Chilli Chicken Recipe - Indo-Chinese Sweet-Spicy Glazed Chicken

Why This Recipe Works

Chilli Chicken completes the Indo-Chinese holy trinity. You already have Chilli Paneer (the vegetarian crispy stir-fry) and Gobi Manchurian (the vegetarian crispy-in-sauce). Chilli Chicken is the non-vegetarian headliner — the most ordered Indo-Chinese dish in Indian restaurants, the one that started the entire Indo-Chinese movement alongside Nelson Wang's original Chicken Manchurian in the 1970s, and the dish that continues to dominate takeaway menus across India and the UK.

Chilli Chicken is distinct from Chicken 65 — which is South Indian, dry-fried, and tossed with curry leaves. Chilli Chicken is Indo-Chinese, batter-fried, and tossed in a soy-vinegar-chilli sauce with capsicum and spring onions. The two dishes share the concept of "crispy chicken tossed in something" but the flavour profiles are completely different continents apart. If Chicken 65 is aromatic and curry-leaf-fragrant, Chilli Chicken is sticky, sweet-sour, and garlic-heavy with the unmistakable Indo-Chinese signature of soy sauce and vinegar.

At Pick N Save, the Indo-Chinese pantry you've already built for Chilli Paneer and Gobi Manchurian works identically here: Ching's Schezwan Chutney, soy sauce, chilli sauce, cornflour, capsicum, spring onions, and all the fresh aromatics. The only addition is the chicken itself. One Ching's Schezwan Chutney jar, three recipes — that's the efficiency of the Indo-Chinese sub-cluster.

Step-by-Step Method

Step 1: Marinate and Coat the Chicken (5 Minutes + 10 Minute Rest)

Cut 500g of boneless chicken thighs into 2.5cm cubes. In a bowl, combine the chicken with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (Ching's Dark Soy Sauce 200ml), 1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste (Fudco Ginger Garlic Paste 300g), ½ teaspoon of black pepper (TFS Black Pepper Whole 100g — freshly ground), ½ teaspoon of salt, and 1 egg white (optional — adds extra crispness to the coating). Mix well. Let sit for 10 minutes if you have time — even a brief marinade improves the flavour.

Add 3 tablespoons of cornflour and 1 tablespoon of plain flour (or rice flour for a gluten-free version) to the marinated chicken. Mix thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated in a thick, clingy batter. The cornflour-soy marinade produces the signature Indo-Chinese crispy coating — darker and more flavourful than plain flour batter because the soy sauce browns during frying.

Step 2: Deep Fry Until Crispy (5 Minutes)

Heat sunflower oil (KTC Pure Sunflower Oil 5 Litres) in a deep pan or kadhai to 180°C. Fry the coated chicken in 2–3 batches — don't overcrowd. Fry for 4–5 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until deep golden-brown and crispy all over. The coating should be rigid, audibly crunchy, and darker than plain batter due to the soy sauce caramelisation. Drain on kitchen paper.

Double-fry for restaurant crunch: First fry at 170°C for 3 minutes. Remove, rest 3 minutes. Second fry at 190°C for 1–2 minutes. The same technique from our Chicken 65 and Gobi Manchurian — stays crunchy for 30+ minutes.

Air fryer: Toss coated chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil. Air fry at 200°C for 14 minutes, shaking at 7 minutes. Excellent crunch, fraction of the oil.

Step 3: Make the Chilli Chicken Sauce (2 Minutes)

Prepare the vegetables: 1 medium onion cut into 2cm squares (White Onions Prepack 4Kg), ½ green capsicum cut into 2cm squares (Green Capsicum 500g), ½ red capsicum cut into 2cm squares (Red Capsicum 500g), 4–5 green chillies slit lengthways (Indian Chilli 400g), 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped (Fresh Garlic Medium), a 2cm piece of ginger finely chopped (Fresh Ginger Loose 500g), and 2 spring onions (Spring Onion Bunch) — whites chopped, greens reserved for garnish.

Mix the sauce in a small bowl: 2 tablespoons of Ching's Schezwan Chutney (Ching's Schezwan Chutney 250g), 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (Ching's Dark Soy Sauce 200ml), 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon of chilli sauce (Ching's Red Chilli Sauce 200g), 1 teaspoon of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water. The Chilli Chicken sauce sits between the Chilli Paneer sauce (more Schezwan-forward) and the Gobi Manchurian sauce (more ketchup-sweet) — it uses equal parts Schezwan chutney and chilli sauce for a balanced spicy-sweet-sour profile.

Step 4: Wok-Toss (2 Minutes)

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large pan over the highest heat. Add garlic and ginger — 10 seconds. Add green chillies — 5 seconds. Add onion and capsicum squares — toss for 1.5 minutes until charred at edges but still crunchy. Pour the pre-mixed sauce over the vegetables — stir 30 seconds until bubbling and glossy. Add the crispy fried chicken. Toss aggressively for 30 seconds, coating every piece. Add spring onion whites. Toss once more. Off the heat.

Step 5: Serve

Dry Chilli Chicken (starter/bar snack): Transfer to a plate. Garnish with sliced spring onion greens and sesame seeds. Serve with toothpicks. The most popular way to eat Chilli Chicken — at parties, game nights, and as a starter before an Indo-Chinese main.

Chilli Chicken Gravy (main course): After the toss, add 250ml of water and 1 tablespoon of cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water (slurry). Simmer 2 minutes until thickened into a glossy, pourable gravy. Serve over fried rice (Tilda Basmati Rice 5kg fried with soy sauce, vegetables, and egg) or Ching's Hakka Noodles (Ching's Hakka Noodles 150g).

For the ultimate Indo-Chinese feast: serve Chilli Chicken alongside Chilli Paneer and Gobi Manchurian as a three-dish starter platter with fried rice and hakka noodles. Three proteins, one sauce family, one incredible spread.

Pro Tips from Our Store

• Soy sauce IN the marinade = darker, more flavourful coating: Adding soy sauce directly to the chicken before the cornflour coating means the soy caramelises during frying, producing a darker, more complex crust than plain cornflour batter. This is the Indo-Chinese restaurant technique that home cooks miss — the soy-in-the-batter method.
• The Indo-Chinese sauce trio from one jar: Ching's Schezwan Chutney (250g or 1kg) is the foundation of all three Indo-Chinese recipes in your collection: Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, and now Chilli Chicken. One jar, three recipes, zero waste. Combined with soy sauce and ketchup (which every kitchen already has), the entire Indo-Chinese sauce family is built from a single specialist product.
• Chilli Chicken vs Chicken 65 — know the difference: Both are "crispy chicken tossed in something" but they're from different culinary planets. Chicken 65 is South Indian: yogurt marinade, curry leaf toss, no soy sauce. Chilli Chicken is Indo-Chinese: soy-cornflour coating, Schezwan-soy-vinegar sauce, spring onion garnish. Chicken 65 tastes of curry leaves and pepper. Chilli Chicken tastes of soy, garlic, and sweet-sour chilli. Making both for a party gives guests two completely different crispy chicken experiences.
• Egg white in the marinade = extra crispness: The egg white coats the chicken with a thin protein layer that sets and crisps during frying, creating a lighter, crunchier exterior than cornflour alone. It's optional — the recipe works without it — but it's the technique used in Chinese restaurant kitchens for the crispiest results. Skip it for an egg-free version.
• Highest heat for the wok toss — no exceptions: The wok toss step must happen at the highest heat your hob produces. Every second counts — the vegetables should char at the edges but stay raw and crunchy in the centre, and the sauce should reduce to a sticky glaze in 30 seconds, not simmer into a wet gravy. Low heat during the toss produces soft vegetables and soggy chicken. High heat preserves the crunch.
• Complete your Indo-Chinese menu from our shelf: Ching's Schezwan Chutney + Ching's Dark Soy Sauce + Ching's Red Chilli Sauce + Ching's Hakka Noodles + cornflour + spring onions + capsicum = the complete Indo-Chinese kitchen. All permanently stocked at Pick N Save. Buy the full set once and you can make Chilli Chicken, Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, Schezwan Fried Rice, and Hakka Noodles — the entire restaurant menu at home.

Variations to Try

• Chicken Manchurian (Sweeter, Saucier): Use the same fried chicken but replace the Chilli Chicken sauce with the Manchurian sauce from our Gobi Manchurian recipe — more ketchup, more sugar, less Schezwan. Chicken Manchurian is the original Nelson Wang creation and the founding dish of Indo-Chinese cuisine.
• Schezwan Chicken (Extra Spicy): Double the Ching's Schezwan Chutney to 4 tablespoons and add 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes. Skip the ketchup. Schezwan Chicken is the fieriest version — the Schezwan pepper creates a numbing, tingling heat sensation alongside the chilli burn.
• Honey Chilli Chicken (Sweet-Heat Fusion): Add 2 tablespoons of honey to the sauce alongside the other ingredients. The honey caramelises in the hot wok, creating a thick, glossy, sweet-spicy glaze. Honey Chilli Chicken is the most popular modern fusion variation — the sweet-heat combination is addictive.
• Chilli Chicken Wings (Party Version): Replace boneless chicken with 500g of chicken wings. Coat and fry as normal (fry for 8 minutes instead of 5 — wings take longer). Toss in the sauce. Wings are easier to eat at parties — no knife and fork needed. The bone-in format also stays crunchier longer because the coating grips the bone.
• Chilli Fish (Seafood Indo-Chinese): Replace chicken with 400g of firm white fish fillets (cod or haddock) cut into 3cm chunks. Coat in the same soy-cornflour batter and fry for 3 minutes (fish cooks faster). Toss in the sauce. Handle gently — fish breaks more easily than chicken. Chilli Fish is an underappreciated Indo-Chinese gem.

Shop This Recipe at Pick N Save

Every single ingredient for this recipe is available at picknsave.co.uk with home delivery across London and the UK, or click and collect from our store in Harrow. Here's your shopping list:

• Ching's Indo-Chinese Range: Ching's Schezwan Chutney 250g | Chings Schezwan Chutney 1kg | Ching's Dark Soy Sauce 200ml | Ching's Red Chilli Sauce 200g | Ching's Green Chilli Sauce 190g | Ching's Hakka Noodles 150g
• Spices: TFS Black Pepper Whole 100g
• Pastes: Fudco Ginger Garlic Paste 300g
• Capsicum: Green Capsicum 500g | Red Capsicum 500g
• Fresh Produce: White Onions Prepack 4Kg | Spring Onion Bunch | Fresh Garlic Medium | Fresh Ginger Loose 500g | Indian Chilli 400g
• Oil: KTC Pure Sunflower Oil 5 Litres
• Rice & Noodles: Tilda Basmati Rice 5kg (for fried rice) | Ching's Hakka Noodles 150g
• Eggs (Optional — For Coating): OS Eggs UK White 18pk