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Bang bang chicken
棒棒鸡 (bàngbàng jī) — Leshan poached chicken, shredded and dressed in sesame-chilli sauce
Street vendors in Leshan, the river town below the Giant Buddha, used to cut their poached chicken by tapping a wooden stick against the back of the cleaver, and that knocking gave bang bang ji its name. It is a cold dish, eaten as a starter at banquets or bought by the bagful for a picnic: silky shreds of chicken piled on cool cucumber and drenched in a nutty, sweet, tingling sauce of sesame paste, chilli oil and ground Sichuan pepper. The contrast of cold meat, crisp vegetable and rich dressing makes it ideal for a hot day. Serve it with other cold plates, a bowl of rice or simply some flatbread. Chef's tip: beat the cooked breasts gently with a rolling pin before shredding; the fibres loosen and pull apart into long, soft strands that hold the sauce.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ⅛ lb skinless chicken breastsabout 3
- ½ oz fresh gingersliced
- 2 spring onions1 knotted for poaching, 1 finely sliced to finish
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cucumbercut into thin matchsticks
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese sesame pasteor light tahini with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp chilli oil with its sediment
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 clove garlicgrated
To serve
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts (optional)roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil in a pan with ½ oz fresh ginger, the knotted half of 1 spring onions and 1 tsp salt. Add 1 ⅛ lb skinless chicken breasts, let it return to a bare simmer, then turn the heat to low so the water barely trembles.
5 minStep 2: Poach for 12 minutes, then cover, turn off the heat and leave for 8 minutes. Don't let it boil hard: a rolling boil is the usual reason poached chicken turns dry and stringy. Check the thickest breast with a thermometer: it must reach 165°F (165 °F), and the juices should run clear.
20 minStep 3: Lift the chicken into a bowl of iced water for 5 minutes to firm it and stop the cooking. Keep 2 tablespoons of the poaching liquid.
5 minStep 4: Whisk 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste with 1 tablespoon of the cooled poaching liquid until smooth and loose, then whisk in 2 tbsp chilli oil with its sediment, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang), 2 tsp sugar, ½ tsp ground roasted Sichuan pepper and 1 clove garlic. It should pour like double cream; add a little more liquid if it is stiff.
Step 5: Pat the chicken dry. Lay it on a clean board, cover with cling film and tap along it firmly with a rolling pin to loosen the fibres, then pull it into thin shreds with your fingers or two forks.
Step 6: Spread 1 cucumber on a plate, pile the chicken on top and spoon the sauce over. Scatter with the rest of the 1 spring onions, plus 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, 2 tbsp roasted peanuts and 1 tbsp coriander leaves if you like, and serve cold. Keep any leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bang bang chicken take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of skinless chicken breasts?
- Boneless chicken thighs, same weight (a few minutes longer).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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