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Chinese Bang Bang Chicken (棒棒鸡) - The real-deal Sichuan version of Bang Bang chicken made with juicy tender shredded chicken breast covered with a savory, nutty, spicy sauce with a hint of tangy and sweet notes. Originally a traditional Chinese appetizer, make it ahead and serve it at your next movie night or game day party. Mind blow guaranteed.

Chinese Bang Bang Chicken (棒棒鸡)

4.90 from 19 votes
The real-deal Sichuan version of Bang Bang chicken made with juicy tender shredded chicken covered with a savory, nutty, spicy sauce with a hint of tangy and sweet notes. Originally a traditional Chinese appetizer, make it ahead and serve it at your next movie night or game day party. Mind blow guaranteed.
To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari or coconut amino to replace soy sauce, and use rice vinegar instead of Chinkiang vinegar.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: party food
Servings: 4
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs (700 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 green onions , separated

Sauce

Instructions

  • Chop 2 green onions into 2” (5 cm) sticks. Slice the remaining 2 green onions into thin slices.
  • Prepare a steamer by adding 2” (5 cm) water into the pot. Cover and heat over medium-high heat until boiling.
  • Use a plate that can fit into your steamer rack. Spread the green onion sticks onto the plate to make a bed. Place the chicken breast on top. Sprinkle salt evenly over the chicken.
  • When steam comes out of the steamer, place the steamer rack with the chicken on top, and cover the steamer. Cook for 20 minutes. Test the chicken by using a thermometer inserted into the thickest part. It should read 165 degrees F (73 C). Or insert a knife into the thickest part, and the juice should run clear. If the chicken is still pink inside, steam for another 5 to 10 minutes. Once done, transfer the chicken to a plate to cool.
  • While cooking the chicken, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk to mix well.
  • Once the chicken is cooled, transfer it onto a cutting board. Use a meat pounder or a rolling pin to pound the chicken (optional), then shred into thin slices using two forks.
  • Place the chicken into a large bowl or deep plate. Drizzle the sauce on top and mix well. Garnish with thinly sliced green onion. If you want to create the authentic look, like at a Sichuan restaurant, drizzle more chili oil (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup) onto the chicken.
  • Serve as a cold appetizer or a main dish.

Notes

  1. If you want to re-create the authentic Sichuan experience, you need to pour chili oil onto the chicken until the plate is half-smothered in chili oil. Of course, you won’t consume all the oil and there’ll be plenty left once you finish eating the chicken. The idea is to have a stunning presentation. Plus, each piece of chicken you pick up will be coated with sauce and chili oil, which delivers the extra fragrance.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g, Calories: 372kcal, Carbohydrates: 6.6g, Protein: 41.5g, Fat: 19.4g, Saturated Fat: 2.7g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 994mg, Potassium: 827mg, Fiber: 1.6g, Sugar: 2.2g, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 2mg