5 from 6 votes
Salt and Pepper Chicken (Chinese Inspired Recipe)
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.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings:
2
Calories:
129 kcal
Course:
Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine:
Chinese
Ingredients
For marinating
- ½ lb chicken boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black peppercorns freshly crushed
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce light
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
For frying
- ⅓ cup cornstarch or cornflour, for dredging
- cooking oil for deep frying
For seasoning
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 2 onion finely chopped, or shallots; ½ medium-sized
- 2 garlic peeled and minced, cloves
- 1 red chili thinly sliced
- 2 spring onion scallions, thinly sliced, green stalks
- 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.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Ensure your chicken pieces are evenly sized to promote uniform cooking. Smaller pieces will cook faster and provide more surface area for the delicious coating.
- Use a thermometer to ensure that your oil is at the optimal temperature for frying - usually around 350°F (175°C). Too hot, and your chicken will burn on the outside before it's cooked on the inside. Too cool, and your chicken will soak up too much oil and become greasy.
- For a gluten-free version, make sure your soy sauce is gluten-free, and use potato starch instead of cornstarch for dredging.
- If you like your dish spicier, add more red chilies or a dash of chili flakes.
- Always use fresh garlic and onion for the best flavor. If you are using frozen, make sure they are thoroughly defrosted and drained before using.
- Marinating the chicken longer (up to 24 hours) will impart more flavor into the meat. If you're short on time, even a quick 20-minute marinade will make a difference.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when you’re frying the chicken. Overcrowding reduces the temperature of the oil, making the chicken absorb more oil and become less crispy.
- Remember, the chicken will continue to cook a little from the residual heat after it's removed from the oil, so take that into account to avoid overcooking.
- To make the dish even more colorful and nutritious, consider adding other tangy vegetables like bell peppers or snow peas during the sauteing process.
Nutrition Information
Calories
129kcal
(6%)
Protein
24g
(48%)
Fat
3g
(5%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.5g
(3%)
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Trans Fat
0.01g
(1%)
Cholesterol
73mg
(24%)
Sodium
132mg
(6%)
Potassium
420mg
(9%)
Vitamin A
34IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
6mg
(1%)
Iron
0.4mg
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 2 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 129
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 129kcal | 6% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5g | 3% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 73mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 132mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 420mg | 9% |
| Vitamin A | 34IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 6mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.4mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.