Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena
PrepTime:10 mins CookTime:20 mins Cuisine:IndoChinese
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‘Chilli Paneer’ is a vegetarian version of the most popular Indian Spicy Appetiser ‘Chilli Chicken’. The recipe as a whole is very easy to make, uses the ingredients that are readily available in any household pantry.
Yes, you can replace the paneer with firm tofu. It does work the same way. But, you might have to reduce the spice in case you wish to serve for kids. Give a try then! 🙂

Table of Contents:
- Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Chilli Paneer Dry (Air Fryer, Stove Top)’:
- How to serve, ‘Chilli Paneer Dry / Indian Paneer Stir Fry’:
- Other recipes from my blog:
- Step Wise pics Procedure for ‘Chilli Paneer Dry / Paneer Chilli Recipe (Air Fryer / Stove Top)’:
- Prep Work:
- Make the batter:
- Stove Top Method Frying Paneer:
- Air Fryer Method Frying Paneer:
- Making Chilli Paneer with Base Sauce:
- Tips & Storage:
- Result:
- Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
- Recipe Card & Print:

Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Chilli Paneer Dry (Air Fryer, Stove Top)’:
Chilli Variety: The green chillies that I have used, are the Indian green chillies with high spice level. If you wish to make the dish less spicy you can use other mild variety (or) reduce the quantity.
Coloured Bell Pepper: I have used 3 different colours of bell pepper, for the dish to be more attractive. You can use only one variety only.
Adding Oil: I did not add oil while frying paneer in the air fryer. Using parchment paper on the mesh, makes this easy. If you prefer to, you spray the paneer with oil after placing them on the mesh.
Preparing Red Chilli paste: Soak 10 dry red chillies in hot water for ½ hr. Later add salt and grind until smooth.

How to serve, ‘Chilli Paneer Dry / Indian Paneer Stir Fry’:
Chilli Paneer is most preferred to be eaten as it is, just as an entry / appetiser.
Next option, is to serve it as an accompaniment for carbs like fried rice, noodles or even biryani. It tastes great.
Fried rice recipes from my blog:
I would also use this as filling in tacos, wraps. I really like this option by the way.

Other recipes from my blog:
Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.
Air Fryer recipes collection⇒ Air – Fryer Recipes
Drink recipes collection⇒ Drink / Beverage
Instant Pot recipes collection⇒ Electric Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Recipes
Related Posts with ‘PANEER’:




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Ingredients:
- Green Capsicum – 1 cup (diced)
- Red Capsicum – 1 cup (diced)
- Yellow Capsicum – 1 cup (diced)
- Onions – 1 cup (diced)
- Spring Onion Greens – 3 tablespoons (chopped)
For Batter & Frying:
- Paneer (cubes) – 3 cups
- Maida / Plain Flour – 2½ tablespoons
- Corn Flour – 2½ tablespoons
- Salt – as per taste
- Red Chilli Paste – 1 tablespoon
- Water – as needed for mixing
- Cooking Oil – 1 cup (for stove top method)
- ” ” – No oil (for Air Fryer method)
For Base Sauce:
- Cooking Oil – 5 tablespoons
- Ginger (finely chopped) – 1 tablespoon
- Garlic (finely chopped) – 1 tablespoon
- Green chillies – 4
- Crushed black peppercorn – 1 tablespoon
- Green chilli paste – 1 teaspoon
- Red chilli paste – 1 teaspoon
- Tomato ketchup – 1 tablespoon
- Soya sauce light – 1 tablespoon
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
Special Ingredients:
- Red Chilli Paste
- Green Chilli Paste
- Soya sauce

Step Wise pics Procedure for ‘Chilli Paneer Dry / Paneer Chilli Recipe (Air Fryer / Stove Top)’:
Prep Work:


Make the batter:

Stove Top Method Frying Paneer:


Air Fryer Method Frying Paneer:


Making Chilli Paneer with Base Sauce:



Tips & Storage:
- Adjust the salt & spice as per your taste.
- Mix the batter thoroughly, to avoid any lumps.
- And remember that the batter has to be THICK, it should not be flowing consistency.
- Be very careful while adding the salt, as the red chilli sauce, green chilli sauce, soy sauce, tomato ketchup all are already salty.
- While frying the paneer, if you fry for long time the paneer might turn hard.
- The Green Chilli sauce, Light Soy Sauce, Tomato ketchup I have used are all store bought.
- Storage: This dish stays good at room temperature for 1 day. It can stored in an air tight container. And can be reheated on stove top pan (or) in the air fryer for about 2 mins.
Result:
- Firstly, just bear in mind, the spice level of this dish is high.
- The aromatic sauces with the succulent paneer, along with the peppers in every bite, tasted great.
- I served this, Chilli Paneer Dry, as an appetiser/entrée, along with the chilled drinks, for a three course meal.
- It simply enhanced the taste of the entire meal.

Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
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Recipe Card & Print:

Chilli Paneer (Air Fryer / Stove Top)
Equipment
- 1 Wide Mixing Bowl
- 1 Blender/ Spice Grinder/ Mixie.
- 1 Frying pan (for stove-top method)
- 1 Air-Fryer for air-fryer method
- 1 Sauce Pan / Vessel (for stove-top method)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Green Capsicum (diced)
- 1 cup Red Capsicum (diced)
- 1 cup Yellow Capsicum (diced)
- 1 cup Onions (diced)
- 3 tablespoons Spring Onion Greens (chopped)
For batter & frying:
- 3 cups Paneer (cubes)
- 2½ tablespoons Maida / Plain Flour
- 2½ tablespoons Corn Flour
- as per taste Salt
- 1 tablespoon Red Chilli Paste
- 1 cup Cooking Oil (for stove top method)
- No Need " " (for Air Fryer method)
For Base Sauce:
- 5 tablespoons Cooking Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Garlic
- 4 count Green chillies
- 1 tablespoon Crushed black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon Green chilli paste
- 1 teaspoon Red chilli paste
- 1 tablespoon Tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Soya sauce light
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Prep Work:
- Gather all the ingredients at one place.
- Cut the paneer and the onions, bell peppers into medium cube size pieces.Slit into length wise, the green chillies and spring onion greens.
To make the Batter:
- In a mixing bowl add all these>>> corn flour, maida, salt, red chilli paste. Pour few tablespoons of water, and whisk thoroughly. Add the paneer pieces to the batter, coat them.
Frying Paneer on Stove Top:
- Put a broad flat base frying pan on stove top under high flame. Pour the cooking oil (2 cups). Let it heat.
- Gently turn the paneer to the other side. Let them fry on both sides. Takes 7 to 8 mins. Using tongs, remove them out onto a plate.
Frying Paneer in an Air Fryer:
- Spread the parchment paper onto the air fryer mesh. Dip each paneer piece into the batter, place the paneer pieces on the paper. A bit far away from each other.
- Close the air fryer. Set the mode to AIR FRYER, time to 12 mins, temperature to 200C/390F. Later open the air fryer lid, check the paneer pieces if not fried well you can set for 5 more mins, with same settings.
Making Chilli Paneer with base sauce:
- Put a frying pan on stove top under medium flame. Add 5 tablespoons of oil. Add all these>> ginger, garlic, green chillies, red capsicum, green capsicum, yellow capsicum, onion pieces. Stir fry until the veggies turn little bit soft.
- Now add all these to the pan>> soya sauce, red chilli sauce, green chilli sauce, tomato ketchup and crushed black pepper.
- Gently mix up everything and let it be on flame for about 2-3 mins. Switch off the flame. Add the spring onion greens, mix. Serve. Done!!
Notes
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I ADORED THIS RECIPE! I LOVE PANEER!
Thank you so much.