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Chunky Chicken Chixican

Once, this was a Szechuan chicken recipe. It morphed and changed over time and then a question was asked: what if the Chinese black beans (fermented soy beans) were actual black beans from Latin America. This is the answer. Half Chinese, half Mexican, it can only be a Chixican.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 onion, sliced into 8 segments
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 10g ginger, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • 300g chicken breast, diced
  • 500ml water
  • 400g can of black beans
  • 2 stars of anise
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Tamari soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 large pepper, fairly finely sliced
  • 200g beansprouts
  • 1 tsp, heaped cornflour mixed in a little water.

Method

  1. Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli in the toasted sesame oil over a moderate heat for 10-15 minutes until well browned.
  2. Turn the heat down low. Add the garlic, ginger, chillies, and 5 spice and cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring all the time.
  3. Add the chicken, turn up the heat and cook until sealed.
  4. Add the water, black beans, star anise, soy sauce and vinegar. Mix well, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes untill the beans have nicely softened.
  5. Add the pepper strips and beansprouts. Cook uncovered over a high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until heated through. Add the cornflour and cook for a minute more until thickened, stirring continuously.

Serve with rice.