Bang bang chicken is a spicy shredded Chinese chicken salad that we first tasted at the humble but iconic “Chinese Noodle Restaurant” in the Prince Centre in Sydney’s Chinatown. As well as their delicious handmade noodles, their shredded chicken salad is always on one of our menu choices when we visit. It’s been a family favourite since the early 90’s!
Over the years I have also tried to recreate it at home. It’s a great weeknight dinner which can be served with lettuce cups, steamed greens and some jasmine rice if you like, or just delicious on it’s own.
It has the name “bang, bang” because it was traditionally banged with batons to loosen the chicken fibres before shredding. I use a mallet to do this and it works a treat!
Add chopped steamed green beans and lots of cucumber to add a bit more bulk to it as a meal in itself! It’s a great for lunch the next day too.
- Ingredients
- 2-3 poached chicken thigh fillets
- Glad wrap and a meat mallet
- 2 teaspoons Chinese chilli oil (I use Chiu Chow style)
- 2 teaspoons Szechuan pepper crushed
- 1 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger pounded to a paste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese Chinkiang vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup sliced spring onions
- 1 cucumber sliced and cut into chunks
Method:
1. Place glad wrap over poached chicken laid flat on a chopping board. Use mallet to lightly flatten, then shred into long strips into a bowl.
2. Whizz or pound Szechuan pepper in a spice grinder to a (not too fine) powder, place in bowl, mix with sesame oil, vinegar, chilli oil, sugar and soy sauce.
3. Add spring onion to chicken, then dress, mix well, taste to see if you want to add extra chilli oil or Szechuan pepper, or soy sauce if not salty enough.
4. I add the cucumber last and lightly toss.