Crispy Chilli Chicken Recipe | Restaurant-Style Dry Chilli Chicken at Home

Dry chilli chicken is the Indo-Chinese starter most people order first, and also the one that most often goes soggy at home. The fix is simple: a thin batter, a double fry, and a sauce that is tossed for under a minute. This recipe makes crunchy chicken coated in a glossy, spicy-tangy sauce, ready in about 70 minutes including marination.

Quick facts: Prep 20 min · Marinate 30 min · Cook 20 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty: Medium

Why this recipe works

• Boneless thigh stays juicy. Thigh meat has more fat than breast, so it survives double frying without drying out.
  Chicken Thigh Boneless
• Egg plus cornflour batter. It fries into a light shell that holds up to the sauce.
• Double fry. The first fry cooks the chicken. The second, at higher heat, drives out surface moisture so it stays crisp.
• Sauce is added last. Toss for 30–40 seconds only, then serve.

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

• 500 g boneless chicken thigh, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (maida)
• Salt, a pinch (soy sauce is already salty)
• Oil for deep frying

Sauce and vegetables

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 2–3 green chillies, slit
• 1 onion and 1 capsicum, cut into 1-inch squares
• 3 spring onions, whites and greens separated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp red chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp vinegar
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water

Method

1. Marinate. Mix all marinade ingredients with the chicken until it is coated in a thick, clingy batter. Don’t add water. Rest 30 minutes.
2. First fry. Heat oil to about 170°C (a drop of batter should rise steadily with small bubbles). Fry in batches for 4–5 minutes until pale golden. Drain on a wire rack or paper.
3. Second fry. Raise the heat slightly and fry all pieces again for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain.
4. Stir-fry aromatics. In a wok on high heat, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add garlic, ginger, green chillies and spring onion whites. Stir for 20 seconds.
5. Add vegetables. Add onion and capsicum and toss on high heat for 1 minute. Keep them crunchy.
6. Make the sauce. Add soy sauce, chilli sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sugar and pepper. Stir for 10 seconds, then add the cornflour slurry and cook until glossy (about 20 seconds).
7. Toss and serve. Add the fried chicken and spring onion greens. Toss 30–40 seconds and serve immediately.

Pro tips from the kitchen

• Safe doneness: chicken is cooked when the thickest piece reaches 74°C (165°F).
• Keep it dry or make it gravy: for gravy-style chilli chicken, double the slurry and add ¼ cup water.
• Crowding the pan drops oil temperature and makes the batter oily. Fry in 3 batches.
• Make-ahead: do the first fry earlier in the day. Do the second fry and the sauce right before serving.
• Air fryer option: spray the marinated pieces and cook at 190°C for 12–14 minutes, flipping halfway. The texture is lighter but not as crisp.

Serving suggestions

Pair it with our Smoky Peri Peri Chicken Rice Bowl or Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken Rice Bowl for a full Indo-Chinese-style meal.

Storage

Sauced chilli chicken is best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers up to 24 hours and reheat in a hot pan or air fryer, not the microwave.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

About 380 kcal, 30 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. These are estimates, not lab-tested.

Where to buy fresh chicken in Ahmedabad

Use fresh boneless thigh for the juiciest result. NonVegetarians.com delivers hygienically cut chicken to your door.
Buy Chicken Thigh Boneless

Frequently Asked Questions