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Easy Chinese Chicken Manchurian Recipe

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4
Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the chicken:

  • 500 g Boneless 2 Chicken Breasts, Cut in Small Cubes
  • ½ tbsp Garlic Paste
  • ½ tsp White Pepper Powder
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp  Red Chili Flakes
  • ½ tbsp Soya Sauce
  • 1 Egg Whisked
  • 4 tbsp Corn flour
  • Oil for Frying

For Manchurian sauce / gravy:

  • 2 tbsp  Oil Use The Same Oil as Was Used for Frying
  • ½  tbsp  Freshly Minced Garlic
  • 4 Dried Whole red Chilies
  • 1 Onion Cut into Cubes
  • ½  Green Capsicum / Green Bell Pepper Cut into Cubes
  • 2 tbsp Soya Sauce
  • 2 tbsp  Vinegar
  • ½  cup Tomato Ketchup
  • 1 tbsp Chili Sauce
  • 1 cup Chicken Stock
  • ½  tsp  Red Chili Flakes
  • ¼ tsp White Pepper Powder
  • Salt to Taste
  • 2 tbsp Corn flour
  • 2 Spring Onions Thinly Sliced (for Garnish)

Instructions
 

For the chicken:

  • Place the chicken in a bowl, and add garlic paste, salt, white pepper powder, red chilli flakes and soy sauce. Add the egg and mix well.
  • Add the cornflour till a thick batter consistency is reached. The recipe states 4 tablespoons of cornflour / cornstarch, but you can add more or less to reach the right consistency.
  • Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
  • Heat oil for frying in a wok or shallow frying pan.
  • Add the chicken in batches, and fry till golden brown and crispy. Keep the heat low – medium so that the chicken can cook through from the inside but doesn’t burn from the outside.
  • Set aside the fried chicken.
  • The chicken can also be shallow fried, baked in an oven, or made in an air fryer.

For the Manchurian sauce / gravy:

  • Place the tomato ketchup / tomato sauce, sriracha, soya sauce and vinegar in a small jug or bowl. Stir and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large wok / medium sized pot (or Dutch oven). The same pan can be used that was used for frying the chicken, just remove the oil and leave only 2 tablespoons in the pan.
  • Once the oil is hot, add the freshly minced garlic and whole red chilies. Saute for a minute, and then add the cubed onions and capsicum.
  • Sauté for around 2 minutes, and then add the tomato sauce mixture that was kept aside.
  • Add the chicken stock, along with the red chili flakes, white pepper powder and salt. Add only a little salt as the other ingredients are already quite salty.
  • Let the mixture come to a boil, and then turn heat to simmer.
  • Add the cornflour slurry and cook for 2 – 3 minutes till the gravy thickens and turns glossy.
  • Add the fried chicken to the gravy and mix through. Cook for a few minutes till the chicken is heated through. The gravy will thicken a little more due to the fried chicken batter. If you want, you can add more chicken stock at this stage, and adjust seasonings.
  • Once the chicken is heated through, turn off the heat. Garnish the chicken Manchurian with sliced spring onions and serve hot with fried rice.

Notes:

  • Marinate Chicken for at least 30 minutes.