Chilli Chicken Recipe | Restaurant Style Chilli Chicken | Ramadan Special | Kunal Kapur Recipe

Chef Kunal Kapur Paneer & Dairy 40 Mins 4 Servings 1.7M views Jan 6, 2021

Desi Chinese is very popular in India and one of the most loved is Chilli Chicken. This is one dish along with Chilli Paneer that cuts across all of India. Chilli Chicken is a spicy, lightly sweet appetiser that you can cook at home. Crispy marinated chicken is sautéed in a spicy-sweet sauce along with onions and bell peppers. This Chilli Chicken can be made as a dry appetiser or as a gravy to enjoy with Chinese style fried rice or Hakka noodles. Chilli chicken is a popular Indo-Chinese dish of chicken of Hakka Chinese heritage. In India, this may include a variety of dry chicken preparations. Though mainly boneless chicken is used in this dish, some people also use bone-in chicken too. In this video, we are going to make DRY & GRAVY CHILLI CHICKEN. Chilli Chicken

Ingredients & Measurements

Carefully curated and proportioned for authentic flavor balance. Adjust chillies and salt to your personal taste.

For Chilli Paste

Dry kashmiri red chilli (soaked) - 8nos
Water - a dash
Or
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - ¾ tbsp

For Chicken Marinade

Chicken Cubes - 400gms
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - a pinch
Baking soda - ½ tsp
Flour (all purpose) - 2 tbsp
Corn starch - 3tbsp
Egg - 1no
Oil - to fry

For Sauce

Oil - 3tbsp
Dry Red Chilli - 2nos
Garlic chopped - 1tbsp
Ginger chopped - 2tsp
Green chillies chopped - 1no
Onion diced - 1½ cup
Green capsicum diced - ½ cup
Yellow capsicum diced - ¼ cup
Red capsicum diced - ¼ cup
Light soya sauce - 3tbsp
Tomato ketchup - 3tbsp
Vinegar - 1tbsp
Salt - to taste
Chilli paste - 2tbsp
Water - 1cup
Corn starch - 1tbsp
Water - a dash
Spring onions chopped - handful

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

1
Ingredient Preparation: Wash, prep, and accurately measure all fresh ingredients, aromatics, and spice blends as listed in the ingredients section.
2
Sautéing & Blooming Spices: Heat oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium flame. Add whole spices and aromatics (ginger, garlic, green chillies) to bloom their essential oils until fragrant.
3
Building the Flavor Base: Add chopped onions and sauté until translucent or golden brown. Stir in tomatoes and ground spices (turmeric, coriander, chilli powder), cooking on medium-low heat until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
4
Simmering to Perfection: Incorporate the primary ingredients (vegetables, paneer, lentils, or proteins) and simmer gently with warm water or broth until tender and deeply infused with flavor.
5
Finishing & Garnish: Adjust seasoning with salt, sprinkle freshly crushed roasted kasoori methi and garam masala, and garnish generously with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve piping hot with roti, paratha, or fragrant basmati rice.

Chef Kunal's Pro Secret Tip

Always soak fresh paneer cubes in warm, lightly salted water for 10 minutes before cooking. If pan-frying paneer, do so for no more than 60–90 seconds per side on medium-high heat to preserve its velvety, melt-in-the-mouth texture and prevent rubberiness.

Recipe FAQs & Expert Advice

How long can I store leftover Chilli Chicken Recipe?

You can store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. When reheating, warm on medium-low heat on the stovetop and add 2–3 tablespoons of warm water if the gravy has thickened in the fridge.

Can I make this recipe vegan or dairy-free?

Yes! Substitute paneer with extra-firm pressed tofu or roasted plant-based paneer alternatives. Replace dairy butter/ghee with mustard oil, coconut oil, or refined groundnut oil.

What is the key technique to get restaurant-style flavor in this dish?

Focus on blooming whole spices in hot oil first, patiently sautéing the onion-tomato masala until oil separates, and finishing with a pinch of crushed roasted kasoori methi and freshly ground garam masala right before serving.