Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesBlack bean chicken
Posted: 20/08/2024Updated: 20/08/2024
Chicken stir-fried with sugar snaps and beansprouts in a black bean sauce.
Serve on top of steamed rice or toss in some cooked egg or rice noodles right at the end of cooking to soak up all that black bean sauce.
Ingredients
Servings
Chicken
- 600 grams Chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Cornflour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 tablespoons Neutral oil
Stir-fry
- 2 tablespoons Fermented black beans
- 200 grams Sugar snaps
- 1 large Brown onion
- 200 grams Beansprouts
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 3 centimetres Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons Rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Cornflour
- 200 millilitres Water
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 tablespoon Neutral oil
Instructions
Chicken
- Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken with cornflour, baking soda, garlic powder, dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoons of vegetable oil and salt. Mix well to coat all the chicken pieces. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Heat a pan will 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the marinated chicken until it browns and is fully cooked. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
Stir-fry
- Place the fermented black beans in a small bowl and submerge them in just enough boiling water. Let them soak for 20 minutes. Once soaked, drain the water and lightly crush the black beans.
- Trim both ends of the fine beans and cut into 4-5cm pieces, and slice the brown onion into 2cm strips and separate the layers. Also prepare the remaining ingredients by: cutting the spring onions into 4-5cm pieces and finely mincing the garlic and ginger.
- Using the same pan the chicken was cooked in, add the vegetable oil and heat on high. Fry the fine beans and brown onion for 1-2 minutes to soften. Introduce the spring onions and beansprouts and cook until they become wilted - about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Whilst this is cooking, add the cornflour to a container followed by about 2 teaspoons of cold water. Stir thoroughly to make a slurry.
- Now pour in the water along with the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Stir well to combine before adding the cornflour slurry. Increase the heat slightly and continue to stir until your desired sauce consistency has been reached. This may take 2-4 minutes.
- Re-incorporate the cooked chicken and mix everything thoroughly. Serve immediately.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Baking soda: This is the key to having incredibly tender, silky, and moist meat.
- Smaller pieces of chicken: Using smaller pieces of chicken allows for it to cook extremely quick without drying out.
- Cook in batches: Cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. This ensures even cooking and browning.
- High heat is key: Stir-frying requires high heat. Make sure your pan or wok is hot before adding the ingredients. This helps to quickly sear the meat and vegetables, locking in flavours and moisture.
- Add garlic and ginger later: To maintain their aromatic flavour, add the garlic and ginger towards the end of cooking. This prevents them from burning and turning bitter.
Alternative ingredients
- Replace chicken with thinly sliced beef, pork or prawns. Adjust cooking times accordingly (prawns cooks much faster).
- For a vegetarian version, use firm tofu. Press and drain it well before cooking to prevent it from breaking apart.
- Use whatever variation of vegetables you like: add a pop of colour and sweetness with bell peppers, or for a little crunch with broccoli or snap peas (blanch broccoli to reduce cooking time). They cook quickly and blend well with the black bean sauce.
Storage instructions
- Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be safely stored for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Place it in a freezer-safe container or bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Re-heating instructions
If re-heating from frozen, ensure it has fully defrosted whether that is overnight in the fridge out in the microwave on the defrost setting.
- Microwave: To quickly re-heat, heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. Adjust the time depending on the microwave's power and portion size.
- Stove: Re-heat on the stove over medium heat. Add a little water to loosen the sauce and cook until hot throughout.
Nutrition and dietary facts
Gluten-free
(Per serving) Calories: 330.8kcal (15%), Protein: 35.1g (59%), Fat: 15.6g (20%), Saturated fat: 2.5g (17%), Calories: 15.9kcal (1%), Sugars: 4.9g (20%), Fibre: 3.5g (12%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.