black_bean_chicken

Black Bean Chicken
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Black Bean Chicken

Course: MainCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Medium
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Calories

300

kcal

This recipe is closely based on Fuchsia Dunlop’s recipe for “Chicken with Black Beans” in Every Grain of Rice, a book which I highly recommend. Also from that book is a vegetarian version of “Mapo Tofu”, which I often made when I was in the mood for something spicy. It was far better than the mapo tofu sold by the local Chinese restaurants.

Ingredients

  • 2 boned and skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 tbsp port (or Shaoxing wine)

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1 1/2 tsp tapioca starch

  • 1 tsp light soy sauce

  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce

  • 1 red pepper

  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

  • an equivalent amount of ginger, peeled and sliced

  • 2 tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and drained twice

  • 1 tsp ground red chile pepper

  • 2 tablespoons finely sliced spring onion greens

  • 1 carrot, sliced (optional)

  • 1 handful snow peas (optional)

  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Directions

  • Cut the raw chicken into 1/2 inch pieces and put into a bowl.
  • Stir next 5 ingredients into bowl to form a marinade. Set aside; refrigerate if it will be more than a few minutes.
  • Cut the red pepper up into 1/2-1 inch squares.
  • Add 1 tbsp oil to pan and heat to just above boiling,
  • Fry red pepper squares until they are mostly cooked, but still crisp. Set aside.
  • Add remaining 2 tbsp oil to pan, and reheat pan.
  • Add chicken to pan, partially cooking until pieces change color.
  • Add garlic and ginger and black beans.
  • Return red pepper to pan.
  • Add other vegetables (e.g. carrots and snow peas), and cook chicken until fully done.
  • Add spring onions and stir.
  • Turn off heat, add sesame oil, and stir. Serve with white rice or other grain (farro is shown in photo),