Chicken with Garlic Chilli Sauce (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Recreate a restaurant stir fry favourite at home with this tasty Chinese takeaway style chicken with garlic chilli sauce recipe.

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This Chinese takeaway style chicken with garlic chilli sauce recipe brings the authentic flavour of a Scottish Chinese takeaway to your kitchen. Tender chicken, crisp vegetables and fresh chilli are stir-fried with hot bean sauce, sugar and vinegar for a stir dish with a kick that balances sweet and sour to perfection.

Ingredients for Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Garlic Chilli Sauce

This Scottish Chinese takeaway style chicken with garlic chilli sauce recipe uses tender chicken and an assortment of vegetables. Fresh chilli and hot bean sauce add a fiery kick.

• Light Chicken Stock
• Caster Sugar
• Dark Brown Sugar
• Distilled Clear Malt Vinegar
• Beetroot Powder
• Sunflower Oil
• Onion
• Red Pepper
• Green Pepper
• Carrot
• Chicken For Chinese Takeaway Style Stir Fry Dishes
• White Pepper
• MSG
• Hot Bean Sauce
• Chopped Garlic in Oil
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Potato Starch
• Spring Onion
• Rice Wine
• Red Chilli

Cook Like a Takeaway: Want to see the exact oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine I use in all my Chinese recipes? Check out my Chinese Takeaway Style Cooking Essentials guide.

How To Make Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Garlic Chilli Sauce

Making this Scottish Chinese takeaway style chicken with garlic chilli sauce is quick and easy! First, the prepared sweet and sour sauce is made. Next, onion, pepper, carrot and tender chicken are stir fried in a hot wok, along with hot bean sauce and chopped garlic. The prepared sauce is added and simmered before being thickened slightly. Finally, spring onion, a dash of rice wine and sliced fresh red chilli are added to finish and chicken with garlic chilli sauce is ready to serve.

Step 1: Sauce

In a pot, add 200 millilitres light chicken stock or water, 3 tablespoons caster sugar, 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, 10 millilitres distilled clear malt vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon beetroot powder, mixed with 1 tablespoon water. Mix well, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2: Stir Fry

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, 1/2 onion, sliced, 1/4 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped, 1/4 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped and 1/4 carrot, thinly sliced. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add 1 portion chicken for Chinese takeaway style stir fry dishes, pinch white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon MSG and mix well. Add 2 tablespoons chopped garlic in oil, 1 tablespoon hot bean sauce and 1/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce. Add the prepared sweet and sour sauce, mix well and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.

Step 3: Finish

Slowly add 1 tablespoon potato starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water, stirring well until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (you may not need all of the mix). Finish with 1 spring onion, sliced, 2 teaspoons rice wine and 1 red chilli, sliced, mix well once more and serve.

Recipe Tips For Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Garlic Chilli Sauce

Tender Chicken: This recipe uses chicken for Chinese takeaway style stir fry dishes. This simple velveting technique ensures you get deliciously soft and tender chicken pieces for your favourite takeaway style dishes.

Preparation: Stir fry dishes come together quickly, so it’s good to have all the necessary ingredients and sauces prepared and to hand before you start cooking. Once you start, it’s all go until the dish is sizzling hot and ready to serve!

I hope you’ll try this Chinese takeaway style chicken with garlic chilli sauce recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!

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Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Garlic Chilli Sauce Recipe FAQ

What is hot bean sauce?

Hot bean sauce (sometimes called chilli bean sauce or doubanjiang) is a spicy, savoury Chinese condiment made from fermented broad beans, soybeans, and chillies. You can use it in Szechuan style dishes and dan dan noodles.

Which brand of hot bean sauce should I use?

For this recipe, I recommend Yeo’s Hot Bean Sauce. It’s widely available online and in Chinese supermarkets, and it delivers the right balance of saltiness, spice, and fermented depth without being overpowering. I’ve also made this dish with Lee Kum Kee hot bean sauce with good results.

Can I substitute another brand of hot bean sauce?

You can, but flavours will vary slightly. Some versions of doubanjiang are more salty, or hotter than Yeo’s. If substituting, use a smaller amount to begin with and adjust to taste.

What is MSG and why should I use it?

MSG is monosodium glutamate, a seasoning ingredient widely used in Chinese takeaway kitchens, in pure form or as an ingredient in soy sauces and other seasoning sauces. Despite historic baseless claims of its dangers, it has been widely proven to be considered safe for use in cooking. In fact, many of the myths and lies about MSG were deliberately and maliciously spread as a form of racism. You can find MSG naturally in many foodstuffs including broccoli, cheese and tomatoes. It’s available online or in Chinese supermarkets. You can learn more about MSG from the brilliant Chin Taylor of Ziang’s Kitchen here.

Do I need a carbon steel wok to cook Chinese takeaway style dishes?

A well seasoned carbon steel wok is a wonderful addition to your Chinese takeaway style cooking equipment, and I would highly recommend investing in one. But, you can cook this dish in any wok or large frying pan and it will be delicious!

Can I use cornflour instead of potato starch?

Yes, you can use cornflour and water to thicken the simmering stir fry sauce. It will do a similar job, however a more consistent texture is achieved using potato starch.

Can I use beef / king prawns / vegetables instead?

Yes! This recipe also works well with beef, king prawns or mixed vegetables.

What’s the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?

In Chinese takeaway kitchens, chefs use light soy sauce mainly for seasoning – it’s thinner and more salty than dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a thicker consistency and is used to add colour to stir fry sauces and egg fried rice.

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Do you like this Chinese takeaway style chicken with garlic chilli sauce recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Chinese Takeaway Secret you can find a host of restaurant and takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make Glasgow Chinese takeaway style spring rolls, beef curry, salt and chilli chips, fried rice and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.

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