Bang bang chicken

Ingredients

• 600 g Chicken thigh fillets
• 1 tsp Salt (For the poaching water)
• 0.5 tsp White pepper
• 1 tsp Sesame oil (For the chicken)
• 3 tbsp Chinese sesame paste or tahini (Use Chinese sesame paste or tahini)
• 2 tbsp Chili crisp (Go-Tan)
• 2 tbsp Light soy sauce (Go-Tan)
• 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Sesame oil (For the sauce; indicated in the source as additional sesame oil)
• 1 Garlic (Clove, finely chopped)
• 1 tsp Ginger (Finely grated)
• 2 tbsp Warm water (Start with 2 tbsp; add another 1–2 tbsp if needed. The total amount may therefore be 2–4 tbsp.)
• 0.5 Cucumber
• 2 Spring onions
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
• Cilantro (A handful)
• Chili oil (Extra, optional)
• Salt (To taste, for mixing with the chicken)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken thigh fillets and the measured salt, and poach the chicken for approximately 12–15 minutes, until cooked through.

2. 2

   Remove the chicken from the water and let it cool slightly.

3. 3

   Pull the chicken into coarse shreds using two forks or your hands. The video also mentions a hand mixer as a quick way to break up the cooked chicken.

4. 4

   Mix the warm chicken with the white pepper, the sesame oil for the chicken, and additional salt to taste.

5. 5

   Put the Chinese sesame paste or tahini, chili crisp, light soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sugar, sesame oil for the sauce, finely chopped garlic, and grated ginger in a bowl and mix.

6. 6

   First stir 2 tablespoons of warm water into the sauce.

7. 7

   If desired, add another 1–2 tablespoons of warm water until the sauce is thick but pourable.

8. 8

   Cut the cucumber into thin strips. Alternatively, roughly smash it first with the side of a knife and then cut it into pieces; this helps the sauce cling better.

9. 9

   Spread the cucumber over a serving platter and place the pulled chicken on top.

10. 10

    Spoon the bang bang sauce generously over the chicken.

11. 11

    Finely slice the spring onions and scatter them over the dish together with the sesame seeds and cilantro. Add extra chili oil if desired.

Notes

The source does not specify an amount of water for the poaching water; use enough to cover the chicken. The additional salt added when mixing with the chicken is to taste. The video mentions a hand mixer as an alternative to pulling the chicken apart; the description mentions using two forks or your hands.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• spicy
• chicken
• poaching
• Sichuan
• gluten-free