Chicken Manchurian Gravy is a perfect Indo-Chinese gravy to go with Fried Rice. This is the air fryer version and hence it's a guilt-free and low-calorie version.
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Manchurians are always party pleasers. It goes well with any Chinese Dish. Trying a low-calorie and guilt-free version today using Air Fryer. The chicken Manchurian air fryer is super easy and you can enjoy your Manchurian happily.
We love these Manchurian dishes but I always give a second thought to cook since it involves deep frying. Now this air fryer version is apparently a chicken Manchurian healthy version
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What is Manchurian
Manchurian is a classic Indo Chinese dish. Prepared by frying chicken or vegetables and then sauteing them in a sauce base along with onions and bell peppers. It is an adaptation of Chinese cooking but created for the Indian tastebuds. It is one of the popular restaurant based dishes in India.
The word "Manchurian" means native or inhabitant of Manchuria. However, the dish originated in India and has no other relation to China. The only relation is it is cooked in Indian Chinese restaurants.
Chicken manchurian origin - It is actually created by the Chinese restaurants in India. It is said to have been invented in 1975 by Nelson Wang, a cook at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai when a customer asked him to create a new dish, different from what was available on the menu. (wiki)
Ingredients
Chicken - use boneless chicken pieces. Chop them into equal-sized cubes and then use them. This is to make sure that the chicken gets cooked at the same time.
Onions - Chop the onion into cubes and then use.
Spring Onions - In most of the Indo-Chinese dishes, we use scallions or the Spring Onions. We use both the white and green parts. It is like a mandatory ingredient.
Bell Pepper / Capsicum - I also used Red, Green, and Yellow-colored bell peppers or Capsicum. You can use any one color as well.
Sauce - We use a combination of Sauces for the Manchurian-based dish. In fact, it is the base of the recipe. We usually use Soya Sauce, Chilli Sauce, and Vinegar in different proportions along with tomato sauce. If you don't prefer adding tomato sauce you may use sweet chili sauce.
Corn Flour - We use corn flour slurry for thickening the gravy.
Marinade - We use a mix of ingredients as a base for the marinade. We marinate the chicken and then air fry them until perfection.
FAQ's
Is chicken Manchurian sweet?
The dish actually has a hint of sweetness from the sauces added but it is not too sweet
What kind of chicken pieces do we use for manchurian?
In the restaurant style chicken manchurian recipe they use boneless chicken cubes. They are easy to go along with and perfect for the dishes. You may use chicken breasts chop them into cubes and use.
How to make Chicken Manchurian
Air Fry the Chicken
1.In a large mixing bowl add the gram flour, corn flour, Rice flour, maida, ginger garlic paste, and red chili powder. Add little water and bring it to a thick paste.
2. Chop the boneless chicken pieces into cube-sized pieces and add to the marinade.
3. Combine and let it marinate for 30 mins.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 392 F / 200 c for 5 mins. Brush the air fryer basket with oil and air fry at 356 F / 180 c for 16 mins.
5. After 8 mins open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Brush with little oil and then air fry for another 8 mins. If you do not have an air fryer you may deep fry the chicken.
Cook the Manchurian
1.Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil. Once it's hot add in chopped garlic and green chili. Saute for a min and then add the diced onion.
2. Cook for a min and then add in the diced capsicum. Cook for 2 mins.
3. Next add the Sweet Chilli Sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper powder. Mix everything well.
4. Take the Corn flour in a bowl and add little water and form a slurry and mix well. Now add this Corn flour slurry to the pan and keep cooking for a min or till the gravy thickens.
5. Check for salt and add if needed. Now add the air-fried Chicken.
6. Mix everything well such that the sauce coats the chicken well. Cook for a min and then switch off the flame.
7. Garnish with chopped Spring Onions and serve hot with fried rice.
Tips & Variations
- In restaurants, they add a pinch of Ajinomoto to enhance the flavor. You can use it if you prefer it is completely optional. I don't recommend adding.
- Keep a check while adding salt as the sauce will also have Salt in it.
- I made it as a chicken Manchurian dry Version. You can adapt the same to make the chicken manchurian gravy recipe. While adding the corn flour slurry you may add 1 cup of water for a gravy version.
- Always marinate the chicken. This helps to tenderize the chicken and it gets cooked easily.
- If you don't have an air fryer. You can deep fry the chicken or cook it on a stovetop as well. You may also bake the chicken.
- Boneless pieces are best suited for Manchurian dishes.
- This recipe for chicken Manchurian can be easily adapted for the veg versions with Cauliflower or Paneer.
Serving Suggestions
Goes well as a starter as an accompaniment along with noodles or Fried Rice.
Storage Options
The best way to serve chicken Manchurian is hot. The chicken tends to get soggy as it gets cold as we toss them in the sauces.
However, you may coat the chicken with spice powders and freeze it. Before you serve you may fry the chicken and then prepare the sauce and serve.
Similar Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Manchurian Gravy
Standard 1 cup measures 240 ml
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Sautepan
Ingredients
- ½ kg Boneless Chicken
- 1 Onion
- 1 cup Capsicum
- 2 Green Chilli
- 1 tbsp Corn flour
- Water as needed
- Salt as needed
- 3 tbsp Spring onions
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ¼ cup Sweet Chiili Sauce
- ½ tsp Pepper powder
- 1.5 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Vinegar
To Mariante:
- 2 tbsp Gram Flour
- ½ cup Corn Flour
- 2 tsp Rice Flour
- 2 tsp Maida
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
- ½ tbsp Red Chilli powder
- Salt as needed
- ¼ cup Water
Instructions
Air Fry the Chicken
- In a large mixing bowl add the gram flour, corn flour, Rice flour, maida, ginger garlic paste, and red chili powder. Add little water and bring it to a thick paste.
- chop the boneless chicken pieces into cube-sized pieces and add to the marinade.
- Combine and let it marinate for 30 mins.
- Preheat the air fryer to 392 F / 200 c for 5 mins. Brush the air fryer basket with oil and air fry at 356 F / 180 c for 16 mins.
- After 8 mins open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Brush with little oil and then air fry for another 8 mins. If you do not have an air fryer you may deep fry the chicken.
Cook the Manchurian
- Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil. Once it's hot add in chopped garlic and green chili. Saute for a min and then add the diced onion.
- Cook for a min and then add in the diced capsicum. Cook for 2 mins.
- Next add the Sweet Chilli Sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper powder. Mix everything well.
- Take the Corn flour in a bowl and add little water and form a slurry and mix well. Now add this Corn flour slurry to the pan and keep cooking for a min or till the gravy thickens.
- Check for salt and add if needed. Now add the air-fried Chicken.
- Mix everything well such that the sauce coats the chicken well. Cook for a min and then switch off the flame.
- Garnish with chopped Spring Onions and serve hot with fried rice.
Video
Notes
- You can actually add a pinch of ajinomoto, however that is completely optional.
- Keep a check while adding salt as the sauce will also have Salt in it.
- I made it as a thick gravy, you can also dilute it if you require it saucier.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, the nutrition value provided here is an estimate. It will vary based on the quantity and brands of the products used.
Note: This post is originally from 2016. I have updated with new Recipe card, Pictures and video now.
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