Chicken with Ginger and Spring Onion Recipe

Ingredients

• 300 gchicken breast or thigh, boneless and thinly sliced
• 1 thumbginger, cut into thin strips
• 3–4spring onions, cut into 5 cm pieces, white and green parts separated
• 1/2onion, thinly sliced
• 3–4 clovesgarlic, finely chopped
• 1red chilli pepper, thinly sliced
• 2–3 tbspvegetable oil or another neutral-flavoured oil
• 2 tsplight soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 1 tspsugar
• 1/4 tspwhite pepper
• 1/2 tspbicarbonate of soda
• 1 tspcornflour
• 2 tbspoyster sauce
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce
• 1 tspShao Xing wine
• 2 tspsugar
• 1/4 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 1 tspcornflour

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate chicken

   Mix the chicken with the cornflour, sesame oil, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, 2 tsp soy sauce and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all the remaining stir-fry sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook chicken

   Heat a large wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp oil, then stir-fry the marinated chicken for 2–3 minutes, or until cooked through.

3. 3

   Fry aromatics

   Push the chicken to one side of the wok and add a little more oil. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, until the ginger starts to crisp. Add the onion, chilli and white parts of the spring onions.

4. 4

   Thicken sauce

   Pour in the prepared stir-fry sauce and cook until it thickens and looks glossy.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Turn off the heat and stir in the green parts of the spring onions. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with plain rice or noodles.

What is chicken with ginger and spring onion?

This Chinese-style dish is a quick wok stir-fry built around chicken, fresh ginger and spring onions. Ginger and spring onion are a familiar pairing in Chinese cooking, bringing a fresh, savoury aroma to the meat.

Here, the chicken is briefly marinated and cooked with garlic, onion and chilli before a soy- and oyster-sauce mixture coats everything. Keeping the spring onion greens until the end helps preserve their freshness.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 289 calories, 35g protein, 18g carbs, 8g fat.

The chicken provides most of the protein, while the sugar, cornflour and any rice or noodles served alongside contribute carbohydrates. The vegetable and sesame oils account for much of the fat. Serve it with a moderate portion of rice or noodles and add extra vegetables to balance the plate.

The chicken marinade

Tenderising mix: the bicarbonate of soda, cornflour and sesame oil coat the thin chicken slices, while soy sauce, sugar and white pepper season them. Give the chicken the full 15 minutes to marinate as directed.

Even slices: cut the chicken to a similar thickness so the pieces cook at roughly the same rate. The method allows for breast or thigh meat.

Build the sauce

Sauce ingredients: oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shao Xing wine, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil and cornflour create the savoury, seasoned coating. Mix them together in a bowl before cooking so the sauce is ready to pour in.

Glossy finish: cook the sauce with the chicken and vegetables until it thickens. Stir as needed so it coats the ingredients rather than settling in the pan.

Cook the aromatics in stages

Ginger and garlic: after the chicken has cooked, move it aside and fry the aromatics for 1 minute. Watch the ginger and garlic closely so they become fragrant without burning.

Spring onions: add the white sections with the sliced onion and chilli, then save the green sections for the end. This follows the recipe's approach of cooking the firmer pieces and keeping the greens fresher.

Check the chicken and sauce

Chicken: stir-fry for the stated 2–3 minutes and check that the slices are cooked through before proceeding. Thin, evenly cut pieces help make the timing more consistent.

Sauce: look for a thickened, glossy coating. If it still looks thin, continue cooking briefly, stirring so the sauce and chicken heat evenly.

Serve with rice or noodles

Plain rice or noodles make a straightforward base for the savoury sauce and complete the meal. Serve the stir-fry soon after cooking, while the chicken is hot and the spring onion greens are fresh.

Recipe notes & tips

• Prepare and separate the spring onion whites and greens before heating the wok.
• Mix the sauce ingredients thoroughly so the cornflour is distributed before it goes into the pan.
• Use a large wok or pan so the chicken can be stir-fried rather than crowded.
• Keep the garlic and ginger moving as they fry, since they can catch quickly over high heat.
• Have the rice or noodles ready to serve when the stir-fry is finished.

Variations

• Adjust the chilli: use less for a milder stir-fry or add more for extra heat.
• Choose chicken thigh: use boneless thigh in place of breast for a different texture.
• Add vegetables: stir-fry sliced vegetables with the onion and spring onion whites.
• Change the base: serve with plain rice or noodles, as suggested in the recipe.
• Use a neutral oil: choose another neutral-flavoured cooking oil if needed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the marinade: allow the chicken to sit for the stated 15 minutes so the seasoning has time to coat it.
• Crowding the wok: cook in a suitably large pan so the chicken can stir-fry properly.
• Burning the aromatics: stir the ginger and garlic for about 1 minute and watch them closely.
• Adding the greens too early: stir in the green spring onion sections only after turning off the heat.
• Pouring in an unmixed sauce: combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl before adding them to the wok.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Reheat until piping hot, stirring so the chicken and sauce warm evenly; the spring onions will be softer after storage.

Frequently asked questions