Gunpowder Chicken
A South Indian gunpowder chicken: bone-in chicken stir-fried hot with idli podi, a fiery dry blend of toasted lentils and chillies.
Overview
Gluten-free popcorn chicken bites made with gram flour batter, inspired by overpriced drive-thru versions. Tender chicken pieces coated in spiced batter and tossed with tangy chutneys and fresh toppings for a flavorful, addictive snack.
Ingredients
Protein
- 2 chicken breasts (large), chopped into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces
Aromatics
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
Spices
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt (plus extra for tossing)
Acid
- ½ lemon (juice)
Binder
- 1 egg, beaten
Coating
- 380 g (generous 3 cups) gram (chickpea) flour
Oil
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Toppings
- 1 red chilli (large), finely sliced
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 2 tbsp Tamarind Chutney
- 2 tbsp Green Chilli Pickle
Method
Stage 1 - Marinate chicken
- In mixing bowl, toss chicken with garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ½ tsp salt, and lemon juice.
Stage 2 - Coat with batter
- Add beaten egg; mix well.
- Toss chicken in gram flour, coating fully; knock off excess.
Stage 3 - Fry chicken
- Heat deep-fat fryer to 180°C (350°F) or saucepan with 4 cm (1 ½ inches) oil over medium-high.
- Test oil with small batter piece; should float.
- Fry in small batches 6-8 mins until golden and cooked through.
- Drain on paper towels.
Stage 4 - Toss and serve
- In large bowl, toss fried chicken with red chilli, onion, coriander, tamarind chutney, green chilli pickle, and extra salt.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for tender, rich version as in India.
- Ensure oil is hot enough to avoid soggy coating.
- Gluten-free due to gram flour.
Serving
- Serve as appetizer or snack with extra chutneys.
- Garnish with more coriander.
Storage
- Best eaten fresh; refrigerate cooked chicken 1-2 days.
- Reheat in oven at 180°C to crisp up.
- Freeze uncooked coated chicken up to 1 month; fry from frozen, adding 2 mins.
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