Description
Chicken Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish featuring flavorful ground chicken meatballs cooked in a savory, tangy sauce with aromatic garlic, ginger, soy, and vegetables. This recipe offers crispy fried chicken balls coated in a rich, thick Manchurian sauce, perfect served over Hakka noodles or fried rice for a delicious fusion meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Balls
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup maida or all-purpose flour
- 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 the 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 to prepare for frying the chicken balls.
- Prepare the Chicken Balls: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, minced garlic, ginger paste, soy sauce, egg, sesame oil, flour, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of diced green onions. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Use a medium cookie scoop to form small golf ball-sized portions and place them on a baking sheet.
- Fry the Chicken Balls: Add the chicken balls carefully to the hot oil and fry for about 7 minutes, turning frequently to ensure even cooking and a golden crispy exterior. Once cooked through, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Prepare the Cornstarch Slurry: Whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth and set aside to thicken the sauce later.
- Stir-Fry the Vegetables: In the same wok, add canola oil and heat until hot. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, red chili pepper, shallot, diced green onions, and chopped bell pepper. Stir-fry these aromatics and vegetables for about 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
- Add Tomato Paste: Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes to develop flavor. Then deglaze the pan by adding rice wine, scraping the bottom of the wok to incorporate any browned bits.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in the tamari soy sauce and chicken stock into the wok. Whisk the mixture until smooth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken into a glossy, flavorful coating.
- Combine with the Chicken Balls: Turn off the heat and add the fried chicken balls into the sauce. Gently toss to coat each chicken ball evenly and absorb the sauce’s savory flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the dish with the remaining diced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve the Chicken Manchurian warm alongside Hakka noodles, fried rice, or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying the chicken balls to achieve a crispy exterior without absorbing excess oil.
- You can substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock for a lighter flavor or to suit dietary preferences.
- Adjust the red chili quantity to control the heat level of the dish according to taste.
- Leftover Chicken Manchurian can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated gently to maintain sauce consistency.
