Chilli Chicken (Crispy, Spicy & Saucy)
Make restaurant-style chilli chicken at home with this easy recipe. Crispy, spicy, and saucy is how I would describe this chilli chicken. Boneless chicken is marinated in flavorful sauces, fried until crispy, and then stir-fried with lots of ginger, garlic, onions, bell peppers, and sauces.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken thighs boneless
- Oil for frying chicken
- 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
- 1/4 cup Spring Onions whites and green separated
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1/3 cup Water
- Sesame seeds for garnish
For the chicken marinade:
- 1 teaspoon Light 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
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dark Soy Sauce optional, mainly to enhance color
- 1 tablespoon Red Chilli Sauce adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Salt add to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon Ketchup optional
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 about 1/2 inch deep with oil. Once the oil is hot (about 350°F or 177°C), add chicken pieces, making sure not to overcrowd (Fry chicken in batches). Fry for 5-8 minutes.Turn a couple of times till chicken is golden brown on both sides. Make sure not to overcook. Using a slotted spoon, take the chicken out and place it in a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Air Fryer option: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (190°C) for 3 minutes. Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10-12 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through.
Prepare the sauce and stir fry
- Mix all the stir-fry sauces in a bowl.
- Make a slurry by whisking cornstarch and water until smooth.
- In a wok or pan, heat oil for the stir-fry on high heat. Add ginger, garlic, and green chili pepper. Sauté for a minute.
- Add onions, red and green bell peppers. Sauté 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 until the sauce coats the chicken.
- Garnish with the 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.
Prep ingredients: 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.
Spice level: 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 because they also enhance the wonderful red color of the final dish.
Cook on high heat: When stir-frying the veggies, it is important to cook on high heat. This will help to get flash-cooked veggies with a slight crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1448mg | Potassium: 596mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1466IU | Vitamin C: 92mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg