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Devilled chicken
ඩෙවල් චිකන් (devilled chicken): Colombo's crisp-fried chicken tossed with onion petals, capsicum and a sweet-hot chilli sauce
Few plates are more Colombo than devilled chicken, the sticky, fiery stir-fry born in the city's Sri Lankan-Chinese restaurants and now cooked in home kitchens for birthday parties, Saturday fried-rice nights and office lunch boxes. Bite-sized pieces of chicken are fried crisp, then tossed in a wok with wedges of onion, green capsicum and tomato in a glossy sauce of chilli flakes, ketchup and soy, so every piece is sweet, salty and hot at once. It is served with yellow fried rice or simply as a side to a rice-and-curry spread, and for a meat-free version you can devil button mushrooms or parboiled potato cubes in exactly the same sauce. Where most people go wrong is overloading the wok with vegetables, which then steam and go limp instead of staying crunchy. Chef's tip: separate the onion wedges into single petals before they hit the pan, so they char at the edges in under a minute.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighscut into 3 cm pieces
- 3 /4 tsp salt
- 1 /2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 eggbeaten
- 4 tbsp cornflour
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
For the devilled sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 2 cm piece fresh gingerfinely chopped
- 2 large onionscut into wedges and separated into petals
- 1 green capsicum (bell pepper)cut into 3 cm squares
- 1 tomatocut into wedges
- 1 tbsp dried red chilli flakes
- 4 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp hot chilli sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water
To serve
- 2 spring onions (optional)sliced
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What you'll need
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Fresh ingredients (8)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighs with 3 /4 tsp salt, 1 /2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1 egg, then stir in 4 tbsp cornflour until every piece has a thin, sticky coating. Cover and keep in the fridge for 15 minutes.
2 minStep 2: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying in a wok or deep pan to 350°F over a medium-high heat; a piece of coating should sizzle at once.
3 minStep 3: Fry the chicken in two batches for 4–5 minutes each, turning, until deep golden and crisp and the largest piece reads 165°F inside. Drain on kitchen paper.
10 minStep 4: Carefully pour off the oil, wipe the wok, then heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over a high heat and fry 4 cloves garlic and 2 cm piece fresh ginger for 30 seconds.
2 minStep 5: Add 2 large onions and 1 green capsicum (bell pepper) and toss for 1–2 minutes until the edges char but the pieces are still crunchy.
2 minStep 6: Add 1 tomato, 1 tbsp dried red chilli flakes, 4 tbsp tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp hot chilli sauce, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar and 3 tbsp water and bubble for 1 minute until glossy.
2 minStep 7: Tip in the fried chicken and toss for about 1 minute until every piece is coated and hot. Scatter with 2 spring onions and serve straight away.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does devilled chicken take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of ground black pepper?
- Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
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