Dry Chilli Chicken recipe with clear step-by-step photos and a video option. Chilli chicken is a beloved Indo‑Chinese dish featuring battered boneless chicken pieces, fried until crisp and tossed with onions, bell peppers, and savory Chinese-style sauces. This easy appetizer delivers restaurant-style flavor at home and pairs wonderfully with fried rice or noodles.
This Chinese Chilli Chicken is crispy, sweet, and savory. Like Chicken Manchurian, each bite of this fried chicken is coated in a balanced sweet-and-salty sauce with a touch of heat. Serve it as an appetizer or alongside fried rice or noodles for a complete meal.
About this recipe
This post explains how to make an easy Indo‑Chinese Dry Chilli Chicken, a popular Hakka-style recipe. The dry version keeps the chicken crisp and saucy without a thick gravy. The chicken gets a light, spiced batter, is deep-fried until golden, then tossed with a fragrant sauce and sautéed vegetables for vivid flavor and texture.
You may also like these other popular Indo‑Chinese recipes:
- Chicken Chowmein
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Schezwan Chicken Fried Rice
- Chicken Hakka Noodles
- Egg Hakka Noodles
- Chicken Manchow Soup
- Chicken Manchurian (gravy)
Why you need this recipe
- Clear, step-by-step instructions with photos to guide you through the process.
- Highly customizable—adjust sauces, spice level, and vegetables to suit your taste.
- Healthier at home: you control the oil and sauce quantities and prepare it in a clean kitchen.
- Balanced flavors—sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy—suitable for the whole family.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breast works well; boneless thighs can be used for a juicier result.
- Flavoring – Ginger-garlic paste, crushed black pepper, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Omit ginger-garlic paste if you don’t have it.
- Sauces – Light soy sauce, red chilli sauce, and tomato ketchup. Use regular soy or tamari/coconut aminos for a gluten-free option. Avoid dark soy sauce to keep the color bright.
- Kashmiri red chilli powder – Provides a vivid red color without excessive heat; skip if unavailable.
- Egg – Egg white in the marinade helps tenderize and bind. For an egg-free option, brine the chicken in buttermilk and salt for an hour.
- Oil – Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as sunflower, canola, or peanut oil for deep frying.
- Aromatics – Fresh ginger, garlic, and spring onions give classic Indo‑Chinese flavor.
- Vegetables – Green chillies (optional), bell peppers, and onions. Adjust the number of green chillies to control heat.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements and a printable ingredient list.
Step by step instructions with photos
Preparations
- Marinate the chicken – In a bowl combine chicken pieces with salt, crushed black pepper, Kashmiri red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, rice vinegar, egg white, and light soy sauce. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Make the sauce mix – In a small bowl combine light soy sauce, red chilli sauce, black pepper, tomato ketchup, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning, then set aside.
- Chop bell peppers, ginger, garlic, and onion.
-
Fry the chicken
- Heat oil in a deep, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat.
- Add cornstarch and all-purpose flour to the marinated chicken and toss to coat lightly. If needed, add one more tablespoon of either flour or cornstarch—do not overcoat.
- Carefully add the chicken pieces to the hot oil. Let them fry undisturbed for about a minute before turning.
- Fry until golden and crisp, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.
-
To make Chinese Chilli Chicken Dry
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
- Sauté chopped ginger, garlic, spring onion whites, and green chillies for about 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add green and red bell pepper cubes and onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes so the vegetables stay crisp-tender.
- Pour in the prepared sauce mix and stir to coat the vegetables evenly.
- Add the fried chicken pieces and toss quickly to combine so the coating remains crisp.
- Remove from heat and garnish with spring onion greens.
- Chilli chicken dry is ready to serve.
-
Tips to make crispy chilli chicken
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes so the chicken stays juicy and flavorful.
- Prep all ingredients before stir-frying to keep the cooking fast and even.
- Add flour only just before frying to keep the coating light and crisp.
- Adjust sauces and spices to taste; reduce red chilli sauce and pepper to lower the heat.
- Skip green chillies for a kid-friendly version.
- Do not overcrowd the pan while frying; work in batches so the oil temperature remains high and the chicken crisps properly.
- Avoid dark soy sauce to preserve the bright color of the dish.
Frequently asked questions
Dry chilli chicken is crispy, slightly sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy. You can adapt the spice and sweetness to your preference.
How do you make healthier chilli chicken?
Bake the coated chicken instead of deep-frying, or use an air fryer. Substitute soy sauce with coconut aminos for a lower-sodium option.
How to bake chilli chicken?
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Arrange coated chicken on a baking tray lined with parchment, spray lightly with oil, and bake 25–30 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature 74°C / 165°F).
Storage suggestions
- Store leftovers within two hours of cooking.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freeze for up to one month; thaw and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.
Variations you can try
- Chilli Paneer – Replace chicken with paneer or tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Chilli Potatoes – Use fried potato chunks instead of chicken for a popular street-food style snack.
- Chilli Chicken with gravy – To make a gravy, mix 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and add at the final stage before adding spring onion greens; simmer until slightly thickened.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a review to share how it turned out.
Follow the recipe author on social media to stay connected and find more recipes.
Recipe Card
Chinese Chilli Chicken Dry (Chilli Chicken Recipe)
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
- 300 grams boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ egg white (from 1 egg)
To make the sauce mix
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon red chilli sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
To make the chilli chicken batter
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For stir-fry
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons spring onion whites, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies (adjust to taste)
- ½ green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, cubed
- Spring onion greens for garnish
Instructions
Preparations
- Combine chicken, salt, pepper, Kashmiri chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, vinegar, egg white, and soy sauce in a bowl. Marinate 30 minutes.
- Mix light soy sauce, red chilli sauce, black pepper, ketchup, and vinegar; adjust seasoning and set aside.
- Chop bell peppers, ginger, garlic, and onions.
Fry the chicken
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat.
- Coat marinated chicken lightly with cornstarch and flour; add only enough to form a thin coating.
- Fry chicken in hot oil until golden and crisp; drain on paper towels.
To make Chinese Chilli Chicken Dry
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a deep pan. Sauté ginger, garlic, spring onion whites, and green chillies for 30 seconds.
- Add bell peppers and onions; stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
- Add the sauce mix and combine well.
- Toss in the fried chicken to coat evenly, remove from heat, and garnish with spring onion greens.
Notes
- Marinate at least 30 minutes for the best texture and flavor.
- Prep ingredients before cooking so the stir-fry goes quickly.
- Add flour only just before frying to keep the coating light and crisp.
- Adjust sauces and spices to suit your preference.
- Work in batches when frying to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 16 g |
Protein: 18 g |
Fat: 4 g
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide only.