A homemade version of the popular Chinese takeout dish, this Chinese Garlic Chicken makes a great easy weeknight dinner but is also a superb party food which can be eaten with your fingers! A total breeze to make!
Don’t you just love enjoying a good takeout meal?
I mean, there is just something so great about knowing that you can simply make a phone call and have someone prepare a great dinner for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
The thing about takeout though is that it can get pretty spendy and let’s face it, it is not exactly good for you to dial-a-dinner every night. To keep myself on the straight and narrow, I like to create my own takeout meals sometimes. If we are being honest here (we are, right?) I enjoy creating my own meals even more than I like dialing for takeout.
I have this thing where I just love to put my own flair on restaurant food and try to create delicious, yet cheaper and healthier versions of the different meals that I can get when I order takeout.
Maybe it is just me, but I have found it to be quite fun to do and my cooking skills have benefited from my continued journey of creating delicious takeout at home.
Chinese takeout is a clear number one in our house.
Even though there are far too many delicious Chinese dishes out there to really determine a favorite, garlic chicken is one of our most popular choices. You may have noticed my love for garlic and poultry combo (check out these two AWESOME recipes: Spanish Garlic Chicken and Garlic Chicken Pasta).
Why do I like garlic chicken so much?
It’s delicious and really easy to prepare. Simple as that.
Even though I have made my fair share of garlic chicken recipes, I had yet to create Chinese garlic chicken, that is until I purchased the “Gok Cooks Chinese” cookbook recently and spotted the recipe for it.
When I saw that recipe, I knew right away that I have to make it.
This full-of-flavor garlic chicken makes not only an awesome quick & easy weeknight dinner but is also a really great party food!
Whether you are having guests over for the big game, or you are headed to someone else’s party and you need to bring something along with you to contribute, this is it. It doesn’t even matter what kind of party it is either!
One of my favorite things about this dish is its versatility.
You can stand around talking to someone while munching on them and using your fingers or you can serve it on a plate over rice for a nice sit-down dinner.
Are you ready to try out this recipe that I keep going babbling on about? Let’s get to it, shall we?
How to Make Chinese Garlic Chicken at Home
First, cut your chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
Then, in a medium to large sized mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch and salt, and pepper. Dredge the chicken around in this mixture, making sure to shake off any excess so you don’t have clumpy sections of breading. Once this is done you can set the chicken aside for a few.
Okay, now that you have your chicken ready to be cooked, it is time to heat up the oil in your wok (a skillet will also work, but I definitely recommend the wok if you have one).
Once your oil is hot and ready, drop in your battered chicken pieces. Each piece of chicken should be shallow fried for at least 3 minutes or until golden brown and fully cooked.
Don’t be afraid to fry more than one batch. It will help the chicken cook more efficiently if you don’t have them stacked atop one another.
Once fully cooked, be sure to put the chicken pieces onto a paper towel to drain.
Grab another paper towel to wipe down your wok, then add in some more oil.
Now it is time to stir-fry the garlic and scallions (aim for 1-2 minutes for this step), next add in the rice wine, soy sauce, sugar and just a little bit of pepper. Heat all of the ingredients through and then add your chicken back into the wok, cooking it into the sauce.
Like I said earlier, don’t be afraid to eat this Chinese garlic chicken as a finger food or serve over rice. Either way is delicious!
More takeout makeovers on the blog:
- One Pot Pad Thai (Ready in under 30 minutes!)
- Teriyaki Chicken (Served on a bed of rice inside pineapple shells)
- Chicken Yakisoba (Only 10 minutes prep time!)
This better-than-takeout garlic chicken makes a great dinner served over a bed of rice but is also perfect as finger food for a party!
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In a bowl, mix the cornstarch with the salt and white pepper. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Dredge the chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture and shake off any excess. Set aside.
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Heat the oil in a wok (it’s also possible to make this recipe with a simple skillet if you don’t have one). Add the chicken pieces and shallow fry them for 3-4 minutes or until golden and cooked through. If all the chicken doesn’t fit in a single layer, work in batches. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
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Clean the wok using a paper towel. Add some oil and stir-fry the garlic and scallions for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, and a pinch of white pepper. Heat through and return the chicken pieces back into the pan. Mix them into the sauce.
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Serve over the rice or it’s also great as a finger food. Enjoy!
Adapted from Gok Cooks Chinese by Gok Wan
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