Dudes and dudettes…. 😀 Yes!! That’s a kerala Chilli Chicken 🙂  For those who have had their childhood / teenage in 90’s  would know what I’m talking about. 😉  This particular dish was so popular in kerala hotels, especially those fast food places and the evergreen combo was “Parotta and chilli Chicken ” ! Oh!! glory!!Â
Eat out was a rare thing at my home, but whenever I got a chance, I chose parotta and chilli chicken combo 😛  Back then it was a rare thing to get, also difficult to make at home due to unavailability of ingredients. Years passed, I ate chilli chicken in various tastes, but nothing could beat the good old version introduced by Kerala  fast food centers!
Having that saucy , slightly oily , thick,  tasty red colored  chilli chicken gravy  on those flaky parottas was heavenly!! 😀
This is an attempt to recreate the same, I have pressure cooked the chicken cubes  to avoid  frying them too much in oil and turn rubbery . Also keeping it bit healthier too.
Come on peeps, lets not waste any time and see how to make this yummy chilli chicken.
Click here to watch the video
Ingredients:
-  Chicken cubes                               : 250 gm
To marinate and fry
- corn flour                                   :  2 tbsp
- pepper powder                              : 1/4 tsp
- soy sauce                                    : 1 tsp
- Red chilli sauce                              : 1 tsp
- salt                                         : 1/4 tsp or to taste
- ginger                                       : 1/4 ” piece, grated
- garlic                                        : 4-5 cloves, grated
-  Red chilli powder                            : 1/4 tsp
- water                                        : 2 tbsp
- Sunflower oil                                 : to fry the chicken
To make chilli Chicken gravy :
- Onions                                      : 1 small, cubed
- capsicum                                    : 1/2 of green, red, yellow (use 1 green if others not available)
- ginger                                       : 1/4- 1/2 ” chopped
- garlic                                        : 10-12 cloves , chopped
- Green chilli                                   : 2-3 , cut diagonally
- Spring onion , whites                          : 2-3 tbsp, chopped
- spring onion , greens                          : 2-3 tbsp, chopped
- Pepper powder                                : 1/4 tsp
- Soy sauce (light) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â : 1.5 tbsp
- Red chilli sauce                               : 1 tbsp
- Tomato ketchup                               : 1.5 tbsp
- Chilli vinegar                                 : 1/4 tsp
- Sugar                                        : 1/4 tsp
- Chicken broth */water                         : 1/2 cup
- salt                                           : as needed
- corn flour  *refer notes                         : 1tsp
- water                                         : 2 tsp
- Sunflower oil                                  : 2 tbsp ( you could also use the one for frying chicken)
Method:
- Pressure cook the chicken pieces with 1/4 tsp of pepper powder.1/2 tsp lemon juice, little salt and 3-4 tbsp of water for one whistle.
- once cooled completely, take out the pieces and set aside.
- In a bowl take all the ingredients mentioned under marinate and fry. Dunk all the cooked chicken pieces and mix well to coat with the marinade.
- Now heat a pan with oil and once hot start frying the chicken pieces , Do not  deep fry too much, rather take them out once they are light golden brown.Drain into a paper towel.
- In another bowl mix all the sauces and chilli vinegar and set aside
- Heat another pan, after frying all the chicken pieces , add 2 tbsp of oil ( you could use the same oil too) .
- Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and stir fry them until golden brown
- Add the cubed onions and stir fry that too, keep the flame high for 2 minutes and then bring down to medium.
- Once the onions turn translucent and start to brown add the spring onions whites and let that stir fry for a minute.
- Add the cubed capsicum and stir fry that too. Stir fry until its no longer raw.
- To this add the sauce mix  and combine well.
- Add the chicken  borth/ water and let it boil.
- To this add salt if required, also the left over corn starch mix  used for frying chicken ( if there is no left over combine 1 tsp corn starch with 1 tbsp water and add that )  mix.
- Now add the fried chicken pieces and let the gravy thicken.
- Switch off , if you want the gravy.If not let it dry further in high flame.
- finally garnish with spring onion greens.
- Serve with parotta, Fried rice or even chapathi.
Notes:
- You could use chicken strips, and small bone -in pieces as well
- There will be left over corn starch marinade , which could be used instead of adding more( healthier too 😉
- You could also add egg white from 1 egg to the marinade to make it further soft.
- Use green capsicums if that’s the available option.
- Chicken broth is optional, but it enhances the taste.
- Pressure cooking the chicken is also optional, as I wanted to avoid too much  deep  frying scene.
- adjust the sauces accordingly towards the end.( add more if you want more)
- For 500 gms and above double the measures/quantity. But do not add more than 1 tsp corn starch mix to thicken the gravy
- You could also make the marinade bit thicker by adding less water.
- Spring onion is again optional 🙂
