Schezwan Chicken Curry

Schezwan,(Szechuan or Sichuan) which is the popular Indo-Chinese adaptation to satisfy Indian palate. Traditionally Chinese stir- fry dishes are dry or semi-dry. However, Indian diners love pairing their food with flatbreads or rice, require a generous amount of curry or gravy. Cooks adapted by adding water or stock thickened with corn flour slurry, creating the iconic Schezwan Chicken Gravy enjoyed across Indian restaurants and street stalls today.

This is one of our favorite dishes. Our mom makes this curry for lunch with fried rice. She serves the leftover curry for dinner with her homemade roti. We have shared her recipe, let us know if you like this pairing.

Tips & Serving suggestions

• Green or Red chilly sauce – both works.
• Sauce: Whisk water & Corn flour together to a smooth slurry – no clumps
• Vinegar – Rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or distilled vinegar.
• Pairs wonderfully with Fried rice, Jeera Pulao or Naan/Roti.
• Go easy on the salt. As bottled sauces have high sodium content.

When chicken is marinated in corn flour and deep fried, it gives a crispy chicken.

Storage & Freezing Tips

Schezwan Chicken Curry keeps well in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Store it in an airtight container so the flavours stay fresh. The gravy may thicken slightly as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of hot water while reheating.

Cornflour‑based gravies tend to thicken as they sit. If the curry looks too thick the next day, add a little hot water and simmer briefly. If it tastes salty, remember that bottled sauces already contain sodium — a small spoon of tomato ketchup or a splash of water balances it easily.

You can store the curry in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. The gravy may thicken slightly as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of hot water while reheating.

If the chicken softens after reheating, it’s normal for fried chicken sitting in gravy. For a crisp finish, add the chicken just before serving.

Freezing:
Schezwan Chicken Curry freezes very well and is perfect for busy days. You can freeze the curry fully mixed — chicken and gravy together. Portion it into small containers so it thaws evenly. When reheating, defrost directly in a sauté pan on the stove with a splash of water. The gravy will loosen as it heats, and the flavours stay intact.

If you like this dish, check out our Butter Naan recipe too

coriander chef’s

Schezwan Chicken

Schezwan chicken which is the popular Indo-Chinese dish with gravy. Pairs with rice and roti

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese, Indian

Calories: 384

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• Chicken — ½ kg
• Oil -to fry

For marination

• Ginger and garlic paste — 1 tsp
• Chili paste — 1 tsp
• Soya Sauce — 2 tbsp
• Corn flour — 2 tbsp
• Egg — 1
• Salt — to taste

for Sauce

• Chilli oil or ordinary oil — 3 tbsp
• Sesame — ½ tsp
• Chopped ginger — 1 tsp
• Chopped garlic — 1 tsp
• Dry red Chilli — 4 cut into 2 nos
• Chicken stock — ½ cup
• Tomato Sauce — 1/3 cup
• Soya Sauce — 1 tbsp
• Chili Sauce — 1 tsp
• Vinegar — 1 tsp
• Sugar — 1 tsp
• Black Pepper — 1/2 tsp
• Salt as needed(see notes)
• cornflour with water — ¾ tbsp + ¼ cup
• Spring onion — ¼ cup garnish

Method

 

1. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients under for the “Marinade” and rub on the chicken pieces and set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the chicken pieces till golden brown and cooked. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat 3 tbsp of chilli oil (or) ordinary oil. Add ginger, garlic, red chillies, sesame seeds & spring onion and stir fry on high flame for 1 minute.
4. Add the remaining ingredients except corn flour, bring to boil and add chicken. Cook covered on a low flame for 4 min and then add corn flour mixed with water and stir so that sauce becomes thick.
5. Garnish with spring onion.

Notes

• Green or Red chilly sauce – both works.
• Sauce: Whisk water & Corn flour together to a smooth slurry – no clumps
• Vinegar – Rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or distilled vinegar.
• Pairs wonderfully with Fried rice, Jeera Pulao or Naan.
• Go easy on the salt. As bottled sauces have high sodium content.