Learn how to make delicious air fryer chili chicken at home. This restaurant style chilli chicken recipe delivers crispy, tender chicken coated in a sweet and spicy chili sauce. It is a healthier alternative to deep-fried version, easy to make and perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
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About Chilli Chicken Recipe
Chilli chicken is a product of Indo-Chinese cuisine, which is a culinary fusion of Indian and Chinese flavors. This unique style of cooking originated in the Chinese immigrant communities in Kolkata, India. Over time, it evolved by incorporating Indian spices, flavors, and cooking techniques.
Traditional chilli chicken is often deep-fried for a crispy texture. So, to avoid the excess consumption of oil we can air fry the marinated chicken cubes.
For the second part of the recipe, we used oil to create the sauce, which is then used to toss the air-fried chicken cubes.
Ingredients
Chicken: Primarily, boneless chicken cubes are used for this recipe. When making chilli chicken in air fryer, make sure the chicken cubes are not bigger in size (should be approximately 1-1.5 inch each).
Vegetables: I have used red and yellow bell pepper for this crispy chilli chicken recipe. You can also use green bell pepper. Apart from bell peppers, I have use onion in this dish.
Sauce: Tomato ketchup and dark soy sauce are important in this recipe. I have not used chilli sauce here.
Oil: I prefer to use sesame oil for any Indo-Chinese dish. You can also use any vegetable oil.
Spices: Red chilli powder, crushed black pepper, salt, etc.
Ginger-Garlic: Here ginger and garlic are used in two forms. In the marination of chicken, I have used ginger paste and garlic paste. However, while tossing the chicken in sauce I have used chopped ginger and garlic.
Others: Egg, corn flour, all-purpose flour, green chilli, spring onion, etc.
Instructions
If you're craving a healthier alternative to the traditional deep-fried Chilli Chicken, this air fryer version is a must-try. The air fryer allows you to enjoy the crispy texture and rich flavors without the excess oil, making it a guilt-free delight.
Follow step-by-step instructions to prepare this chicken chili Indian recipe.
Always use tender chicken for this recipe. Wash and clean the boneless chicken cubes thoroughly. Drain the water and keep it in a bowl for marination.
Meanwhile, take soy sauce and tomato ketchup in a bowl. combine well and keep aside.
Now add ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, black pepper powder, chilli powder, and the sauce mixture. Mix thoroughly and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
Next, add the egg white to the marinated chicken and stir thoroughly. After that, coat the chicken cubes with flour.
In the meantime, preheat the air fryer to 205°C (400°F). Air fry the chicken cubes for 6 minutes, making sure to flip them halfway through the cooking time.
I have not added a single drop of oil during the marination. However, air fried chicken turned crispy in texture. It depends on the correct temperature and time of air frying.
Once the chicken cubes have been air-fried, remove them and set aside.
If you do not have an air fryer, you can heat oil in a wok and deep fry the marinated chicken and follow the remaining steps.
Heat the oil in a skillet and add the chopped garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Sauté for several minutes.
Next, add the onion petals and cook until they are translucent. Add the bell pepper cubes and rapidly stir fried them.
Then, add the air-fried chicken cubes to the pan and mix rapidly. Add the remaining sauce mixture, salt, and immediately stir-fry.
Meanwhile, prepare a slurry of corn flour by combining 1 teaspoon with ¼ cup of water. This is air-fried chilli chicken dry, so we will restrict the amount of water.
Add the slurry to the pan and stir immediately over high heat.
Finally, garnish with chopped spring onion and serve the air fried chilli chicken.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve air fryer chilli chicken as main course or starter. Enjoy it as a delicious appetizer to kick off your meal, or pair it with rice or noodles for a satisfying main dish. The choice is yours!
You can pair it with chicken fried rice or chicken noodles. It goes well with some salads (cucumber beetroot salad, bell pepper cucumber salad) in the sides.
When you are serving it as appetizer, pair it with a dip of your choice. This can go well with cocktails in your drink party.
Substitutions
Here are some common substitutions you can make in a chilli chicken recipe:
- Swap chicken cubes with other meat options such as turkey or pork. If you are a vegetarian, replace chicken with tofu or paneer. Interestingly, you can also swap chicken with cauliflower florets.
- Try using varieties of bell peppers. If bell peppers aren’t available, try zucchini, broccoli, or snap peas for crunch and color.
- Arrowroot powder or potato starch can be used if you prefer not to use cornstarch.
- Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce as they are gluten-free.
Variations
You can adapt this versatile chilli chicken recipe in various ways to suit different tastes and preferences. Here are some delicious variations you can try:
- Garlic Chilli Chicken - Increase the garlic content and toss in roasted garlic cloves for an extra burst of flavor
- Honey Chilli Chicken - Add a drizzle of honey to the sauce for a sweet and spicy flavor.
Storage
Allow the air fryer chilli chicken to cool completely before storing. Place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Place the chicken dish on a microwave-safe plate and cover it with a microwave-safe lid. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.
Reheat the chicken in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add a small amount of water or sauce to prevent sticking.
Top tips
- It is important to choose the right cut of the meat for the better outcome. Use boneless chicken thighs for juicier results or breasts for a leaner option.
- Avoid overcrowding the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket. Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between pieces for proper air circulation. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Flip the chicken halfway through cooking to ensure both sides are evenly crisped.
- Always preheat the air fryer to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
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Restaurant Style Chilli Chicken
Materials
- 500 gms Boneless Chicken Cubes
- 1 no Red Bell Pepper, small cut into cubes
- 1 no Yellow Bell Pepper, small cut into cubes
- 1 cup Onion Petals
- 6-8 nos Green Chilli chopped or sliced
- 2-3 stalks Spring Onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon Ginger chopped
- 2 teaspoon Garlic chopped
- 1½ teaspoon Ginger Paste
- 1½ teaspoon Garlic Paste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper freshly crushed
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- Salt to taste
- 3-4 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce use as required
- 2-3 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
- 1 no Egg white
- 2 tablespoon Corn Flour
- 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- 3-4 tablespoon Sesame Oil
Instructions
- Add dark soy sauce and tomato ketchup in a bowl. Mix well and keep aside the sauce mixture.
- Take the cleaned chicken cubes in a bowl and add ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, black pepper powder, chilli powder, and sauce mixture. Combine well and keep aside for 10-15 mins.
- Next add egg white to the marinated chicken and mix well.
- After that coat the chicken cubes with flour.
- Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer at 205 degrees C (400 degrees F) and air fry them for 6 minutes. Definitely flip the chicken cubes in between.
- Once the chicken cubes are air fried, take them out and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and add chopped chopped garlic, ginger and green chilli. Sauté for few minutes.
- Next add onion petals and fry until they are transparent.
- Add bell pepper cubes and quickly stir fry them.
- Then add the air fried chickens in the pan and quickly combine them.
- Now add the remaining sauce mixture, salt and quickly stir-fry.
- Meanwhile make a slurry of corn flour by adding 1 teaspoon of corn flour in ¼ cup of water.
- Add the slurry to the pan and quickly mix it on high heat.
- Finally, add chopped spring onion on top and air fried chilli chicken is ready to serve.
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