Black bean chicken
Wok-fried chicken in a punchy fermented black bean sauce with peppers and mushrooms — quick midweek Chinese comfort.
Black bean chicken is the sort of zesty, saucy wok dish you wish you ordered more often. Fermented black beans bring a savoury umami hit that teams beautifully with tender, cornflour-silky chicken and crisp peppers.
It’s quick enough for a weeknight once the chicken has a short marinade. Serve with steamed rice or noodles and a pile of greens — this one sings with a simple accompaniment.
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken thigh fillets — trimmed and cut into 2.5cm strips
- 40 ml light soy sauce
- 10 g cornflour — use most for marinade, reserve a little for slurry
- 10 ml sesame oil — half for marinade, half for finishing
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 40 g fermented black beans — rinsed, stalks removed and roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves — crushed
- 30 g fresh ginger — peeled and finely sliced
- 1 brown onion — thickly sliced
- 1 red pepper — sliced into strips
- 1 green pepper — sliced into strips
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms — halved or quartered depending on size
- 4 spring onions — trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths
- 150 ml chicken stock — low-salt if possible
- 15 ml oyster sauce
- 15 ml Shaoxing wine
- 10 g caster sugar
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
Equipment
- wok or large frying pan
Instructions
Slice the chicken thigh fillets into 2.5cm strips and place in a mixing bowl. Add 20 ml light soy sauce, 8 g cornflour, 5 ml sesame oil and the black pepper. Mix well to coat, then cover and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, rinse the fermented black beans under cold water to reduce saltiness, drain and roughly chop. Finely chop the chopped beans with the garlic cloves and fresh ginger to make a coarse paste.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot. Add half the vegetable oil, then add the marinated chicken in a single layer and stir-fry without crowding for 3–4 minutes until sealed and just cooked through. Work in two batches if necessary and transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
Add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan, then stir-fry the brown onion, red pepper, green pepper and chestnut mushrooms for 2–3 minutes until softened but still bright.
Push the vegetables to one side, add the chopped fermented black beans, garlic and ginger paste to the hot side and fry for 45–60 seconds until aromatic. Stir everything together.
Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Add the remaining 20 ml light soy sauce, the oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, caster sugar and the chicken stock. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes to marry flavours.
Mix the remaining cornflour (about 4 g) with a little cold water to make a smooth slurry. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook for 45–60 seconds until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Turn off the heat, stir in the remaining 5 ml sesame oil and most of the spring onions (reserve a few for garnish). Taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra light soy sauce only if necessary. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Rinse fermented black beans briefly to tame saltiness but keep some brine for depth — taste as you go.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying chicken; sear in batches so pieces caramelise rather than steam.
- Whisk cornflour with cold liquid to a smooth slurry and add gradually to avoid lumps and an over-thick, gluey sauce.
- Finish with sesame oil off the heat for a fragrant lift; cooking sesame oil destroys much of its aroma.
- Make-ahead: marinate the chicken up to 4 hours in the fridge. Do not marinate for much longer or texture will suffer.
Substitutions
fermented black beans → 1 tbsp black bean paste (use less salt), or 2 tbsp finely chopped olives for a different umami note
Noticeably differentchicken thigh fillets → chicken breast fillets, same weight, sliced thinly
Stays closelight soy sauce → tamari for a gluten-free option (same quantity)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 380
- Calories
- 30 g
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use tinned black beans instead of fermented black beans?
No — tinned black beans are different in flavour and texture. If fermented black beans are unavailable use a small amount of black bean paste or reduce to a soy-oyster mix and expect a different but still tasty result.
How do I reduce the saltiness?
Rinse the fermented black beans and use low-salt chicken stock. Taste before adding extra soy at the end.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — swap light soy sauce for tamari and check the oyster sauce label or use a gluten-free hoisin alternative.
Why use cornflour in the marinade?
Cornflour in the marinade gives the chicken a velvety seal when stir-fried and helps sauce cling — don’t over-marinate or the texture becomes gummy.
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