Chicken in black bean sauce
When you’re craving a Chinese takeaway but don’t actually want to order one, this Chicken in Black Bean Sauce is the perfect fix. It’s quick to make, incredibly tasty, and delivers all those bold, savoury flavours you love.
The sizzle of chicken hitting a hot wok, the aroma of garlic and ginger, the glossy black bean sauce bubbling into something irresistible — this dish is all about simple pleasures. Chicken in Black Bean Sauce is a staple for good reason: it’s speedy, deeply flavourful, and endlessly adaptable.
Whether you’re cooking for two or feeding a crowd, it’s the kind of dish that always brings people back for seconds.
Serving Suggestions for Chicken in Black Bean Sauce
- Steamed jasmine or basmati rice — the classic pairing; light and perfect for catching the sauce.
- Egg‑fried rice — great if you want something a little more indulgent or to bulk out the meal.
- Noodles — egg noodles or rice noodles turn it into a bigger stir‑fry‑style bowl.
- Stir‑fried greens — pak choi, tenderstem broccoli or green beans add freshness and balance.
- Crispy chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce — a brilliant fakeaway combo with contrasting flavours.
- Spring rolls or vegetable gyoza — crunchy, light and great for sharing.
- Prawn crackers — an easy, crowd‑pleasing extra.
- Crispy seaweed — salty, sweet and crunchy; the perfect Chinese‑takeaway‑style side.
- Cucumber salad — cool, crisp and refreshing against the salty black bean sauce.
- Sesame‑topped Asian slaw — adds colour, crunch and a bit of zing.
- Steamed dumplings — soft, savoury and a lovely contrast to the stir‑fried chicken
Chicken in black bean sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 1 orange pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 2 red chilli peppers, seeded and finely sliced
- 4 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm slices
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 120 g black bean sauce 2
- 2 tbsp sherry
- 100 ml water
Instructions
- Make the sauce. Place the cornflour in a small bowl, add a little water to form a paste, then gradually add the remaining water, along with black bean sauce and sherry. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan, over a medium heat add the onion and peppers and fry for a couple of mins.
- Add the garlic, chilli and chicken and cook for about 5-8 mins until cooked and tender, then add the spring onions.
- Add the sauce to the pan and allow to thicken a little.
- Serve alongside some plain boiled rice, chow mein and crispy seaweed.