Description
Chicken Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish featuring flavorful ground chicken balls fried to perfection and tossed in a tangy, savory sauce with aromatic spices and vegetables. This recipe offers a perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and umami flavors, making it an irresistible appetizer or main dish to serve with noodles or rice.
Ingredients
Scale
For Chicken Balls
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (maida)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup green onions, diced (divided)
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Tamari, soya, or dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
For Sauce and Stir-fry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 red chili pepper, minced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup green onions, diced
- 1 bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 3 tablespoons Tamari, soya, or dark soy sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the Oil: Heat 1 inch of canola oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until hot enough for frying.
- Prepare the Chicken Balls: In a large bowl, mix ground chicken with minced garlic, ginger paste, soy sauce, egg, sesame oil, all-purpose flour, cracked black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of diced green onions until fully combined. Shape the mixture into golf ball-sized portions using a medium cookie scoop and place them on a baking sheet.
- Fry the Chicken Balls: Carefully add the chicken balls to the hot oil and fry for about 7 minutes, turning frequently to ensure even cooking. Once golden brown and cooked through, remove them using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Prepare the Cornstarch Slurry: Whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth and set aside for thickening the sauce later.
- Stir-Fry the Vegetables: In the same wok, add a tablespoon of canola oil. Once hot, stir-fry minced garlic, grated ginger, red chili pepper, shallot, diced green onions, and bell pepper for about 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
- Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste with the vegetables and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to develop flavor. Then deglaze the pan by adding rice wine, stirring well to lift any browned bits.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in soy sauce (Tamari) and chicken stock, whisking until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, then stir in the prepared cornstarch slurry. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Combine with the Chicken Balls: Turn off heat and gently add the fried chicken balls to the sauce. Toss carefully to coat the chicken evenly without breaking the balls.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with remaining diced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve the Chicken Manchurian hot with Hakka noodles, fried rice, or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use fresh ground chicken for the best texture and flavor.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes and chili according to your preferred spice level.
- Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying to prevent the chicken balls from absorbing too much oil.
- The sauce thickens as it simmers – do not skip the cornstarch slurry for the classic glossy texture.
- Vegetables can be swapped or added based on availability, such as adding carrots or snow peas.
