Mum’s Chinese-Style Chicken
This Chinese-inspired chicken combines tender chicken strips and colourful vegetables in a sweet, savoury, warmly spiced sauce. It is a practical, family-friendly dinner that can be served with jasmine rice or noodles.
The chicken stays juicy, the vegetables retain a slight bite, and the rich sauce coats everything beautifully. It is also suitable for meal prep and reheats well.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 kg chicken breast cut into strips
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Vegetables
- 1 large white onion cut into strips
- 2 medium carrots julienned or cut into thin strips
- 1 small red capsicum cut into strips
- 1 small green capsicum cut into strips
- 1 small yellow capsicum cut into strips
- 1 small orange capsicum cut into strips
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided, for cooking
For the Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce optional
- 1 cup water
For Serving
- Cooked jasmine rice or noodles
Instructions
- Place the chicken strips in a large bowl. Add the salt, black pepper, white pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well and leave to marinate while preparing the vegetables and sauce.
- In a small bowl or measuring jug, mix the ketchup, tomato paste, mustard, honey, soy sauce, and oyster sauce, if using. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large deep frying pan or wide pot over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken in two or three batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook each batch for approximately 4–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly golden and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
- Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the onion and cook for approximately 1 minute, until it begins to soften.
- Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the capsicum strips and cook for another 2 minutes. The vegetables should begin to soften but still retain some texture.
- Add the ginger paste and minced garlic. Stir for approximately 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the white pepper, ground ginger, turmeric, curry powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir for 20–30 seconds to coat the vegetables.
- Return the cooked chicken and any juices from the plate to the pan.
- Pour in the prepared sauce mixture and 1 cup of water. Stir well until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the chicken.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot with jasmine rice or noodles.
Video
Notes
Cooking Tips:
• Cook the chicken in batches. Overcrowding the pan will cause the chicken to release water and steam instead of browning.
• Avoid overcooking the vegetables. They should be tender but still slightly crisp.
• The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools. Add a small splash of water if it becomes too thick.
• Taste the dish before adding more salt because soy sauce and oyster sauce are already salty. Oyster Sauce: Oyster sauce is optional. My mum normally prepares this recipe without it, but I like adding it for extra savoury and umami flavour. Substitutions:
• Chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breast. Slice them into thin strips and cook until completely cooked through.
• Use any combination of capsicums available rather than four different colours.
• Freshly grated ginger can replace ginger paste.
• Regular paprika can replace smoked paprika, although the flavour will be less smoky.
• Maple syrup or brown sugar can replace the honey.
• For a slightly less sweet sauce, reduce the ketchup to ⅓ cup. Serving Suggestions:
Serve with steamed jasmine rice, basmati rice, or noodles. My kids especially love it tossed or served with noodles. Storage:
Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking and store for up to 3–4 days.
Store the chicken mixture separately from the rice or noodles whenever possible. This prevents them from absorbing too much sauce and becoming soft. Freezing: The cooked chicken and vegetable mixture can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely, then divide it into freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags. Remove as much excess air as possible before freezing.
The capsicums will become softer after freezing and reheating, but the flavour will remain good. Freeze the rice separately and avoid freezing the dish with cooked noodles, as noodles can become overly soft.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheating: Reheat in a covered pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave. Stir halfway through reheating to ensure the chicken heats evenly.
Only reheat the portion you plan to eat. Meal Prep: For prepared meals, divide the cooked recipe between individual containers and pack the rice or noodles separately. Refrigerated meal-prep portions will keep for 3–4 days.
• Cook the chicken in batches. Overcrowding the pan will cause the chicken to release water and steam instead of browning.
• Avoid overcooking the vegetables. They should be tender but still slightly crisp.
• The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools. Add a small splash of water if it becomes too thick.
• Taste the dish before adding more salt because soy sauce and oyster sauce are already salty. Oyster Sauce: Oyster sauce is optional. My mum normally prepares this recipe without it, but I like adding it for extra savoury and umami flavour. Substitutions:
• Chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breast. Slice them into thin strips and cook until completely cooked through.
• Use any combination of capsicums available rather than four different colours.
• Freshly grated ginger can replace ginger paste.
• Regular paprika can replace smoked paprika, although the flavour will be less smoky.
• Maple syrup or brown sugar can replace the honey.
• For a slightly less sweet sauce, reduce the ketchup to ⅓ cup. Serving Suggestions:
Serve with steamed jasmine rice, basmati rice, or noodles. My kids especially love it tossed or served with noodles. Storage:
Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking and store for up to 3–4 days.
Store the chicken mixture separately from the rice or noodles whenever possible. This prevents them from absorbing too much sauce and becoming soft. Freezing: The cooked chicken and vegetable mixture can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely, then divide it into freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags. Remove as much excess air as possible before freezing.
The capsicums will become softer after freezing and reheating, but the flavour will remain good. Freeze the rice separately and avoid freezing the dish with cooked noodles, as noodles can become overly soft.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheating: Reheat in a covered pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave. Stir halfway through reheating to ensure the chicken heats evenly.
Only reheat the portion you plan to eat. Meal Prep: For prepared meals, divide the cooked recipe between individual containers and pack the rice or noodles separately. Refrigerated meal-prep portions will keep for 3–4 days.