Step 1
Marinate the chicken thigh pieces in a mixture of egg, 4 tablespoons of cornstarch, crushed black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. You can adjust the quantity of salt according to your taste.
Step 2
In a deep wok or a pan, heat the canola oil (or another oil of your choice) over high heat. Carefully drop the marinated chicken pieces in the hot oil, and lower the heat to medium to let the chicken cook properly.
Step 3
In 2-3 minutes, the chicken pieces will turn slightly golden brown. Set the heat to medium-high to maintain the temperature of the oil. Then, with the help of a spatula or a spoon, gently flip the chicken pieces and fry on the other side for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 4
Take the chicken pieces out of the oil, and spread them on a tissue paper to absorb extra oil. If you are frying in batches, set the heat back to high before adding the next batch of the chicken pieces.
Step 5
In another wok/pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir fry until the onions turn translucent. Then add the bell peppers, green chili, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt, and saute until onions and bell peppers are cooked.
Step 6
Add the deep fried chicken pieces, soya sauce, and chili sauce (if using), and mix well. Add 1 cup of water and bring it to boil.
In the meantime, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1/2 cup of water and keep aside.
Step 7
Once the water comes to a boil, start adding the cornstarch-water mixture a couple teaspoon at the time and mix gently. Stop adding the cornstarch-water mixture when you notice the sauce in Chili Chicken starts to thicken. Cook for about one more minute until the sauce is thick enough.
Your Chili Chicken is ready to serve. Serve with Steamed Rice, Vegetable Pulao, Paratha, or Fried Noodle.
The most common Indo-Chinese food that you'll find in every restaurant, food trucks, and street food stalls in India is Chili Chicken. The ingredients needed for cooking Chili Chicken are so easy to find that it became a popular dish in Indian household kitchens too. Many people have invented their own versions of Chili Chicken. Here is one of the popular versions of the dish.
Happy cooking!