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Spice up your dinner with this Salt and Pepper Chicken recipe! Juicy, crispy chicken seasoned with a simple blend of salt and pepper. Easy to make and packed with flavor.
What is Salt and Pepper Chicken?
Salt and Pepper Chicken is a popular Chinese dish known for its aromatic and flavorful profile. It features crispy, golden brown chicken pieces seasoned with a blend of salt, black pepper, and white pepper. The chicken is typically deep fried and then mixed with stir-fried garlic, chili, and green onion. Perfect with Instant Pot Jasmine Rice and veggies for dinner or lunch, it’s a go-to for a tasty weeknight meal!
Check out our Asian-inspired recipes like Chicken and Broccoli, Panda Express Mushroom Chicken Copycat, Shanghai Angus Steak, Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken, or Kung Pao Chicken for a delicious and flavorful meal experience!
✅You’ll Need
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast: Cut into pieces that are ½ inch thick and about 3-4 inches across for even cooking.
- Sugar: Balances the flavors in the dish.
- White pepper powder: Adds a mild, unique heat compared to black pepper.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic provides a rich, aromatic flavor.
- Rice wine or mirin: Substitute with dry sherry or a mix of white wine and a pinch of sugar if unavailable.
- Cornstarch: Makes a crispy coating on the chicken when fried.
- All-purpose flour: Combined with cornstarch to add structure to the batter.
- Baking soda: Helps make the batter light and crispy.
- Garlic powder: Adds a concentrated garlic flavor to the seasoning mix.
- Jalapeño pepper: Wear gloves when handling jalapeños to avoid irritation from the capsaicin. You can also use serrano peppers (hotter), poblano peppers (milder), bell peppers (no heat), and red chili peppers (similar heat).
- Sliced green onions: Adds freshness and mild onion flavor to the dish.
- Oil for stir-frying: Use any oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, and vegetable oil, as they can withstand the high temperatures required for deep frying without breaking down.
- Salt and pepper
🔪How to Make Salt and Pepper Chicken
Mix chicken pieces with salt, sugar, white pepper, minced garlic, and mirin (or rice wine). Marinate for 10 minutes.
Combine salt, sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, and white pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Mix cornstarch, flour, baking soda, water, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add marinated chicken to the batter. Set aside.
Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels for 10 minutes.
Again heat oil to 380°F (195°C). Fry chicken until crispy and deep golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain excess oil.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet or wok. Cook the garlic and jalapeño for 1-2 minutes. Add the green onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Add double-fried chicken to the wok. Sprinkle with seasoning and toss until well coated. Serve immediately.
👨🍳Pro Tips
- Let the chicken soak up those flavors for at least 10 minutes. For an extra kick, marinate it overnight.
- Fry the chicken twice. First, at a lower heat to cook it through, then crank up the heat for a crispy finish.
- Ensure your oil is at the right temp: 350°F for the first fry and 380°F for the second. Perfect texture guaranteed.
- Tailor the heat to your liking. More jalapeños for spice lovers, less for those who prefer it mild.
🗄️Storage and Reheating
Got leftovers? No problem! Store your salt and pepper chicken in an airtight container in the fridge, and it’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, you’ve got options:
- Microwave: Heat it up for 2-3 minutes for a quick fix.
- Air Fryer: Crisp it up at 350°F for 5-6 minutes.
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!
Salt and Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces that are 1/2 inch thick and about 3 to 4 inches across.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons mirin or rice wine
- Vegetable oil for frying
Batter:
- 2/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper Seasoning:
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper powder
Aromatics:
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Combine the chicken pieces with salt, sugar, white pepper powder, minced garlic, and rice wine or mirin. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
- Make the Seasoning: In a small bowl, mix together salt, sugar, garlic powder, black pepper powder, and white pepper powder. Keep aside.
- Make the Batter: In a bowl, mix together the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, baking soda, water, and vegetable oil until smooth.
- Add the marinated chicken into the batter. Keep aside.
- First Fry: Heat the oil in a pan to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry the chicken pieces until they are light golden brown, but not fully cooked, about 3 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed since adding new pieces will lower the oil temperature. You might need to cook the chicken in batches.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the oil and let them rest on a paper towel-lined plate for 10 minutes.
- Second Fry: Increase the heat of the oil to 380°F (195°C).
- Fry the chicken pieces again until they are crispy and deep golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the oil and let them rest on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Stir-Fry Aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add the green onions. Stir-fry further for 30 seconds.
- Combine and Serve: Add the double-fried chicken to the wok with the aromatics. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper seasoning. Toss everything together until well coated and heated through. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was exactly what I was craving! The chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and perfectly seasoned. It was better than any salt and pepper chicken I’ve had at a restaurant!
Thanks, Matt! I’m so glad it hit the spot. Salt and pepper chicken is all about simple but bold flavors!