Chilli chicken gravy – succulent pieces of chicken seasoned with spices, a dash of sauces and cooked with crunchy veggies. This boneless Indo-Chinese chicken dish is just yum!
Few dishes capture the thrill of Indo-Chinese cuisine quite like Chilli Chicken Gravy. With its fiery red sheen, tender boneless chicken pieces, and that unmistakable balance of spicy, tangy, and umami-rich flavors, this boneless chilli chicken dish has earned legendary status in Indian restaurants and street-side joints alike. The sizzling aroma of garlic, green chilies, and soy sauce hits your senses long before the first bite, making it an absolute crowd-pleaser whether it’s a Friday dinner or a weekend get-together.
What is Chilli Chicken?
Chilli Chicken is an Indo-Chinese creation — an Indian twist on Chinese stir-fry techniques. It features marinated, batter-fried chicken cubes tossed in a vibrant gravy made of soy sauce, green chilies, ginger-garlic, and spring onions. Unlike the dry version, the gravy style has a silky, spicy sauce, perfect for pairing with fried rice or noodles.
Health Benefits of Chicken
- Lean Protein Power: Boneless chicken breast or thigh provides high-quality protein to build and repair muscles.
- Rich in Vitamins & Minerals: Contains vitamin B6, niacin, selenium, and phosphorus essential for metabolism and immunity.
- Weight Management Friendly: Skinless chicken, when cooked right, is low in saturated fat yet satisfying.
- Supports Immunity: Chicken soup and broths are time-tested for comfort and immune support.
Chilli Chicken Recipe:
Chicken Chilli is an easy, simple and fool-proof recipe that’s way better than take-away Chinese! This flavourful stir fry dish goes well with steamed Rice or Noodles. So go ahead and recreate this popular Chinese dish at home.
- To make chilli chicken curry, first wash the chicken well and cut into bite-sized cubes.
- Next take the chicken cubes in a bowl and add egg, cornflour, red chilli sauce and salt. Mix well; the batter should coat the chicken pieces really well. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion and capsicum, grate ginger and garlic and slit the green chilli.
- Heat some oil in a kadai for deep frying. Fry the succulent chicken pieces marinated in the thick, spicy batter in batches, flipping them over a couple of times till they turn a crisp brown. Remove and keep aside.
- Keep just 1 tbsp oil in the pan and remove the excess oil.
- Add chopped ginger and garlic. Fry for a few seconds. Then add the green chilli and onions. Fry till the onions turn translucent.
- Toss in the capsicum and saute well.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper and ajinomoto. Mix well.
- Tip in the red chilli sauce, soya sauce and vinegar.
- Next, add about ½ cup of water and bring the gravy mixture to a boil.
- Then add the chicken to this luscious chili-garlic gravy and simmer for a few minutes till the gravy thickens.
- Serve Chili Chicken with Egg and Veg Fried Rice or Noodles.
- If you are searching for easy chicken recipes, then do try out Sukka Murgh Fry and Boneless Murgh Malai Kababs
Chicken Chilli Serving Suggestions
- Classic Pairing: Serve with Vegetable Fried Rice, Egg Fried Rice, or Hakka Noodles.
- Quick Meal: Enjoy over plain steamed jasmine rice.
- Party Platter: Top with sesame seeds and extra green chilies for a restaurant-style dish.
Indo Chinese Chicken Curry Variations
- Dry Chilli Chicken: Skip the stock and slurry for a semi-dry appetizer.
- Extra Fiery: Add schezwan sauce or crushed red chili flakes.
- Healthier Bake: Air fry or bake marinated chicken at 200°C for 20 minutes instead of deep-frying.
- Veg Swap: Use paneer, tofu, or mushrooms for a vegetarian twist.
- Honey Chili: Drizzle honey at the end for a sweet-spicy glaze.
Tips for Perfect Chilli Chicken Gravy
- Cook on high-heat to retain crunch and smoky flavor.
- Thigh meat stays juicier than breast when fried.
- Balance sauces — avoid overpowering soy or chili sauce.
- Fry in batches to keep chicken crisp, don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Adjust gravy thickness by adding more stock or reducing slurry.
🍴 You Might Also Love
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A fusion of spicy noodles, tangy chutneys, and crisp veggies — your taste buds will thank you! - 🥢🥦 Veg Hakka Noodles – Street-Style Perfection!
Tossed with garlic, soy sauce, and colorful veggies — the ultimate comfort side for Chilli Chicken! - 🍳🍚 Egg Fried Rice – Quick, Flavor-Packed & Irresistible!
Fluffy rice stir-fried with eggs, spring onions, and soy — a match made in foodie heaven!
Chicken Chili Garlic Recipe details below:
Chilli Chicken
Ingredients
- Ginger – 1 tsp grated
- Garlic – 1 tsp grated
- Onion – 1 medium, cut into cubes
- Green Chillies -2, slit
- Capsicum – 1 medium, cut into cubes
- Soya Sauce – ½ tbsp
- Vinegar – ½ tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Ajinomoto – a pinch
- Pepper – ¼ tsp
- Red chilli sauce – 1 tsp
- Water – ½ cup
- Oil - 1 tbsp + to deep fry
For marination:
- Chicken - 250 gms, boneless
- Cornflour - 2 tbsp
- Egg – 1
- Red Chilli Sauce – 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and cut the chicken into cubes.
- In a bowl mix the chicken, cornflour, egg, salt and red chilli sauce. Leave aside for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the marinated chicken cubes in small batches, till golden brown. Drain excess oil and remove.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and toss in grated ginger and garlic. Sauté.
- Add slit green chillies and cubed onions and stir fry till the onions turn translucent.
- Put in the capsicum cubes and sauté.
- Add salt, a pinch of ajinomoto, pepper and mix well.
- Add soya sauce, vinegar and red chilli sauce and combine well.
- Add ½ cup water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the fried chicken pieces toss the mixture well and simmer for a few minutes till the chicken absorbs all the flavours and a nice saucy consistency is attained.
- Remove and serve Chilli Chicken with Egg Fried Rice or Noodles.
Notes
- If the gravy is too thin, add 1 tsp of cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp of water and add to the dish. Simmer till the gravy thickens.
- You can use sesame oil in place of regular cooking oil.
- You can add some spring onions, celery and Kashmiri red chilli powder.
- For chilli chicken with bone recipe, marinate the chicken for a minimum of 2 hours.
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