Salt and Pepper Chicken no batter – it’s back

In October 2020 I wrote my salt and pepper chicken no batter recipe for Family Feed. I still get messages from friends and family telling me they cooked and loved this dish. I think that’s thanks to the speed of this recipe, it comes together in no time, and it is absolutely delicious. This is something I cook for me and Jim on a Friday night to enjoy with a beer in front of a good film while the children are fast asleep. It’s spicy (which you can obviously adjust to suit) and it is a great alternative to a take away if you are trying to eat a bit more healthy.

Summer holidays

When I was thinking of a new recipe to share for the summer edit of Family Feed’s newsletter this came to mind for a few reasons.

1. My sister had just messaged to tell me she had cooked a vegetarian version with tofu in place of the chicken and that it went down a huge hit with her boyfriend (so the recipe is easy to adapt for vegetarians)
2. I wanted to think about the moments in parenthood when not sitting at the table as a family is just what you need. And instead, enjoying a tasty meal if front of the tv at the end of a busy day is the answer. With the summer holidays here this is a recipe for all the parents who are ready to relax on a Friday night after the juggle of work, childcare, days out, play dates and everything else that can make school holidays feel chaotic.

I hope my salt and pepper chicken no batter recipe is a little bit of delight for you this summer. And I hope that you can find ways to take some tasks off your own to do list too, slow down and relax.

Salt and pepper chicken no batter

Gemma

These six words have been my families take away order preference ever since I was a whipper snapper. If you haven't tried Salt and Pepper chicken without the batter then you haven't had the best of the dish. This recipe is my own take on that splendid mouthful of food I love to eat when my parents order Chinese food You can bring this to the table within 30 minutes including all the prep, it's a dish I wouldn't be without.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• wok

Ingredients

  

• 2 white onions chopped
• 4 peppers chopped into roughly 2cm chunks. In the video I use Ocado Gold Piccerella Peppers as the 4th pepper. I just needed to use them so wouldn’t normally add them.
• 1 bunch spring onions chopped into about 2 inch lengths.
• 9 cloves of garlic 6 of the cloves chopped 3 of them crushed
• a thumb sized piece of ginger finely chopped
• 3 Birds Eye chilies finely sliced. If you prefer it less spicy use 2 or use less spicy chillies.
• 2 chicken breasts finely sliced so really thin.
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 5 tbsp soy sauce I use the Kikkoman less salt soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste – I estimate I use 2 tbsp but we like that fiery kick. Adjust to suit
• 1 small bunch coriander chopped
• 2 x 250g pouch microwave wholegrain rice You can use any rice – I use this for speed

Instructions

 

• Prep all your ingredients and get them in bowls ready to cook with.
• Add a good drizzle of oil to your pan and get it really hot.
• Add your onions and stir as they fry for 30 seconds.
• Add your garlic, chilli and ginger stir it in and allowed to fry for one minute while stirring regularly.
• Add the spring onions, stir them in and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add salt and pepper.
• I add a generous amount of pepper and a touch of salt. The soy sauce has salt in so I try not to go over the top. I use a low-sodium soy sauce as well.
• Give the pan a good stir and fry for another minute.
• Add your peppers and stir fry them 2 minutes.
• You may need to add add a touch more oil – I did. But use your own judgement here.
• Add your chicken to the pan and stir in until it is combined.
• Fry for 3 minutes stirring every now and then. This is to cook the chicken. If you cut it thin it won’t take long to cook.
• Stick your microwave rice into the microwave for 2 minutes if you're using this cheat.
• Add the fish sauce.
• Add 5 to 6 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce to the pan.
• Stir this and mix well and leave it for 2 minutes.
• Chop a small handful of coriander into the pan and mix through.
• Add a bit more salt and pepper if needed and serve with the rice from the microwave.

Video

Keyword Salt and Pepper Chicken No Batter