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+ servings
bang bang chicken
Jon Simon

Bang Bang Chicken

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A Sichuan-inspired dish featuring tender poached chicken strips, crisp vegetables, and a nutty-spicy sesame-based sauce, perfect for meal prep and served cold.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Sichuan
Calories: 276

Ingredients
 
 

Main
  • 1 lb chicken meat 1/2 small chicken or 1 pound of chicken breasts, bone-in
Vegetables
  • 1 medium cucumber peeled and sliced
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into matchstick strips
Seasoning
  • as needed salt to desalt cucumbers
Spices
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon roasted Sichuan peppercorn optional
Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seed paste can substitute chunky peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar red or black preferred
  • 1 tablespoon Asian sesame seed oil
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons hot chili oil or 1-2 teaspoons chili flakes, adjust to taste
Garnish
  • 1 tablespoon shredded scallion white part only

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Fill a large saucepan with enough water to completely cover the chicken (1 lb). Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for exactly 20 minutes until the meat turns completely white and is cooked through. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool until you can handle it comfortably. Remove all bones and shred the meat into thin strips as close to matchstick size as possible.
  2. While the chicken cools, peel the cucumber and slice it into pieces that roughly match the size of the chicken strips. Peel the carrot and cut it into thin matchstick strips.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame seed paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, granulated sugar, and hot chili oil or chili flakes until everything combines into a smooth, pourable sauce.
  4. Arrange cucumber slices across a serving platter as the base layer. Lay the shredded chicken on top of the cucumbers. Sprinkle the roasted Sichuan peppercorn over the chicken if using. Pour the sauce evenly over everything. Garnish with carrot strips and shredded scallion whites for a final pop of color and freshness.

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 22gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 1429mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Don't skip the cooling step for the chicken to avoid burned fingers and ensure clean shredding. If sesame seed paste is unavailable, chunky peanut butter can be used as a substitute. Adjust the heat level by varying the amount of chili oil or Sichuan peppercorns. This dish is best served cold and can be prepared ahead for meal prep.

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