Updated on June 26th, 2022
Today I tried something a little different, an Indo-Chinese recipe – Chicken Manchurian. This dish is pretty popular but if you haven’t heard of it, Chicken Manchurian brings the best of both worlds from Indian and Chinese cuisine. I had never made this dish before and couldn’t find a recipe I found very appealing. Although there are almost countless ways to make this, I decided to experiment a bit by trying two different types of sauce. The first sauce I found to have a very strong flavor. The second sauce I found very mild. I preferred the mild sauce and so did the others that tried it but if you like a spicier sauce, just add a little more garlic, ginger and a couple diced green chilies. The chicken is coated with a batter and then deep fried giving it a very soft texture. The batter is a basic combination of flour, corn starch, egg, and salt and pepper. If you feel the batter is a little thick feel free to add a tiny bit of water to thin it out. Chicken Manchurian Is best served with white rice. Enjoy.
Chicken Manchurian Recipe
Ingredients
- 1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” pieces)
- 1 ½ tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon corn starch
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- Sauce-
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup tomato puree
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
- oil (for frying)
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together flour, 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch, egg, salt, and pepper. If the batter is too thick add a tiny bit of water to thin it out. Dip chicken pieces into batter, coat well and deep fry chicken pieces in batches in your deep fryer at 375 degrees until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm until needed.
- Add a tiny bit of oil to your wok and stir fry sliced onions for about 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger stir fry for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, ketchup, tomato puree, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix well stirring and bring to a boil. Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and pour into the mixture while stirring. Cook until sauce thickens.
- In a bowl pour the sauce over the chicken pieces. Mix well and top with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with white rice.
I’ve never heard of Chicken Manchurian, but I like the sound of these flavors together.
I absolutely love Indian-Chinese food. Gobi Manchurian (cauliflower fritters) is another favorite, made almost exactly the same way
It’s news to me too. It looks fantastic though.
Looks so yummy.
ooooooo I really think I will be trying these. I think I’d prefer the spicier version, but maybe for my kids I’ll so the mild one. I love the photos of your finished product and how glossy the sauce is! It shines!
That chicken is so vibrant and the recipe sounds really tasty!
You know by now that I am a fan of your chicken recipes. This one sounds great as well.
This looks and sounds SO delicious!
Ha, just today I was thinking “man, I really want some chicken manchurian!” And lo, and behold! 😀 Although, almost all the recipes I’ve read use Ajinomoto in them. Any reason why you didn’t use it?
Esi – the flavors are great.
Diana @ AppetiteforChina – I have been thinking of making gobi manchurian as well, I have never had it but it sounds great.
Graeme – Thanks, it tastes great.
Happy Cook – Thanks!
Oneshotbeyond – Thanks for the compliments on my pictures.
Kevin – Thanks, Chicken manchurian is really good.
Ivy – Thanks, it is a really tasty dish.
HoneyB – I think I want to make it again… right now 😀
Wajeeha – I really don’t like eating alot of stuff with MSG in it. Thats the only reason.
ooh. this looks very yummy indeed and what an amazing colour. cool name too 😉
This one is new to me as well but sounds so delicious. Going to have to try this one soon.
Great post! This dish sounds good. Thanks for the recipe!
My wife is already doing it but I can see the difference between her way and the way you have explained here. I was already thinking that she is doing something wrong with it because it doesn’t taste the same as in restaurants. Thanks for sharing it.
Not sure if my comments are going through, as I have a shoddy internet connection. Excellent recipe! I just tried it and it is absolutely perfect. The amount of soy sauce should be reduced to 1 tbsp, but otherwise, tastes just like restaurant fare! Great work! 🙂 Can’t wait to try your other recipes
Thank you! I used to make “desi” chinese food a lot before but hadn’t in quite some time. I looked for Chicken Manchurian recipes online and didn’t find any that sounded right till I came across yours. Its perfect, I just added some crushed red peper to the oil with the onions to spice it up a bit 🙂
You have just made my day! I’ve tried this recipe with shrimp instead and I have to tell you both taste absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
great recipe!!!! your recipe looks delicious..
fantastic site!!! thanks for the detailed steps…
i’m looking forward for more recipe ^_^
thanx a lot!!! try this for dinner..
…..very nice….
this is fantastic!!!
I didn’t even know Indo-Chinese cuisine exists. Is this another thing the Western world made up??? 😛 Should definitely give this a try.
I searched several sites for the indo-chinese manchurian recipe and didn’t feel they were right. This recipe loks/sounds right and the pics give some assurance that you actually made it.
Great finished pics!!
That is just simply the best. I love it
made it today and it tastes awesome
Thanks
I made it today, it was good but I think the sauce had a very strong ketchup flavor. Perhaps it needs a little less ketchup and tomato puree
That is just simply the best. I made it today,it was good.
Thank u
this looks very good
i should give this a try
although i make chicken manchurian…your recipe sounds easier so next time i make it..it will be your recipe.And yes,the way the pics are shown step by step is overwhelming.Thanx for posting it so beautifully for all of us to see.
A very nice and easy to cook Chinese recipe.
Shortest and the best recipe!
Thanks
Great looking dish,I will try it for sure,the gravy looks like the sweet and sour kinda receipe. Thanks for the receipe
interesting………
i used 2 know how 2 cook it but thiz 1 was little different
thanxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have just returned home from Candolim, Goa, where I became addicted to this dish in a bar called the Bending Bamboo. I am desperate to make it and I will use this recipe as a base and then maybe tinker if required.
Great recipe! Tried it on a special day, and it turned out fantastic. Thank you!
This is one of my favorite recipes. It’s easy to prepare and always delicious.
nice dish…. i had tried its yummy….
The display is great of this dish… I will definately try it soon …
really nice !!its easy and mouthwatering. my hubby will surly love it.
this recipes seem to be delicious,I’ll must try it.
thanks for giving such a nice information in this site ,i will try today only.
I JUST TRIED YOUR COOKING AND IT WAS DELICIOUS.
It looks really yummy. I’m on the way to my kitchen. I’m going to try it now itself.
amazing recipe, tried it and my husband loved it.. would surely make again..
Recipe sounds very good ,going to try it today. But sinceits India chinese recipe,going to spices it a little.Thank you
Just tried this recipe out now. Has turned out fabulously!!! 🙂
The recipe ingredients call for 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch for the batter, but 1 1/2 TEAspoons are called for in the recipe directions.
Similarly, the sauce recipe calls for 1 T cornstarch in the ingredients list, and 2 T in the directions.
The mis-match ought to be fixed. I’m about to try it the way I think should work, but I’m new at this and don’t know which part of the recipe to trust!