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The Chicken Manchurian recipe is a famous Indo-Chinese Chicken dish. It consists of crispy chicken coated with a crimson, sweet, and tangy sauce. This recipe stands out for its acidic sweetness, achieved by adding sugar. It’s a unique blend of common vegetables that pair beautifully with sauces and crispy chicken. It’s a rapid and easy recipe that comes with tested perfection.

The Chicken Manchurian recipe is sometimes mistaken for Chinese food, but it is Indo-Chinese. This chicken recipe combines ingredients from Pakistani and Chinese cuisines. It’s essentially an adaptation of Chinese seasoning with Pakistani chilling abilities.

Traditional chicken dishes like curries might grow monotonous at times, so this recipe is a game-changer. Its distinct flavor will undoubtedly be enjoyed by many.

Table of Contents

What is a Chicken Manchurian recipe?

Although it is an Indo-Chinese dish rather than Chinese cuisine, Chicken Manchurian is historically known as Chinese Manchurian. It was invented by Nelson Wang, an Indian restaurant owner of Chinese descent, who used the staple Indian ingredients of garlic and ginger with soy sauce, followed by corn starch, and chicken.

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Pakistani style Chicken Manchurian Vs Indo-Chinese Chicken Manchurian

Pakistani Style Chicken restaurant

Pakistani-style chicken Manchurian is more gravy-based, with somewhat crispy chicken coated in sour sweet sauce. It has a little runnier consistency than Indo-Chinese Manchurian.

Indo-Pak Chinese Style Chicken Manchurian

It always results in crispy chicken lightly coated with sauces. Similar to chicken shashlik and Jalferazi dishes

I’m going to create a great combination of both styles. We will create chicken machurian in a gravy-like style, similar to Pakistani cuisine, but with vegetables to make it more convenient, like Indo-Chinese cuisine.

Jump to Recipe

Why should we try the Chicken Manchurian recipe?

Homemade and easy

My Chicken Manchurian dish is an ideal homemade food to try. My recipe has exactly the right amount of sweetness to meet everyone’s tastes.

Simple Ingredients

You don’t need to make special journeys to the store to get fancy goods when you already have much of what you need in your Desi pantry!

Restaurant Style

You may prepare Chicken Manturian in the restaurant way at home. All you have to do is follow my detailed pictorial instructions.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Check the recipe card for quantities.

Chicken (Marinade)

Typically, chicken Manchurian recipes call for boneless chicken. This dish works best when the chicken is cut into little cubes. Before being deep-fried, chicken pieces are marinated in a tiny amount of cornstarch and simple seasonings.

Spice for Chicken Marination

For the Chicken Marination, I used ground Black pepper. Some like to use white pepper powder but I always prefer homemade ground pepper because it elevates the taste and brings aroma.

Egg

One room-temperature whole egg goes into the chicken marination.

oil

Use any vegetable oil or ghee of your choice.

Cornflour or cornstarch

Corn flour will be added to both the chicken marinade and the Manchurian sauce. You can choose any available brand, not a specific one.

Ginger/Garlic paste

Fresh Ginger-garlic paste is quite significant because it adds a rich flavor to chicken pieces and veggies.

Salt and red chili powder

Salt will be added to taste, and I will use a small amount of red chili powder while making the sauce.

Chicken Manchurian sauces

Tomato Ketchup

It is the foundation of the traditional sweet and tangy Manchurian sauce. Feel free to use any ordinary tomato ketchup from the supermarket; it will work. Some individuals prefer tomato puree over ketchup, but I believe it lacks the true restaurant flavor.

Chili garlic sauce

I strongly advise against skipping this ingredient since its distinct sharp acidic flavor will add enchantment to the Manchurian sauce. A true game-changer ingredient. I preferred the Shangrila brand since it had more flavor. If you skip that ingredient, the authentic restaurant style will alter.

Soy Sauce

Always use standard soy sauce and avoid dark soy sauce because its flavor can be overwhelming and difficult to adjust. Tamari (Japanese soy sauce) is a gluten-free choice, while coconut aminos are a little sweeter, a healthier substitute.

Vinegar

The sweetness is counterbalanced by white vinegar.

White Sugar

I’ve used finely ground sugar. You can use brown sugar as an alternative, but I prefer white sugar. If you want a glossier texture, add brown sugar.

Vegetables

I enjoy adding vegetables to Pakistani-style Chicken Manchurian recipes. Vegetables enhance the flavor and texture of the tangy sweet sauce. Pakistani-style chicken Manchurian is slightly runny, but it pairs well with vegetables.

Green Bell Pepper

I used chopped green bell pepper in the shape of cubes. Green bell peppers are frequently used in Chinese cuisine. Red or yellow bell peppers can also be used as an alternative.

Onion

I have used regular onion chopped in cubic form. It’s optional; you may skip it.

Red Carrots

I used fresh red carrots, chopped in diced form, around half a cup. You may choose a Chinese carrot as an alternative.

Steps to make Chicken Manchurian recipe

Step 1 (Chicken Marinade)

In the first step, in a deep bowl, combine chicken cubes, 1/4 cup cornflour,1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, an egg, 2 tbsp of soya sauce,1 tbsp of white vinegar, 1/2 tbsp salt, and 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper.

Step 2

Mix thoroughly and leave aside for 20 minutes.

Step 3 (Deep frying)

Take a pan and add oil to the flame on low to medium. Then, add a batch of chicken until it catches the golden brown color

Step 4

Wait until all the chicken pieces become golden brown and crispy

Step 5

Take a pot for making Manchurian sauce. Add 2-3 tbsp of oil/ghee. Saute ginger garlic paste.

Step 6

Add up all chopped vegetables: 1/2 cup of carrots, 1 cup of green bell pepper, and 1/2 cup of onions. Stir-fry them.

Step 7

Add 1 cup of tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp of salt, 1/4 tbsp of red chili powder (optional), 1/2 black pepper powder, 1 tbsp of white sugar. Mix it well, then add 1/2 cup of water or stock, 1/4 tbsp of chili garlic sauce, and 1 tbsp of white vinegar.

Step 8

To make a slurry, combine 2 tablespoons of corn flour and 1 cup of water. Then, while stirring, gently add the ingredients. the white-colored texture will appear. Keep stirring.

Step 9

The white color will disappear. Manchurian sauce will become more translucent, and the vegetables will soften. Allow it to cook until the sauce is ready.

Step 10

Once the sauce is finished, add the fried chicken cubes. Mix well. Allow the chicken to stew in the sour and sweet sauce until it absorbs the taste. This will take 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 11

Tasty Pakistani-style chicken Manchurian is ready.

Variations

I usually marinate chicken for 20 minutes before frying, which gives it more juiciness. However, you can also marinate the chicken immediately before frying.
Pakistani-style chicken Manchurian is more runny. If you want a dry version, let it simmer for a few minutes until the gravy is more constant.
I enjoy adding vegetables to chicken Manchurian recipes because they combine a sweet and tangy flavor with the chicken, which is delicious. You can vary the vegetables by choosing your own, such as cauliflower. The process will be the same as when you stir-fried ginger garlic in the paste.
Manchurian sauce is usually made with chicken stock, but I have to use water because I don’t have any on hand. You might replace it with chicken stock.
You can substitute tomato puree for tomato ketchup, but the traditional Manchurian flavor will also be different. For the best results, always use ketchup.
Some people use sesame oil while sautéing vegetables; it is completely optional. I also used ordinary ghee, so the taste was great without the need for sesame oil.

Storage

You may keep leftover chicken Manchurian in the fridge for two to three days if you store it in an airtight container. Just reheat in the microwave or on a pan until well heated. When reheating, add a little water or stock to loosen up the sauce if it has thickened in the refrigerator. But when the chicken is preserved, it loses its crunch.

Feel free to keep the marinated chicken in the fridge if you are too busy to fry it right away. However, thoroughly combine the marinade before cooking.

Instead of deep-frying, you can stir-fry chicken if you’re too health-conscious. To prevent the chicken from becoming soggy, simply pan-fry it and then add the sauce right away. This allows you to keep it in the fridge for two days.

Serving Suggestion

Chicken Manchurian can be served well with fried rice, as well as my Chinese-style rice

Other Chicken Recipes

Butter Chicken recipe
Chicken Kadai recipe

If you try this dish, share your thoughts by commenting below and tagging me on Instagram.