Chicken in Black Bean Sauce
A Cantonese stir-fry: chicken pieces tossed hot in a sauce of salted black beans, garlic, ginger and Shaoxing wine.
Overview
A classic Chinese dish bursting with the fragrance of black bean and garlic. Chicken wings are ideal for this preparation as they cook quickly in a high-heat wok while remaining succulent and flavourful. The fermented black beans add depth and a distinctive umami character that defines authentic Chinese cooking.
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 6 minutes
Ingredients
Protein & Marinade
- 450 grams chicken wings (cut in half at the joint)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry (or rice wine)
Cooking
- 2 teaspoons groundnut oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 ½ tablespoons black beans (coarsely chopped)
- 1 red pepper (chopped)
- 1 ½ tablespoons spring onions (finely chopped)
- 150 ml Chinese chicken stock
Method
Stage 1 - Prepare & Marinate
- Cut each chicken wing in half at the joint and place in a bowl.
- Mix together the soy sauce and sherry or rice wine, and pour over the chicken pieces.
- Leave to marinate for about 1 hour, then drain the chicken and discard the marinade.
Stage 2 - Stir-Fry Aromatics
- Heat a wok or large frying pan and add the oil when it is hot.
- Immediately add the ginger.
- Stir-fry the ginger for a few seconds, then add the garlic, spring onions, red pepper and black beans.
Stage 3 - Brown & Simmer
- A few seconds later, add the chicken and stir-fry for 2-5 minutes at high heat until golden brown.
- Add the stock and bring the mixture to the boil.
- Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Notes
- Black beans: Fermented black beans (douchi) add essential umami depth. Rinse before using to remove excess salt if preferred.
- Chicken wings: The best choice for this dish, they remain moist and cook quickly. All dark meat ensures flavourful results.
- Aromatics: Fragrant ginger and garlic are essential. Add early to infuse the oil and build flavour layers.
Serving
Serve with: Stir-fried spinach with garlic, or steamed rice
Storage
- Keeps 2-3 days refrigerated
- Freezes well up to 2 months
- Flavour deepens after 24 hours
More like this
Spicy Chicken with Peanuts
This is a classic western Chinese dish better known in China as Gongbao chicken (or Kung Pao chicken). Named after Chinese official Ding Baozhen, Governor of Sichuan province in the nineteenth century, it represents the region's bold approach to flavour: spicy, slightly sour, sweet, and savoury all at once. The combination of roasted peanuts and dried chilli creates an unforgettable sauce.
Chicken and Peanut
When cooking Chinese food, it's essential to think about the flavours and textures of ingredients working in harmony. Juicy chicken combined with succulent baby corn, tender vegetables, and salty, crunchy cashew nuts create a balanced dish where each element complements the others. A glossy sauce ties everything together without overwhelming delicate flavours.
Sichuan Chicken
This straightforward Sichuan preparation showcases the region's bold use of chillies and spices. The technique is simple: season, rest, and cook in layers, building flavour as you go. Oyster sauce adds depth, while seven spices (chilli power, Sichuan pepper, salt, garlic, ginger, pepper) create a full-bodied dish.
Cantonese BBQ Chicken
This is summer-BBQ adaptation of the lacquered red roast meats that hang in the windows of Cantonese siu mei shops. The marinade borrows from char siu (hoisin, soy, Shaoxing wine, five-spice, fermented bean curd, garlic, ginger) but pulls back on the sugar slightly because chicken does not need as much sweetness as pork shoulder. Bone-in skin-on thighs are the right cut: they stay juicy on the grill, the skin renders down and crisps, and the bones give the meat shape. A two-stage glaze does the rest. The thighs cook over indirect heat first to render the fat and set the meat, then move directly over the coals for the last few minutes while a honey-maltose mixture is brushed on repeatedly. Every brush of glaze caramelises, blackens slightly at the edges, then gets brushed again. The result is sticky-shiny with a smell that is half five-spice, half woodsmoke. Difficulty is low if you control your heat. A two-zone fire (one side coals piled high, the other side empty) is the only real requirement; on a gas grill, two burners on full and one off does the same job. Serve sliced over plain rice with sliced cucumber and a spoon of chilli oil, or stuffed into bao with hoisin and spring onion.