Salt And Pepper Chicken

by hintofhelen
Salt Pepper Chicken Recipe
 

When working in a Chinese restaurant, our most popular dish was Salt and Pepper chicken and for good reason – it’s delicious! Wok fried spices and vegetables are mixed with battered chicken breast to create the ultimate combination of salt, spice and crunch.

Salt and pepper chicken breast recipe | Hint of Helen

Salt and Pepper chicken is one of the nicest fried chicken dishes ever – and a close second in my opinion is Fried Chicken with KFC Style Gravy – although both dishes are so different.

The main thing which makes Salt & Pepper chicken amazing is the blend of fresh and tangy vegetables – from peppers, to spring onions and chilli – there’s a whole lot of flavour! 

Salt Pepper Chicken Recipe

I love this recipe when its first cooked, served hot on a bed of rice for the ultimate fakeaway. It also works so well in a packed lunch the next day (your work colleagues will be very jealous!). 

Here’s a recipe of how to make Salt and Pepper chicken at home feel free to adjust the spices to suit your needs; if you want it to be super spicy or salty; just add a little more, there are no rules when cooking at home!

How to Make Salt & Pepper Chicken

Scroll down for recipe card & ingredient list

1. Slice the chicken breast into bite sized pieces 

2. Coat the chicken in seasoning and cornflour 

3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan 

4. Then add the coated chicken – it should bubble around the chicken pieces

5. Cook, turning a couple of times, until browned on each side

6. Remove the chicken from the oil once cooked, and set aside on a piece of kitchen towel to soak up any access oil

7. In a different non-stick pan, heat a small amount of oil

8. Then add the onions and peppers, and chillis if using

9. Fry on a medium heat for a minute, then add the seasoning

10. Stir, and cook for a further few minute

11. Then add the chicken pieces, stir and cook for a few minutes to coat the chicken and ensure its piping hot before serving

Got a salt and pepper craving? Take a look at my favourite recipe for Salt and Pepper Chips.

Yield: Serves 4

Salt and Pepper Chicken

Salt and pepper chicken breast recipe | Hint of Helen

Make the Chinese takeaway classic, salt and pepper chicken with this easy step-by-step recipe and video.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • 4 diced chicken breasts
  • 1/2 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp Chinese five spice
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 cup cornflour

Vegetables

  • 2 diced onions
  • 1 diced red pepper
  • 1 diced and de-deseeded green chilli
  • 1 bunch of spring onions, diced

To fry:

  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp Chinese five spice
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes, (optional, depends how spicy you like it)

Instructions

Marinating the chicken

  1. Dice chicken into even pieces, and sprinkle with 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp Chinese five spice and1 tbsp black pepper
  2. Rub the spices into the chicken to evenly coat the chicken
  3. Set aside while you chop and prepare the vegetables

Preparing the vegetables

  1. Finely dice the onions, red pepper, green chilli and spring onions, and set aside

Battering the chicken

  1. Tip out 1 cup of cornflour onto a large, flat plate
  2. Add the marinated chicken to the plate of cornflour, and toss/move around with your hands until it is all evenly coated
  3. Do not let the coated batter sit too long before the next step or the moisture of the chicken will soak up the cornflour

Frying

  1. Heat 1 cup of oil in a large pan, until a little cornflour sprinkled in bubbles upon contact
  2. Add the coated chicken to the pan, and cook until the underside turns light brown
  3. Stir the chicken to brown the other side, and cook for a further 10 minutes; or until the chicken is cooked through and brown and crispy on the outside
  4. Remove the chicken from the oil using a slotted spoon, and set aside on a pice of kitchen roll to soak up a little oil.
  5. To the remaining oil, add the chopped onion and fry on medium heat until it becomes to turn brown
  6. Add the green chilli to the pan, and cook for 2 minutes further, stirring to ensure nothing is sticking to the pan
  7. Add the red pepper to the pan, cook for a further minute and stir,
  8. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp Chinese five spice and stir to coat the vegetables
  9. Add half of the chopped spring onions, stir and cook for a further minute
  10. Then add the cooked chicken to the pan of vegetables, stir to thoroughly coat the chicken in the vegetable mix, and cook for a further minute or so until the chicken is as brown as you prefer
  11. Remove from heat, top with the remaining, raw spring onions, and serve on a bed of rice

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Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Amount Per Serving Calories 542Total Fat 25.5gSaturated Fat 2.8gCholesterol 0mgCarbohydrates 32.1gFiber 4.5gSugar 4.5gProtein 50.4g

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27 comments

Danny Carter 17th June 2018 - 10:24 pm

Made this at work for all the shift workers, ad it went down a treat. Something so simple like salt and pepper really excited everyone’s taste buds. A repeat meal every week!

Reply
simon dean robertson 3rd October 2020 - 6:59 pm

hello hintofhelen i made this for my family during lockdown also as its my daughters takeaway favourite and now the whole family demand me to make it all the time very tasty and easy

Reply
Hint of Helen 4th October 2020 - 8:34 am

I’m so happy to hear this Simon! Glad the family are enjoying the Salt & Pepper chicken – it’s always lovely to cook them something you know they’ll enjoy! 😀

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Tony 7th September 2018 - 11:35 am

Perfect Salt and Pepper Chicken. Chinese restaurant style

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Kim 1st June 2019 - 6:26 pm

Went down an absolute storm with the family. Easy enough to make and tastes delicious.

Reply
Tara McMurtrie 24th July 2019 - 6:02 pm

Chef called in sick today so I had to find a recipe that even I could do….even though I didn’t strictly follow it. I added a red onion and a green pepper and a red chilli. I also marinated the veg in a bowl with the frying ingredients minus the oil and cooked them all together. It’s a very versatile recipe and went down a storm at work. It was so good I’m adapting in to fit in with my slimming world lifestyle.

What a wonderful thing to share, thank you. It saved my sanity today xxx

Reply
Helen 26th July 2019 - 5:11 pm

I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Tara – and that I managed to save your sanity during the hottest week ever! 😀

Reply
Cameron 24th January 2020 - 5:57 pm

Can left overs be kept?

Reply
Helen 24th January 2020 - 10:10 pm

Yes they can – if there’s any left 😉
Just keep in the fridge until ready to reheat – I’d probably reheat by flash-frying again to refresh x

Reply
Lisa 18th April 2020 - 6:32 pm

Made this salt and pepper chicken tonight due to being on lockdown and our favourite chinese being closed. Really easy to make and tastes as good if no better than the Chinese, dont think I will be paying £7 for salt and pepper chicken from the chinese anymore. 😁

Reply
Hint of Helen 20th April 2020 - 5:41 pm

I’m so happy to read this Lisa 🙂 it’s soo much better than our local too 😀

Reply
Melissa 16th February 2020 - 12:22 am

Hi Helen,

Thank you so much for this gorgeous recipe! I have made it numerous times now and have recieved loads of compliments from friends and family when I’ve made it for them. I’m not very confident in the kitchen but your recipes have inspired me and given me confidence slowly but surely. Thank you 🙂

Reply
Helen 24th February 2020 - 9:48 am

Aw this makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing Melissa – I’m glad you now have a recipe you feel confident cooking or your (lucky) friends & family! 🙂

Reply
Sabrina Stoddart 1st May 2020 - 3:50 pm

Can I use plain flour instead of cornflour? I can get any from our supermarket

Reply
Hint of Helen 2nd May 2020 - 9:02 am

Yes you can use plain flour for the batter if you need to 🙂 if it’s too ‘floury’ add in a tbsp of milk to make a bit of a thick batter – good luck 🙂

Reply
Oliver 1st May 2020 - 8:18 pm

Helen – Cracking recipe, hit the spot due to our takeaway being closed. Usually five spice overpowers everything when I cook with it (had disastrous salt and pepper chips recipes in the past!) but this was perfect. Great tutorial, easy to follow and the pictures/videos are really helpful! First time i’ve been to your website, i’ll definitely be back 🙂

Reply
Hint of Helen 2nd May 2020 - 8:54 am

So glad you enjoyed the recipe Oliver! 😀 I feel the same about five spice, funnily enough, happy to hear you’ll be back – see you again soon

Reply
Alisha Webb 20th June 2020 - 3:22 pm

This was super good. I found it hard to brown the chicken easily without over cooking it, so I think next time I’d use my deep fat fryer for that bit.
I also added six (!) finely chopped garlic cloves towards the end of cooking the veg, but that’s personal preference.
This recipe really did taste like the Chinese takeaway I always order. Served it with some egg fried rice and am currently sitting in a good coma.
Thanks so much for such a great recipe.

Reply
Helen 22nd June 2020 - 12:39 pm

So glad you enjoyed it Alisha and it tasted like your local takeaway! Haha at the food coma… 😀

Reply
Jane 14th February 2021 - 4:54 pm

Oh wow I made this last night and it did taste like our Chinese takeaway!!! We always order Salt and pepper ribs and prawns and they taste just like this chicken recipe. Could we use it for ribs and prawns too? Love to see those recipes. Thank you so much, no doubt healthier and so much cheaper, My husband was so impressed too, and easy 😊

Reply
Francesca 25th March 2021 - 8:44 pm

I made this was quorn chicken and worked great! One of my favourites from the Chinese but they rarely do a veggie option. I’m delighted to have found a home cooking version

Reply

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