How To Make Chicken Manchurian
Learn How To Make Chicken Manchurian with crispy chicken, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, tomato, and chili garlic sauce for a bold, saucy Indo-Chinese dish that is quick, flavorful, and perfect for serving with rice or noodles.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 egg white whisked
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
Dry Coating
- ⅓ c all-purpose flour
- ⅓ c cornstarch
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp raw cane sugar
Manchurian Sauce
- ¾ c vegetable stock or chicken stock
- ⅓ c tomato purée or canned tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 1½ tbsp raw cane sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- ⅛ tsp white pepper or black pepper
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Stir-Fry
- 2 tbsp neutral oil such as avocado oil, plus additional oil for frying
- 4 green onions finely chopped, separating the white and light green parts from the dark green parts
- 5 garlic cloves finely chopped or minced
- 1- inch piece fresh ginger finely chopped or minced
- 1 small Thai green chili or Serrano pepper finely chopped
Garnish
- Dark green parts of the green onions
- Sesame seeds optional
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- Place the chicken in a mixing bowl. Add the egg white, soy sauce, vinegar, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside while preparing the remaining components.
Prepare the dry coating:
- In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, baking powder, red chili powder, and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
Prepare the sauce:
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the stock, tomato purée, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, sugar, soy sauce, kosher salt, red chili flakes, pepper, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
Heat the frying oil:
- Pour enough oil into a medium frying pan or heavy-bottomed pot to create a depth of at least ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches approximately 320°F to 350°F.
Coat the chicken:
- Transfer half of the marinated chicken to the dry coating mixture. Toss until each piece is thoroughly coated. Shake off any excess coating before frying.
Fry the chicken:
- Carefully place the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil, one at a time. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Prepare the stir-fry base:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the white and light green parts of the green onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the chopped green chili and stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant and lightly golden.
Cook the sauce:
- Pour the prepared Manchurian sauce into the wok. Bring it to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring as needed, until slightly thickened.
Combine the chicken and sauce:
- Add the fried chicken to the wok and toss gently until evenly coated in the sauce. Do this step quickly to preserve as much crispness as possible.
Garnish and serve:
- Remove from the heat. Garnish with the dark green parts of the green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice, fried rice, noodles, or on its own.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten free, replace the all-purpose flour in the coating with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and confirm that the cornstarch and baking powder are labeled gluten free. Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari in both the marinade and the sauce, and check the chili garlic sauce, ketchup, tomato purée, and stock carefully, as some brands may contain gluten or be processed with gluten-containing ingredients. If you are cooking for someone with celiac disease or a strong gluten intolerance, make sure your frying oil, utensils, bowls, and cookware are free from cross-contact as well.