Sweet and Spicy Chili Chicken is a must-try recipe!
This restaurant-style Chilli Chicken delivers juicy marinated chicken pieces, fried to golden perfection, then tossed in a fiery, glossy sauce packed with bold Asian flavors. Perfectly spicy, sticky, and savory, it’s a must-try for lovers of Indo-Chinese fusion dishes!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes plus marinating time
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course, Dinner
- Method: Deep Frying, Stir Frying
- Cuisine: Indo-Chinese
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Marinade:
1½ lbs boneless chicken, preferably dark meat
½ small onion
3–4 slices fresh ginger
2–3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ tablespoon Indian chilli powder or cayenne pepper
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
3–4 tablespoons water
6–7 tablespoons corn starch (added after marination)
For the Stir Fry:
½ green pepper, chopped
½ onion, chopped
2 tablespoons reserved garlic-ginger-onion paste
For the Sauce:
5–6 green chillis, sliced (or Thai green chillis for more heat)
1½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
2½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons corn starch, mixed with 4 teaspoons cold water (slurry)
1½ teaspoons Indian chilli powder or cayenne pepper
½ cup water
Instructions
Blitz the ginger, garlic, and half of the onion into a fine paste. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the paste for later use in stir-frying.
Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Marinate the chicken with the paste, soy sauce, chilli powder, black pepper, and water. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best flavor.
In a bowl, slice the green chillis and combine with dark soy sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chilli powder, and water. Separately mix corn starch with cold water to create a slurry, then stir into the sauce mixture. Set aside.
After marination, add 6–7 tablespoons of corn starch to the chicken and mix well to coat.
Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer to 350°F (177°C). Deep fry the chicken in batches for 5–6 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Set aside on paper towels to drain excess oil.
In a clean wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Brown the reserved garlic-ginger-onion paste for 1–2 minutes until aromatic.
Add the chopped onion and green pepper and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, keeping the vegetables crisp and vibrant.
Give the prepared sauce a quick stir and pour it into the wok. Stir and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Turn off the heat.
Toss the fried chicken into the sauce, coating each piece well.
Serve hot immediately with plain steamed rice for a complete meal.
Notes
Adjust the number of chillis based on your heat preference — fewer for mild, more for extra spicy.
For extra crispiness, fry the chicken twice: once at 325°F and again briefly at 375°F before tossing in the sauce.
Substitute rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar if needed.
This dish is best served fresh, as the crispy texture of the chicken softens if stored too long after mixing with sauce.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat gently to maintain texture.