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Chicken Manchurian Recipe

Inspired by PANEER Indian grill

Time1h

Serves4

Chicken, vegetables, soy sauce, garlic, ginger. Chicken Gobi-Manchurian is an Indian-Chinese dish made by chopping and deep-frying cauliflower, crispy chicken, paneer, then sautéing them in an aromatic sauce flavored with soy sauce.

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Ingredients

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For the crispy chicken

1 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup Cornstarch

1/4 cup 00 bread flour

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbs garlic paste or finely minced garlic

1 tbs ginger paste or finely minced ginger

1 unit Egg

1/2 cup water (cold, to make batter)

4 cups neutral oil for deep frying

For the Manchurian sauce and vegetables

2 tbs vegetable oil (for sauce)

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tbs ginger, julienned

4 stalks green onions (scallions), white and green parts separated, sliced

1 unit onion, large, cut into 1-inch squares

1 unit bell pepper (red or green), cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cup cauliflower florets (optional, for Gobi-Manchurian mix)

1/2 cup paneer, cubed and lightly fried (optional)

3 tbs soy sauce (regular or light)

1 tsp dark soy sauce or color (optional)

1 tbs oyster sauce or hoisin (optional but recommended)

3 tbs tomato ketchup

1 tsp red chili sauce or sriracha (adjust to heat)

1 tsp rice vinegar or white vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup water or chicken stock

1 tbs cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water)

1/2 tsp Toasted sesame oil

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt (to taste)

To finish and garnish

2 stalks sliced green onion (greens)

2 tbsp cilantro (optional)

2 unit lemon wedges (optional)

Method

For the crispy chicken

Prepare chicken

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Mix in 1/2 tablespoon garlic paste and 1/2 tablespoon ginger paste and let rest 10 minutes.

Make batter

In a bowl combine cornstarch, all-purpose flour, baking powder, remaining salt and pepper. Whisk in the egg, remaining garlic and ginger paste, and about 1/2 cup cold water to form a thick batter that coats pieces (add more water 1 tbsp at a time if needed). Batter should be slightly thick, not watery.

Fry chicken

Heat oil in a deep pan or wok to 350°F (175°C). Working in batches, dredge chicken pieces in the batter to coat completely, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, 4–6 minutes per batch depending on piece size. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray to drain. Keep warm in low oven if needed.

For optional cauliflower and paneer (Gobi-Manchurian components)

Prep cauliflower and paneer

If using cauliflower and paneer, blanch cauliflower florets 1–2 minutes in boiling salted water, drain and pat dry. For paneer, cut into 1-inch cubes and pat dry.

Fry cauliflower and paneer

Using the same batter (or a light dusting of cornstarch) and hot oil at 350°F (175°C), fry cauliflower until crisp-tender and golden, about 3–4 minutes. Fry paneer cubes briefly until golden, 1–2 minutes. Drain and set aside with the fried chicken.

For the Manchurian sauce and vegetable stir-fry

Prepare sauce mix

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, dark soy (if using), oyster or hoisin sauce, tomato ketchup, red chili sauce, vinegar, sugar and 1/2 cup water or stock. Stir to dissolve sugar and set aside.

Stir-fry aromatics and vegetables

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sliced garlic and julienned ginger and stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant (do not burn). Add the white parts of the sliced green onions, diced onion and bell pepper. Stir-fry 2–3 minutes so onions soften but remain crisp. If using, add the fried cauliflower and paneer now to incorporate.

Combine sauce and thicken

Pour the prepared sauce into the wok and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry and stir into the simmering sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

Finish

Add the fried chicken pieces to the wok and toss to coat evenly with the sauce and vegetables. Drizzle sesame oil and sprinkle remaining black pepper. Cook just 1 minute more to heat through and allow the chicken edges to soak up sauce without becoming soggy.

To serve

Transfer Chicken Manchurian (and Gobi/paneer if included) to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced green onion greens and cilantro. Serve hot with steamed rice or fried rice and lemon wedges on the side.