Mom’s Chilli Chicken - Swaadish By Neelma

Categories: Non-Vegetarian Recipes, Recipes

Mom’s Chilli Chicken

Servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1 pound of chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
3/4 cup of vinegar
4 tablespoons of ginger and garlic
TIP: For best results use fresh ginger and garlic. Take equal amounts of ginger and garlic and pulse it in your food processor for a few minutes. You are not looking for a paste. It should be a little coarse.
1.5 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons of regular soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/2 cup of water
2 tablespoons of neutral oil

VEGETABLES

1 tablespoon of oil
2 scallions cut in half
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions cut into cubes
1 green bell pepper cut into cubes
1 tsp of ginger and garlic
1 tsp of dark soy sauce
1 tspo of freshly ground black pepper

Mom’s Chilli Chicken dish is very close to my heart. This dish is my mom’s unique recipe and her spin on the popular Indo-Chinese Chilli Chicken. Everyone has a childhood favorite dish and this is one of mine. The smell and aroma of this dish transports me back to my mom’s kitchen and the happiness in her eyes when I would devour it in seconds.

It has taken me years to replicate Mom’s Chilli Chicken recipe but today I am so excited to share my mom’s recipe with everyone with my tips and tricks.

How is Mom’s Chilli Chicken prepared?

Mom’s Chilli Chicken recipe is not the traditional recipe of a Chilli Chicken that you will find in restaurants. I like to think of this recipe as a healthier version of the original recipe.

The star ingredients of this dish are fresh ginger and garlic and freshly ground black pepper. We saute the chicken in ginger and garlic and black pepper. When the chicken reaches a beautiful brown color, we cook it in vinegar and 2 types of soy sauces until it releases its flavor. We saute onions, bell peppers, and scallions separately and add them to the dish. There is no sweetness in this recipe. It is slightly sour and salty.

Do I prepare this dish using boneless or bone-in chicken?

For this recipe, I always use boneless and skinless chicken thigs but skinless chicken wings will also work perfectly for this dish. Chicken breast tends to be dryer but you can certainly use them but make sure to cut them in bite-size pieces so that can fully absorb the flavors.

Is Mom’s Chilli Chicken the same as Chicken 65?

Chicken 65 originates from Chennai and they prepare it by frying the chicken and adding in red sauce and soy sauce which is spicier and more garlicky. Traditional Chilli Chicken recipe is not very spicy and has bell peppers and onions in it. The base of the sauce is similar between the 2 dishes.

Can I prepare this dish in advance?

You can prepare the sauce a day ahead of time, but in order to avoid the vegetables from getting soggy, I would highly encourage to saute them a few hours before serving.

What do I eat with Mom’s Chilli Chicken dish?

You can pair this dish with any type of rice but my favorite way of eating it is with Persian Rice with Tahdig. The crispiness of Tahdig and tangy, salty taste of chicken is a match made in heaven.

Heat oil in a pan
Add ginger and garlic and allow to cook for 1 minute or till tyou can smell the aroma
TIP:
Cook your ginger and garlic on low flame to avoid them from burning
Add chicken and saute till it changes its color to brown
Add 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper and mix well
Add vinegar, mix well and allow it to come to boil (lid on)
Add the dark soy sauce and light sauce, and allow the chicken to cook with the lid on for 12-15 minutes
In the meanwhile, heat oil in a wok and add ginger and garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds
Add in the onions, bell perppers and scallion and saute till they are lightly brown
Add in soy sauce and freshly ground black pepper, mix well and set aside
Mix the water with cornstarch to form a thin paste and add to the chicken and mix well and cook for another minute
Turn off the flame and add the sauted vegetables to the chicken
Sprinkle a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Enjoy with rice