Sri Lankan Deviled Chicken

About This Recipe

Sri Lankan Deviled Chicken is a real, traditional Sri Lankan dish. Crispy fried chicken pieces tossed in a fiery, sweet-and-sour sauce with bell peppers and onions, a beloved Sri Lankan restaurant favorite.\n\nDeviled dishes reflect Sri Lanka's colonial-era British influence combined with the country's love of intense chile heat, with 'deviled' referring to the fiery, punchy sauce that coats the crispy fried protein.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Sri Lankan home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 gboneless chicken thigh(cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupcornstarch
• 500 mlneutral oil(for frying)
• 1yellow onion(sliced)
• 1red bell pepper(sliced)
• 1green bell pepper(sliced)
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 2green chilies(sliced)
• 3 tbsptomato ketchup
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspchili sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• 2 tbspneutral oil, for the sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and fry the chicken

   Toss the chicken with salt and cornstarch, then deep-fry in oil at 180°C (350°F) for 6 to 8 minutes until deeply golden and crisp; drain.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Heat oil in a wide pan and stir-fry the onion, bell peppers, garlic and green chilies over high heat for 5 minutes until slightly charred at the edges.

3. 3

   Make the sauce

   Stir in ketchup, soy sauce, chili sauce and sugar, cooking for 2 minutes until glossy.

4. 4

   Combine

   Add the fried chicken to the sauce, tossing quickly to coat evenly.

5. 5

   Finish

   Cook for another 2 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce while staying crisp.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve immediately while the chicken is still crisp, alongside rice or bread.

Variations

• •

  Use shrimp or firm tofu instead of chicken for a different protein option.

• •

  Adjust the amount of green chili for a milder or spicier result.

• •

  Add cashews for extra crunch, a popular variation at some Sri Lankan restaurants.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions