This is a variation of a Kitchen Sanctuary recipe, in which the chicken is coated and cooked in a kind of batter. In an aim for a slightly healthier dish, I've simply marinated the chicken in Shaoxing and cornflour before stir frying.
This a sweet and spicy dish in which I've used honey as the main sweetness element, as this is often combined with soy sauce in traditional Chinese cooking.
If you don't want it too sweet, then just omit or reduce the honey. If you'd prefer a spicier option, then simply swap the sweet chilli sauce for more sriracha.
Check out my Instagram reel and see how I make it!
SERVES 3-4
For the chicken
3 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon of cornflour
1 tablespoon of Shaoxing
For the stir fry
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 bunch of spring onions (100-140g) or 1 white onion
1-2 peppers
For the sauce
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1 tablespoon of Chinese rice vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey (optional)
1 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon of siracha
3 tablespoons of tomato ketchup
4 tablespoons of light soy sauce
To serve
Toasted sesame seeds
Spring onion or chives
Jasmine rice
Cucumber
- Cut the chicken breasts into 2-3cm chunks.
- Add the cornflour and Shaoxing to the chicken, stir well and then set aside.
- Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a small jug or bowl.
- Cut the roots (tail) from the bottom of the spring onions and then cut the fleshy section into chunks.
- Thinly slice a few of the spring onion tops/leaves for decoration.
- Deseed the pepper if using and cut into 2cm chunks.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan (or wok) over a medium heat.
- Once the oil is really hot, add ⅓ or ½ the chicken to the pan (depending on the size of the pan) and stir, keeping the chicken pieces moving until they have some colour and no pink meat is visible.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and repeat for the rest of the chicken, then set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan if needed.
- Add the spring onion (or onion) and pepper to the hot pan and stir, keeping the vegetables moving, until the edges colour and soften.
- Return the chicken to the pan.
- Reduce the heat, stir to combine the ingredients and then pour in the sauce. Stir again.
- Cook for a few minutes more until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Serve with jasmine rice, cucumber and top with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced spring onion or chives.
