Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken
Salt and Pepper Chicken
is a popular Chinese takeout dish, crispy chicken chunks are tossed in red chilies, garlic, and crushed pepper. This super easy homemade recipe comes together quickly with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
Servings2 people
Calories:
INGREDIENTS ( 1 CUP = 240 ML )
For marinating
- ½ lb (225 g) boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black peppercorns freshly crushed
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce light
- 1 teaspoon oil
For frying
- ⅓ cup cornstarch/ cornflour for dredging
- oil for deep frying
For seasoning
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 shallots or ½ medium-sized onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 red chili thinly sliced
- 2 spring onion green stalks scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns freshly crushed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wash and pat dry the chicken with paper towels and put in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, soy sauce, and oil. Mix everything together and marinate for 20 minutes.
- Toss the chicken in the cornstarch until evenly coated for an extra crunchy exterior and set aside.
- Heat enough oil in a wok or large pan until hot. To check the right temperature you can drop a tiny pinch of cornstarch into the hot oil, if it starts sizzling upon hitting the oil, it's the frying time.
- Shake off the extra cornstarch and gently add one by one chicken pieces into the hot oil. You may need to fry the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Fry over medium flame for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through, golden and crisp. Once done, transfer the fried chicken onto a paper towel lined plate to drain the extra oil.
- Heat oil in a pan over high heat until just smokin; add chopped onion, garlic, and red chilies and saute continuously for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Then add chicken, chopped spring onions, and salt and pepper seasoning. Toss well quickly, transfer to a plate and serve immediately.