Bon Bon Chicken or bang bang chicken salad or Chinese shredded chicken salad (棒棒鸡丝)is another representative of Sichuan cuisine and is almost available in every restaurant selling Sichuan dishes.If you love chicken salad with noodles, try sichuan style chicken noodle salad.
Firstly we have a little look into the name.Bang Bang in Chinese literally mean wood bar, actually is the rolling pin in our daily cooking. The mala sauce with Sichuan peppercorn powder is considered to be the best part of this dish. And in order to make the chicken meat absorb the spicy sauce as more as possible, the chicken meat is beaten by a rolling pin and then shredded.
I guess you know why it is named as bon bon chicken. To make this spicy chicken salad, both boneless chicken breast and chicken legs are ok. By the way, I am using my homemade Sichuan style chili oil which gives a stronger taste for the salad, check how to make chili oil at home for more details.
Making a bon bon chicken salad at home is easy but there some tips need attention.
1. Chicken meat should just cooked otherwise long cooking time will spoil the smooth taste. You can use a chop sticker to test; stop the heating process until you can easy insert the chop sticker in.
2. Scallions should be added at the end of the mixing process to avoid running off water contained in those fresh vegetables.
3. You can add some fresh cucumber shreds too if you like.
4. You can adjust the amount of chili oil and sesame oil depending on how spicy you like.
Other Chicken Recipes from Elaine on this blog
Braised chicken wings
Coco cola chicken wings
Saliva Chicken
Bon Bon Chicken (Bang Bang Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast
- 2 slices ginger
- 2 cups water
- 1 section shallot
- 2 spring onions
- 1 L cold water
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon black vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped spring onions
Instructions
- Prepare a large pot. Add cold water, ginger slices and the boneless chicken breast in. Bring all the content to a boiling for around 3~5 minutes and immediately lower down the fire to simmer for around 5 minutes. Use a chop sticker to test; stop the heating process until you can easy insert the chop sticker in.
- Leave the pot covered around 10 minutes.
- Cut shallots and the white part of spring onion into shreds. And then finely chop the green parts of spring onion.
- Put all the seasoning and condiments in a large bowl to make the mala sauce.
- Pour the cold water in a large pot and move the chicken meat from the heating pot to this one. Soak around 5~10 minutes or until the meat is totally cooled down. Then move out and drain.
- Put the chicken meat in a plastic bag and beat with rolling pin from one side to another. Repeat the process for 2~3 times and then shred the chicken by hands.
- Then mix with chicken shreds with sauce in the large bowl. And finally add cucumber and scallions in and mix evenly.
- Top with chopped spring onions and its eating time.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Peg
This sounds delightful! I have heard of thus dish before, and I am anxious to try it! Thank you
Elaine Luo
My Pleasure Peg. Thanks for commenting.
Lin wen
Finally you made my fav dish! Thanks Elaine
Elaine Luo
So you are searching for this version? There are so many spicy chicken recipes from Sichuan cuisine. Enjoy!
Lin wen
Make them all if you have time I'd like to try other spicy chicken dishes too. 🙂
Elaine Luo
It is quite hot on my side now and I need to just slow down the hot dishes a little bit. I will try my best.
Lynn Chua
Can I replace the black vinegar with Japanese rice vinegar?
Elaine
Hi Lynn,
I have not tried to use rice vinegar. But I think it is still fine. However black vinegar brings a very unique flavor and try to get some and taste it if possible.
Happy cooking and enjoy adventure in kitchen.