Chilli Chicken

This is the first critically acclaimed dish that I’ve ever cooked. Long time ago, when I was still an amateur cook (ahem… you start a food blog, and immediately you are known as an expert, in my circle at least ) I used to make this dish for all my parties, just because this was the only dish I knew how to cook in bulk!

The best compliment I got on this recipe was when someone asked me a long time ago…

        You’re kidding me right? You actually made this? I thought this was catered!

Restaurant food normally sucks, especially the Indian restaurants here, but ironically anytime someone compares your cooking to restaurant food, it is a good thing! Anyway, over time, I added more dishes to my repertoire, and slowly this one went out of circulation. You can’t call yourself a foodie, and serve a dish that uses ketchup as an ingredient, can you? At least, you can’t tell anyone that you use ketchup in your recipes. So shhhh… .

Anyway, I made this a few days ago, when my mom was not in a mood to cook.  Since it turned out really good, I am posting the recipe here, in case some youngster wants to impress strangers.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Boneless, skinless chicken thighs/breast pieces
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chili powder (cayenne pepper)
• vegetable oil for deep frying
• 2 cups thinly diced onions
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced green chilies (a spicy variety, Thai)
• 2 tbsp minced green onions
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder (cayenne pepper)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp chili sauce

Method

Cut chicken into small bite sized cubes.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt, chili powder and enough water to make a smooth paste.

Add the chicken pieces to the bowl, and mix well to coat the chicken with the flour mixture.

In a frying pan, add enough vegetable oil to deep fry the chicken pieces. When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces, making sure the pieces don’t stick together, and fry in batches till the chicken pieces are cooked, but not too crispy.

Remove the chicken pieces from the pan, and drain on paper towels.

In a wok, add 2 tbsp of oil from the frying pan, and saute the onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies till the onion pieces are translucent.

Add the 1/2 tsp chilli powder, a little bit of salt and fry till brown.

Now add the fried chicken pieces and cut green onions and mix well to combine. When the chicken pieces are heated through, add soy sauce, ketchup, chili sauce and 1/4 cup hot water and mix well.

Heat on high, stirring occasionally till all the water is absorbed.

Serve hot as an appetizer.  

Note to my vegetarian friends, I’ve made the exact same recipe with cauliflower, and that was a great hit too!

Reminder

Remember, the fruit of the month is Lychee! Have you figured out what to make with Lychees yet? Check out this post for some recipe ideas and details on how to participate!

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Category: Appetizers and Snacks, Chicken, Good with Drinks, Indo Chinese