One Skillet Chicken Manchurian - Healthfully Rooted Home

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Chicken Manchurian is a sweet and spicy, fried chicken dish that’s super easy to make with a single cast-iron skillet. This Indo-Chinese dish is full of flavor and this recipe shows how to make it no-fuss style.

Related: Manchurian Gravy Recipe

chicken manchurian with manchurian gravy sauce in a cast iron skillet with red bell peppers, green bell peppers, red onion and green onion

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What is Chicken Manchurian?

Chicken Manchurian is an Indo-Chinese dish originating in India. It has tons of flavors from all the spices used, and some heat from the chili paste. Manchurian gravy is the sauce used to cook the chicken and veggies.

Equipment needed

There’s no special equipment needed for this recipe. I use a cast-iron skillet to fry the chicken. Other than that, you can get by with whatever you have in your kitchen.

Recipe Highlights

No special equipment – Using just one skillet, you can fry up your chicken, make the Manchurian gravy, and saute the veggies.

Unique dish – If you’re like us, you get bored with the same chicken dishes. Chicken Manchurian adds some variety to your meal plan!

Full of flavor – The flavor of this chicken is incredible. It’s sweet and spicy and absolutely delicious on top a bed of rice.

Meal-prep – This dish is super easy to meal prep. The chicken won’t be as crispy, but the flavor makes up for it!

How to Make Chicken Manchurian

Crispy chicken, sweet and spicy Manchurian gravy, with sauteed vegetables – chicken Manchurian is packed full of indo-chinese flavors.

Chicken Marinade Ingredients

ingredients for chicken manchurian marinade with labels saying what it is

Chicken breasts – I like to use good quality, free-range, boneless-skinless chicken breasts.
Sea Salt – I either use celtic sea salt or Maldon’s flake sea salt.
White Pepper – Probably not in your pantry, but you can find it in the spices section of most grocery stores. Can sub black pepper too.
Egg – helps to make the batter for the fried chicken.
Ginger paste – I like to buy the tubes in the produce sections.
Garlic paste – I like to buy the tubes in the produce sections.
Arrowroot powder – can sub cornstarch.
Coconut oil (for frying) – can sub avocado oil.

Manchurian Gravy Ingredients

Avocado oil – Can sub melted coconut oil.
Coconut aminos – can sub soy sauce.
Harissa paste – chili paste works too.
Coconut sugar – since you’re using unsweetened ketchup, this gives the sauce a little sweetness while allowing you to control the sugar.
Ketchup – no sugar added
Minced garlic
Grated ginger
Sea salt
Black pepper
Green onion – in the dish portion you’re using the whites, in the sauce, you’re using the greens.

Ingredients for the Dish

Oil leftover from cooking chicken
Red bell pepper
Green bell pepper
Red onion
Green onion whites – these taste more onion-like with a sweet aftertaste rather than the fresh, grassy greens.
Arrowroot powder – can sub cornstarch.
Filtered water – we use our Berkey water filter.

Step by Step Instructions (with pictures)

For the Chicken:

Dice chicken into 1-inch cubes.
Add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken, blend together well (I like to use my hands for this), and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes.

manchurian chicken marinade in a bowl resting for 30 minutes

Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat.
Fry the chicken pieces for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate while you make the sauce and the veggies.

fried chicken on a paper towel lined white plate resting waiting to be added to a chicken manchurian dish with vegetables

For the Manchurian Sauce:

Head to this post for more detailed instructions. Basically, just whisk the ingredients listed above together.

manchurian gravy sauce with a silver spoon scooping some out

For the dish:

Turn the skillet used to make the chicken over medium-high heat. There should be enough oil leftover from making the chicken, if not, add a tbs of oil then add the green onion whites, bell peppers, and red onion and saute until softened.

red and green bell peppers, red onion, and green onions sauteing in a cast iron skillet

Add the Manchurian sauce to the veggies and saute until bubbly.

sauteed vegetables mixed with manchurian gravy sauce in a cast iron skillet while bubbling

Dissolve the arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) in the water and add it to the sauce. Continue to stir the veggies in the sauce until it thickens (about 3-5 minutes).

adding powder slurry to the manchurian gravy vegetables in a cast iron skillet to thicken the sauce up

Toss in the fried chicken and stir to combine.

chicken manchurian fried chicken tossed into the cast iron skillet with the sauteed vegetables and manchurian gravy

Serve immediately (see storage instructions below).

How to Store Chicken Manchurian

chicken manchurian in a cast iron skillet after being fried and sauteed with the bell peppers, manchurian gravy and red onion

You can absolutely make chicken Manchurian ahead of time and store it for later. Of course, it’s better day-of, but it’s delicious reheated as well.

Refrigerator

Place chicken Manchurian in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freezer

Either place Manchurian chicken in a plastic bag, or an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

To reheat, let defrost at room temperature then reheat following the instructions below.

To Reheat

Place chicken Manchurian in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, cover with a lid, or baking sheet and heat until warmed through.

Alternatively, you can reheat your Manchurian chicken in the microwave until heated through.

In a Pinch Tips

using a fryer spoon to scoop out manchurian chicken out of a cast iron skillet

Using my method for Manchurian chicken, you’re shaving so much time off of the authentic recipe technique anyway, but here are a few additional tips below.

Don’t marinate the chicken – you’ll sacrifice crispiness and flavor, but it’ll save you some time.

Marinate while chopping all the veggies – if you marinate the chicken before doing anything else, you can save so much time marinating while chopping.

Use prechopped veggies – You could also shell out a bit more cash and buy prechopped veggies which will save you some time.

Chicken Manchurian Tips

chicken manchurian in a cast iron skillet on top of a wooden cutting board

Don’t overcrowd the skillet – If you want your chicken truly fried, don’t overcrowd your skillet with chicken. Either fry the chicken in batches (with an inch space in between each piece in the skillet) or use 2 cast iron skillets.

Marinate the chicken – Resist the urge to skip out on the marinating! To save time, marinate before doing anything else. This will tenderize your chicken, increase flavor, and make your chicken crispier. Highly recommend.

Chicken Manchurian Serving Suggestions

Coconut turmeric rice – Make some jasmine brown rice using coconut milk as the liquid and season with some turmeric and sea salt.

Cilantro lime rice – Make jasmine brown rice and toss in some lime juice and cilantro after it’s cooked.

Flatbread or naan – Make my sourdough flatbread and top it with some Manchurian chicken.

As an appetizer – No other side dishes, just use only enough sauce to cover the chicken and stick some toothpicks in each piece and serve as a tasty appetizer.

How to Make Chicken Manchurian Healthier

Coconut aminos – With lower sodium and no need to worry about the high levels of glyphosate in the soy, coconut aminos are what we replace soy sauce with.

Arrowroot powder – Arrowroot powder is a healthier substitute than cornstarch since it contains more fiber, calcium and other nutrients than the nutritionally void cornstarch.

Oil – Using oils like coconut or avocado are healthier than vegetable oil or Crisco which oxidize when heated.

Chicken – Use good quality, free-range chicken. The quality of your meat is so important when it comes to the nutrients that come from it.

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Berkey water filter (we use the Royal because we drink an insane amount of water!)

Thrive Market – 25% off & free gift! (where I get a ton of my ingredients)
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Dutch oven
Stand mixer
Boos Block Butcher Block
12 inch Cast Iron Skillet

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Shop for my six month meal plans here. These will help give you a restful dinner-time routine by giving you all your recipes laid out in a weekly meal plan format for 6 months.

Chicken Manchurian FAQ

What is chicken Manchurian made of?

Chicken Manchurian is made of boneless-skinless, fried chicken breasts and sauteed vegetables coated in a sweet, spicy, and slightly tangy sauce.

What does Manchurian taste like?

Manchurian chicken tastes like a sweet, sour and slightly spicy sauce with fried chicken breasts.

What is Manchurian style?

Manchurian style is a type of cooking called “Indo-Chinese” blending ingredients from both cultures.

What is the meaning of chicken Manchurian?

Chicken Manchurian is an Indo-Chinese dish made with a thick, sweet, and spicy gravy, fried chicken, and vegetables.

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Chicken Manchurian

Kyrie | Healthfully Rooted Home

Crispy chicken, sweet and spicy Manchurian gravy, with sauteed vegetables – chicken Manchurian is packed full of indo-chinese flavors.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Chinese, Indian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

2 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless – diced into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper
1 Egg
2 tsp Ginger paste
2 tsp Garlic paste
4 tbs Arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 cup Coconut oil for frying

Manchurian Gravy

2 tbs Avocado oil
1 tbs Coconut aminos
2 tbs Harissa paste or chili paste
2 tsp Coconut sugar
1/4 cup Ketchup no sugar added
1 tbs Minced garlic
1 tbs Grated ginger
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/4 cup Green onion greens

For the Dish

Oil leftover from cooking chicken or 1 tbs avocado oil if you don't have enough
1/2 Red bell pepper thickly sliced
1/2 Green bell pepper thickly sliced
1/2 Red onion thickly sliced
4 tbs Green onion whites sliced
1 tbs Arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 tbs Filtered water

Instructions

Chicken

Dice chicken into 1 inch cubes and pat dry with a papper towel and place in a large bowl.
Add all the chicken marinade ingredients to the bowl of diced chicken. I like to use gloves for this so I can use my hands then just throw the gloves away.
Let the chicken sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. In the meantime, make the sauce and prep the veggies.

Manhurian Gravy

Head to this post for more detailed instructions. Basically, just whisk the ingredients listed above together.

Dish

Heat the skillet used to fry the chicken over medium high heat (there should be enough oil leftover, if not, add 1 tbs more).
Add the vegetables to the skillet and saute until just softened.
Add the manchurian gravy and heat until bubbly.
Make the powder slurry by dissolving the arrowroot (or cornstarch) in filtered water and adding to the skillet. Stir and heat untli thickened.
Toss the fried chicken in with the veggies and sauce and stir until all the chicken is coated.

Video

Notes