Ingredients
- For Frying:
- Vegetable oil or canola oil (for deep frying)
- Chicken Balls:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup maida (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup green onions, diced and divided
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon tamari, soy sauce, or dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Manchurian Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 red chili pepper, minced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup green onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons tamari, soy sauce, or dark soy sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat 1 inch of canola or vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat for frying.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, garlic, ginger paste, soy sauce, egg, sesame oil, flour, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon green onions. Mix until fully combined.
- Form mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs using a medium cookie scoop and place on a baking sheet.
- Fry chicken balls in hot oil for about 7 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain excess oil from the wok.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Set aside.
- In the same wok, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add garlic, ginger, red chili, shallot, green onion, and bell pepper. Stir fry for 3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with rice vinegar.
- Pour in the tamari and chicken stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the cornstarch slurry. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the fried chicken balls to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly.
- Garnish with remaining green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot with fried rice, noodles, or stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
- For a spicier version, increase the amount of red chili or red pepper flakes.
- Ground chicken can be substituted with ground turkey or minced chicken breast.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari to control saltiness.
- The chicken balls and sauce can be made ahead and stored separately for up to 2 days.
- Great served with Hakka noodles or jasmine rice for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese, Indian
- Diet: Halal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
