken is well coated. You want the chicken to get all the flavors.
    • Now if you want to make this spicier, add kashmiri chili powder or some extra chili sauce.
    • Keep this marinated chicken aside for about 20 minutes. You can also refrigerate it overnight.
    • At this time, prepare the other ingredients such as chopping ginger, garlic and cutting onions and peppers into squares. You want all the stir fry ingredients ready before frying the chicken, so that you can have crispy fried chicken added to the sauce.
    Marinating chilli chicken

    Fry Chicken

    • Heat oil in a shallow pan with about half inch oil. Once the oil is hot, add chicken pieces and fry for 5-8 minutes.
    • Turn couple of times till chicken is golden brown on both sides. Make sure to not overcook.
    • Take the chicken out in a bowl lined with kitchen towel paper.
    Frying chilli chicken

    Okay, this chicken is so good as is. I probably eat more than I should, under the excuse of trying :-). Also, my daughter loves these fried chicken bites.

    Fried marinated chicken in a bowl over a kitchen towel

    Air Fry Chicken

    Preheat the air fryer to 380F for 3 minutes. Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10-12 minutes. Shake basket half way through.

    Chicken fried in the air fryer

    Prepare the Sauce & Stir fry

    • Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and have them ready.
    • Have all the stir fry ingredients ready, ideally before frying chicken, so that the chicken stays crispy when added to the stir fry.
    • Now the final step is to stir fry. Heat oil in a wok or large pan. We want to cook the veggies on high heat and only cook them for a couple of minutes.
    • Heat oil in the wok. Then add ginger, garlic, green chili pepper and sauté for a minute. Add onions, red and green bell pepper, then sauté for 1-2 minutes. Now add the white part of the spring onions and sauté for another minute.
    • Add the mixed sauce and then add the cornstarch slurry while stirring continuously. Mix and cook till the sauce thickens in about 1 minute.
    • Add the chicken and toss for a minute till the sauce coats the chicken.
    Stir fry chilli chicken with onions and peppers

    Garnish with green part of spring onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately!

    Chilli Chicken with onions and peppers in a pan

    Tips to make Perfect Chilli Chicken

    • It is important to keep all the ingredients ready before frying the chicken. This will help to ensure that the chicken remains crispy in the final stir fry.
    • Adjust the spice level to taste by adjusting the red chili sauce and green chili in the stir fry. You can also add Kashmiri Red Chili powder or Schezwan sauce to adjust the spice. I like these two options as they also add to the wonderful red color of the final dish.
    • When frying the chicken, do not overcook. You just want to get it golden brown on all sides.
    • When stir frying the veggies, it is important to do so on high heat. This will help to get flash cooked veggies with a slight crunch.
    • Make this chilli chicken as an appetizer or as a gravy depending on how you would like to enjoy it.
    Crispy Saucy Chilli Chicken piece in chopsticks

    I am sure you are wondering how can you get the restaurant style crispy chili chicken and how you can have it stay that way when serving for parties.

    The main thing here is to not stir fry the chicken until you are ready to serve. If possible, also fry the chicken just before you stir fry.

    How to make Chilli Chicken with gravy?

    You can use the exact same recipe as listed. I have already included lots of ginger, garlic and veggies in the recipe. Just add 1 cup water with the cornstarch to make the slurry. Everything else remains the same.

    Chilli Chicken over white rice in a bowl, with spicy chili sauce in a small bowl

    How to Serve?

    You can serve this Chilli Chicken as an appetizer. I like to have schezwan sauce on the side to dip (yes, love the extra spice!).

    If you make the gravy version, then serve it with chow mein or fried rice.

    How to Store?

    This Chili Chicken is ideally best enjoyed hot. If you want to make it ahead, then cook the veggies and the chicken separately.

    Then when ready to serve, reheat the chicken for 2-3 minutes, preferably in an air fryer to get the crisp texture. Then saute it together with the veggies in a skillet.

    If you love Indian and Chinese food, you cannot miss this absolute favorite Chilli Chicken. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!

    Tried this recipe?Give a rating by clicking the ★ below
    Crispy Saucy Chilli Chicken piece in chopsticks

    Chilli Chicken

    Meeta Arora
    Make restaurant-style Chilli Chicken at home with this easy recipe. Crispy and flavorful is how I would describe this Chilli Chicken. Boneless chicken is marinated in flavorful sauces, fried until crispy, this is stir fried with lots of ginger, garlic, onions, bell peppers and sauces.
    4.89 from 35 votes
    Print Save Saved! Pin
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 444
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Chinese, Indian
    Diet: Dairy-free
    Method: Stovetop
    Prep Time: 30 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 50 mins

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb Chicken thighs boneless
    • Oil for frying
    • 2 tablespoon Oil for stir fry
    • 12 cloves Garlic finely diced
    • 1 inch Ginger finely diced
    • 3-4 Green Chili Pepper cut lengthwise, adjust to taste
    • 2 cup Red Onions cut into squares and layers separated
    • 1 cup Red Bell Pepper cut into squares
    • 1 cup Green Bell Pepper cut into squares
    • ¼ cup Spring Onions whites and green separated
    • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
    • ⅓ cup Water
    • Sesame seeds for garnish

    For the chicken marinade:

    • 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
    • 1 teaspoon Chili Sauce adjust to taste
    • 1 Egg white
    • 1 teaspoon Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic paste
    • 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
    • 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

    For the Stir Fry Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 1 tablespoon Red Chilli Sauce adjust to taste
    • 1 teaspoon Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Sugar
    • Salt to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper adjust to taste
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    Instructions
     

    Marinate the chicken

    • Cut the chicken into thin slices about an inch in size. Put them in a large bowl.
    • Add all the marinade ingredients to the bowl and mix well with the chicken. Set aside for about 20 minutes. You can also refrigerate overnight. While the chicken is resting, prep the stir fry ingredients.

    Fry the chicken*

    • Stovetop option: Heat oil in a shallow pan with about ½ inch oil. Once the oil is hot, add chicken pieces and fry for 5-8 minutes. Turn couple of times till chicken is golden brown on both sides. Make sure to not overcook. Take the chicken out in a bowl lined with kitchen towel paper. (see notes to air fry)
    • Air Fryer option: Preheat the air fryer to 380F for 3 minutes. Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10-12 minutes. Shake basket half way through. 

    Prepare the sauce and stir fry

    • Mix all the stir fry sauces in a bowl.
    • Make a slurry wiith mixing the cornstarch and water.
    • In a wok or pan, heat oil for the stir fry on high heat. Add ginger, garlic and green chili pepper. Saute for a minute.
    • Add onions, red and green bell pepper. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the white part of the spring onions and saute for another minute.
    • Add the mixed sauces. Then add the cornstarch slurry. Mix and cook till the sauce thickens.
    • Add the chicken and toss for a minute till the sauce coats the chicken.
    • Garnish with green part of spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    Chili Sauce: I like to use Sambal Oelek chili paste. Another option is to use Ching's Secret schezwan chutney (I like the chutney better than the sauce from this brand). Remember Schezwan chutney is spicy, so adjust the amount to taste. 
    Tips to make Perfect Chilli Chicken:
    • It is important to keep all the ingredients ready before frying the chicken. This will help to ensure that the chicken remains crispy in the final stir fry.
    • Adjust the spice level to taste by adjusting the red chili sauce and green chili in the stir fry. You can also add Kashmiri Red Chili powder or Schezwan sauce to adjust the spice. I like these two options as they also add to the wonderful red color of the final dish.
    • When frying the chicken, do not overcook. You just want to get it golden brown on all sides.
    • When stir frying the veggies, it is important to do so on high heat. This will help to get flash cooked veggies with a slight crunch.
    • Make this chilli chicken as an appetizer or as a gravy depending on how you would like to enjoy it. 

    Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 23gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 1074mgPotassium: 568mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1455IUVitamin C: 92mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword chilli chicken, chilli chicken dry, indian chilli chicken
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @PipingPotCurry or #pipingpotcurry

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy says

      November 24, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      Excellent!!!! Reminds us of our fav restaurant!!!! Awesome recipe

      • Meeta Arora says

        December 02, 2021 at 5:25 pm

        Hi Amy - Happy to hear you enjoyed the chicken. Thanks for sharing back!

    2. Alison says

      July 22, 2021 at 2:49 am

      Thank you Meeta for this easy to follow recipe. I’ve been craving Chilli Chicken since we left Delhi after living there for 7 years. The dish turned out really well and made me so nostalgic for “Chindian” food! I will definitely be making it again, trying it with the air fryer next time.

      • Piping Pot Curry says

        July 22, 2021 at 10:59 am

        Hi- That makes me really happy. Thank you for sharing your experience:)

    3. Julie says

      July 20, 2021 at 4:42 pm

      Yum! The family loved it. Used the air fryer, came together quickly.

      • Piping Pot Curry says

        July 22, 2021 at 10:55 am

        Hi - So happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing it 🙂

    4. Barbara Stewart says

      July 20, 2021 at 6:15 am

      Could you do this with paneer to make it veggie?

      • Meeta Arora says

        July 20, 2021 at 6:29 am

        Hi Barbara - yes, it works great with paneer too. You can also bake or air fry the paneer if you like.

    5. Deeps says

      May 11, 2021 at 10:09 am

      I made this last week and I loved it SO much that I'm making it again tonight!

      • Deeps says

        May 11, 2021 at 10:10 am

        Oops... I forgot to rate this. I'd give it a 10 if I could!

      • Piping Pot Curry says

        May 12, 2021 at 9:42 am

        Hi - So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing it 🙂

        • Shobhan says

          January 25, 2022 at 7:19 am

          I made this last week and it was SO delicious that I made it twice! My husband wants me to make it again tonight. A wonderful recipe thank you

        • Meeta Arora says

          February 11, 2022 at 10:29 pm

          Hi Shobhan - Glad to hear you all are enjoying the chili chicken. Thank you for sharing back your review.

    « Older Comments

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