Quirky Foodster

Salads

Bang Bang Chicken Salad

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (0)
15 min
Prep
18 min
Cook

← Return to Menu

Ingredients

  • - 2 boneless chicken breasts
  • - 1 litre (4 cups) water, for poaching
  • - 2 slices fresh ginger
  • - 1 spring onion, halved
  • - 1 cucumber, julienned
  • - 3 tbsp sesame paste (or smooth peanut butter)
  • - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • - 1 tbsp black vinegar
  • - 1 tsp sugar
  • - 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn oil or chilli oil
  • - 1 clove garlic, minced
  • - 2 tbsp poaching liquid, to thin the sauce

Method

  1. Bring the water to a boil with the ginger and spring onion, then add the chicken breasts and reduce to a gentle simmer.
  2. Poach for 15-18 minutes until just cooked through, then remove and cool; reserve some poaching liquid.
  3. Lightly pound the cooled chicken with a rolling pin or mallet to tenderise, then shred by hand along the grain.
  4. Whisk together the sesame paste, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, chilli oil, garlic and a splash of poaching liquid until smooth.
  5. Arrange the julienned cucumber on a plate, top with the shredded chicken, and drizzle generously with the sauce before serving.

Introduction: Bang Bang Chicken takes its name from the traditional method of pounding poached chicken with a small wooden bat (bang bang) to tenderise and shred it before dressing, a Sichuan classic balancing nutty sesame sauce with numbing chilli oil.

Cultural Background: Bang Bang Chicken takes its name from the traditional method of pounding poached chicken with a small wooden bat (bang bang) to tenderise and shred it before dressing, a Sichuan classic balancing nutty sesame sauce with numbing chilli oil.

Tips: Poaching gently rather than boiling hard keeps the chicken tender and moist. Pounding the chicken before shredding helps it absorb more of the sauce.

Variations: Add crushed roasted peanuts on top for extra crunch. Swap sesame paste for tahini if unavailable.

Storage: Refrigerate chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days.

Reheating: Not applicable; served cold or at room temperature.

Nutrition: Approx. 260 kcal, 26g protein, 13g fat, 8g carbohydrate per serving.

FAQs

Q: Why is it called 'bang bang' chicken?
A: The name references the traditional pounding of the poached chicken with a small wooden bat to tenderise and loosen the fibres before shredding.

Q: Is this dish served hot or cold?
A: It is always served cold or at room temperature, making it a popular hot-weather dish.