Salt and Pepper Chicken is a dish that we realized was missing from our lives. I’m sure this is a long overdue recipe for all of you who don’t eat pork, and I have to admit, I wish I had made it sooner. It is based on classic Cantonese Salt & Pepper Pork Chops, and it’s incredible!
Who doesn’t love crunchy deep-fried pieces of chicken tossed with fried garlic, shallots, and peppers? Our family loves the spicy and irresistible aroma of white pepper with salt. Simply delicious!
The Chicken Version of One of Our Family’s All-Time Favorites
Our whole family loves Cantonese salt and pepper pork chops. We have a new and improved version in our cookbook, and it’s easily the most ordered dish when we go out for a Cantonese meal. So why not change it up and use chicken?
If you have ever looked at Salt and Pepper pork chops in a Cantonese restaurant with some envy because you don’t eat pork, then you’re in for a treat when you make this salt and pepper chicken at home.
Big Fried Chicken “Chops”
One signature aspect of this dish is the size of the pork chops. There’s no fork and knife involved. Instead, you just pick up a piece and bite into it. The crunch is too good to cut with a knife!
They’re not so big as to be overwhelming (though, maybe that depends on your chopstick skills!) and they’re not too small. This is the signature shape of the pork pieces in the dish.
It’s why we decided to make chicken “chops” instead of the chicken nugget shape some recipes out there rely on. Chicken nuggets—rather, nuggets of chicken—do have their place like in Judy’s Taiwanese Fried Chicken recipe, but believe me, for this recipe, what I call chicken “chops” are the way to go!
See Judy’s Taiwanese Fried Chicken on the left, and this Salt and Pepper Chicken on the right:
Dark Meat vs. White Meat Chicken
I know that many of you will ask me whether you can use chicken breast here. My answer is that I highly recommend sticking with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Dark meat has higher fat content than breast meat, so it is strongly preferred for this dish. If you must use chicken breast, I won’t stop you. Just reduce the cooking time by a minute or so to avoid overcooked, dry chicken.
In terms of equipment, a mallet, rolling pin, or similar kitchen tool is ideal to flatten out the chicken thighs to about ⅜- to ½-inch (about 10-12mm) thick after slicing. Let’s make it!
Salt & Pepper Chicken Recipe Instructions
Marinate & Coat the Chicken
To slice your chicken into “chops,” you will want to spread out the pieces and cut them to half thickness, so you end up with 1/2-inch (12mm) thick pieces that are about 4-5 inches (10-13 cm) at their widest point. You can then pound the chicken pieces so they have an even thickness.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the marinade ingredients (water, Shaoxing wine—or you can also use a dry sherry, salt, sugar, optional MSG, white pepper, five spice powder, and sesame oil).
Use your hands to mix and coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate and tenderize, or overnight.
Make the seasoned salt in a small bowl by combining the salt, white pepper, and sugar. Set aside.
Once the chicken has finished marinating, add the coating ingredients (the cornstarch, water, all-purpose flour, neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil, and baking soda), along with ½ teaspoon of your prepared seasoned salt.
Mix until the chicken is evenly coated in a loose batter. If the batter isn’t clinging to the chicken (sometimes chicken has higher water content from processing) add another tablespoon of cornstarch.
Fry the Garlic & Chicken
In a wok or medium deep pot, pour in enough frying oil such that a single layer of chicken is just able to be submerged. We’ll be somewhere in between a shallow fry and a deep fry for this recipe.
In our very large wok, this was about 3-3½ cups of oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to between 250-275°F (120-135°C), or until a piece of garlic bubbles a little when added to the oil. Toss in the garlic—about 6 cloves garlic, chopped, and cook until it just starts to turn color (30 seconds to 1 minute).
Use a fine-meshed strainer to scoop it out onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
Tip!
Be careful not to brown the garlic, or it will be bitter. More golden isn’t necessarily better here. The garlic bits should be slightly crispy and will crisp up more as they cool.
Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the oil temperature to 350°F (175°C). Swish a piece of chicken around in the bowl to ensure it’s thickly coated in batter before gently placing it into the hot oil.
The oil temperature will come down each time you add new pieces, so adjust the heat as needed to maintain a 325-350°F (160-175°C) range.
Fry the chicken in batches until light golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes, depending upon the size and thickness of the pieces), moving and turning them so they do not stick together and fry evenly.
Transfer to a plate or wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain, and continue until all the chicken is fried.
Let the chicken cool for at least 5 minutes. This gives the chicken a chance to let steam off, and for the juices to reabsorb.
The steam from the cooling process softens the crunchy exterior. By letting the chicken cool, you ensure that the second fry cooks off that moisture, yielding crispier results!
Just before you are ready to finish the dish, let the oil temperature come back up to 350°F (175°C). In two batches, add the chicken pieces back to the oil for a second fry. Fry each batch for 1 to 2 minutes, or until crispy.
Transfer to a large serving platter.
Assemble the Dish
Heat a clean, dry pan over medium-high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the sliced peppers. Toss for about 20 seconds to lightly sear them until fragrant. Turn off the heat, and add the sliced shallots, fried garlic, and the rest of the seasoned salt.
Gently toss everything together to mix.
Pour the seasoned aromatics evenly over the top of the fried chicken pieces.
Serve immediately with white rice!
Looking for more authentic recipes? Subscribe to our email list and be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube!
Recipe
Salt and Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade:
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into pieces ½-inch or 10-12mm thick and about 4 to 5 inches (10-13cm) across
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
For the seasoning salt:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon white pepper (finely ground)
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
For the coating:
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
To finish the dish:
- peanut or canola oil (for frying)
- 2 tablespoons garlic (chopped; 2 tbsp/25g = about 6 cloves)
- 1 long hot green pepper (sliced crosswise into thin rounds)
- 1 small shallot (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- To slice your chicken into "chops," you will want to spread out the pieces and cut them to half thickness, so you end up with 1/2-inch (12mm) thick pieces that are about 4-5 inches (10-13 cm) at their widest point. You can then pound the chicken pieces so they have an even thickness.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the marinade ingredients (water, Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, optional MSG, white pepper, five spice powder, and sesame oil). Use your hands to mix and coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate and tenderize, or overnight.
- Make the seasoned salt in a small bowl by combining the salt, white pepper, and sugar. Set aside.
- Once the chicken has finished marinating, add the coating ingredients (the cornstarch, water, all-purpose flour, neutral oil, and baking soda), along with ½ teaspoon of your prepared seasoned salt. Mix until the chicken is evenly coated in a loose batter. If the batter isn’t clinging to the chicken (sometimes chicken has higher water content from processing) add another tablespoon of cornstarch.
- In a wok or medium deep pot, pour in enough frying oil such that a single layer of chicken is just able to be submerged. In our very large wok, this was about 3-3½ cups of oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to between 250-275°F (120-135°C), or until a piece of garlic bubbles a little when added to the oil. Toss in the garlic, and cook until it just starts to turn color (30 seconds to 1 minute). Don't brown the garlic, or it'll be bitter. Use a fine-meshed strainer to scoop it out onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the oil temperature to 350°F (175°C). Swish a piece of chicken around in the bowl to ensure it’s thickly coated in batter before gently placing it into the hot oil. The oil temperature will come down each time you add new pieces, so adjust the heat as needed to maintain a 325-350°F (160-175°C) range. Fry the chicken in batches until light golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes, depending upon the size and thickness of the pieces), moving and turning them so they do not stick together and fry evenly. Transfer to a plate or wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain, and continue until all the chicken is fried.
- Let the chicken cool for at least 5 minutes, so the juices from the chicken reabsorb and the chicken has a chance to let steam off.
- Just before you are ready to finish the dish, let the oil temperature come back up to 350°F (175°C). In two batches, add the chicken pieces back to the oil for a second fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to a large serving platter.
- Heat a clean, dry pan over medium-high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the sliced peppers. Toss for about 20 seconds to lightly sear them until fragrant. Turn off the heat, and add the sliced shallots, fried garlic, and the rest of the seasoned salt. Gently toss everything together to mix. Pour the seasoned aromatics evenly over the top of the fried chicken pieces. Serve immediately.
