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Introducing this sticky, richly-flavoured Shanghai chicken with rice. It’s quick and tasty – ready and on the table in only 15 minutes, making it just perfect for a mid-week meal.
I’m going to be honest with you. I always feel like a bit of a fraud when I post Asian recipes, because, let’s face it, I’m not exactly an Asian recipe expert.
Unlike my beautiful friends Maggie from Omnivore’s Cookbook, Kathleen from Hapanom and Nagi from Recipe Tin Eats (you’ve just got to check these girls out – the word ‘talented’ just doesn’t cover it).
But however much of an amateur I feel, I can’t help myself – I keep on posting my Asian recipe hacks. I would never for a moment claim them to be even remotely authentic, but what I will say is that they’re always tasty and they’re nearly always quick. And that’s enough for me to feel enough confidence to post them! 🙂
So now that we’ve got that out of the way, I’m going to rave on about this 15-minute Shanghai chicken until I’ve got you racing into your kitchen to give it a go. Really, I should have called it ‘Shanghai-style chicken’ rather than just ‘Shanghai chicken’, but hey, let’s not complicate things!
How to make Shanghai chicken
The first great thing about this is that there are relatively few ingredients in it. It isn’t one of those recipes with only 5 or 6 ingredients, but there aren’t too many more. Really, all there is to it is to fry some chicken chunks with ginger, salad onions, Chinese 5-spice powder (LOVE that!), garlic and chili. Then you simply add rice wine, soy sauce, brown sugar and a few drizzles of water.
Let everything bubble away for a few minutes, and in hardly any time at all you’ve got a delicious pan of dark, sticky, and super flavourful chicken.
This simple chicken isn’t super, super saucy (which I always worry about as Mr. Scrummy is such a sauce addict!), but you really don’t need too much sauce as it’s so rich and packed full of flavour.
How to serve Shanghai chicken
We found that the perfect way to eat this amazing 15-minute Shanghai-style chicken was with a pile of plain rice to get coated with all the lovely rich glaze. I also served ours with a nice pile of crispy roasted broccoli (mmm – addicted to that lately) and a few shreds of the green leafy part of the salad onions.
I’d say this is a pretty perfect quick mid-week meal. Something a little bit different. If you happen to be from Shanghai you’re probably giggling your head off at me right now. Hahahaha … Shanghai chicken…
But hey, who cares if it isn’t totally ‘authentic’? Not me! 😉
Fan of crispy chicken too? You have to try this better-than-a-takeaway super crispy chicken katsu and easy chicken katsu curry. Delicious!
More 15 minute meals
15 minute skillet chicken with pesto parmesan sauce
15 minute Thai basil pork stir-fry
15 minute sticky sesame chicken
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15-minute Shanghai chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil (sesame or vegetable)
- 1 pound chicken thighs bone in, skin off and chopped into small (about 2cm) pieces (3 to 4 thighs)
- 1 piece ginger peeled and chopped finely or grated (a thumb-width piece)
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 bunch scallions salad onions / spring onions (UK), washed and chopped (reserve the green tops)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- 1 red chili finely chopped
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a frying pan, then stir-fry the chicken for a few minutes until white and mostly cooked.
- Add the ginger, garlic, salad/spring onions, Chinese 5-spice powder and half the chili and stir-fry for another few minutes until fragrant.
- Finally, add the rice wine, soy sauce, brown sugar and water, then let bubble for about another 5 or 6 minutes or until dark and sticky. Stir every now and again.
- Serve with rice and roasted broccoli (or another vegetable of your choice) and garnish with thin strips of the reserved green parts of the salad/spring onions.
Daz says
HI Helen Thanks for excellent fast recipe. I like the time it takes to prepare. It doesn’t help to be so busy, when you like food. I wouldn’t worry about the comments from the purist about velveting the chicken. A totally unnecessary step in my opinion. If you’re such a fussy chef, add 10 min to the cooking time by double dredging the chicken in cornflour or flour, or tapioca. This will produce an even better result.
I give it 4 out of 5. Thanks for your effort. Your recipe is as good as your photograph
Daz
Helen says
Hi Daz, and thanks so much for your review of this recipe, and also the handy tip on taking it from really good to amazing! It might try that some time just to see how much of a difference it makes. Thanks again for the compliments and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Chris Glenn says
Woops, I knew I forgot something I was going to add:
I’ve already modified your recipe without trying it! I copied it and added ingredients and directions for VELVETING the chicken from this recipe: 🙂
JIYOU JUN CHAO JI (CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH CHANTERELLES)
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Jiyou-Jun-Chao-Ji-Chicken-Stir-Fry-with-Chanterelles
JULY 10, 2011
&
and this article with give you the rationale why “people” should consider the extra time, ingredients and effort to “velvet” their meat.
Chris
Helen says
Wow, Chris – thanks for the tip. I’ll check that out!
Chris Glenn says
Nagi, Denise & Maggie came the closest to my philosophy! Life’s way to short to eat anything you don’t like! Why would anyone cook a dish with end results that they don’t find appealing? It amazing to me, how many people get really nasty some times in the comments section because people are sharing their innovations to a recipe and making changes! It it wasn’t for that kind of genius, we’d all be eating porridge and raw meat! Anyway, as far as I’m concerned “Authenticity” is in the eye of the beholder/eater! How boring life would be if we weren’t all different! Now climbing off my soapbox! 🙂
Chris
Helen says
You can get on your soapbox any time you like, Chris!
I totally agree. I must admit I wondered whether this was too simple to post, but often it’s ideas I’m looking for – with amounts/timings etc as well, obviously. I’m really happy you like this!
Nancy | Plus Ate Six says
If anyone’s a Chinese fraud it’s me living in Shanghai and never cooking Chinese food 🙂 Jeez, I have no excuse now do I! This looks absolutely delicious.
Helen says
Ha… that’s hilarious. You’re right, Nancy – I don’t feel like a fraud at all now! Tee hee! 🙂
Maggie says
This is such a fast and scrumptious dish that I don’t mind to cook for lunch! Nice job Helen! I LOVE the thick glaze on the chicken 🙂 Pinning and sharing!
Thanks for mentioning my name. But never ever be afraid of trying and talking about Chinese food! Recipe is meant to be sharing and I believe everyone has their own stories behind the dish to make it unique 🙂
Helen says
Aw, thank you for your sweet words, Maggie! I agree – I believe there’s a place for every type of food, and we all have something special to share. But I still REALLY look up to you – your Chinese recipes are a legend!
Denise @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Haha I TOTALLY feel like that when I post recipes from around the world…like the other day I posted an Ethiopian recipe, and I’ve only ever eaten take-out, so I’m certainly not an expert. But I know what I like and what tastes good, and you do too, so I 100% need to try this recipe out. Especially if it is ready in 15 minutes!!
Helen says
Thanks for the endorsement, Denise! I thought your Ethiopian recipe looked amazing, but I totally know what you mean. 🙂
marcie says
You don’t have to be an expert to make Asian food! You’ve got the flavors down and this being 15 minutes is almost too good be true. This chicken looks amazing, Helen!
Helen says
Hi Marcie! Thanks so much for the encouragement. I must admit this was tasty – seriously, who cares if I’m a big fat Asian food fraudster … lol!
mira says
This looks amazing! I’ll definitely try it! I feel the same way, when posting Asian recipes, because I do them my own way, which is not the traditional one 🙂
Helen says
Yay, then we can be Asian food frauds together, Mira! 🙂
[email protected] says
Oh come on, you can’t be serious! You know Asian just as well as Kathleen and me – I have to hand it to Maggie, she is on another level when it comes to Chinese food. 🙂 So stop the nonsense, never feel like a fraud, jeez!! If that was the case, I’ve been repeatedly guilt of being a fraud with all the GREEK recipes I’ve shared on my site!
Sharing, I love love love this, totally my kind of midweek meal. 🙂 Plus I haven’t tried the sauce before, it’s slightly different to many I make, but I always love finding new combos!
Helen says
Hahaha … OK, I see your point! For what it’s worth, I’m a fraud when I post Greek too!
Thanks so much for sharing. I must say, I was particularly happy with this fraudulent attempt of a meal!! 😉
Bam's Kitchen says
Loving the savoury, sweet and 5 spiced powder combo. I will need to throw a couple of chilis in there for my boys as you know how they love everything spicy. I am all about 15 minutes meals as life is just plain busy. Pinning!
Helen says
Thank you so much for pinning, Bam. And of course, go ahead and throw in more chilis … why not?!
Cailee says
YUM! This recipe is on point! Looks delicious… and only 15 minutes?? YES please! Also, I love how balanced your meal is! So lovely!
Helen says
Hi Cailee! Thank you so much for the lovely comment. I guess the meal is fairly balanced with all that green broccoli. 🙂
Marissa says
This looks fantastic, Helen! And I’m b,own away that it can be made in 15 minutes… You’ve mentioned some of my fav bloggers and I’d add you to that list as well…xo
Helen says
Aw, thank you so much, Marissa! I’m blushing right now of course. Really happy you like this so much. I’m all about the 15 min meals, too 🙂
Eva says
Helen, peut être tu n’est pas une experte en cuisine asiatique mais je peut te dire que ton plat est incroyable et qu’il ressemble beaucoup a une recette de Shanghai ! J’adore ta recette et il me paraît incroyable de la réaliser dans seulement 15 minutes !! Bon weekend!
Helen says
Merci, Eva. Bon weekend a toi aussi! 🙂
[email protected] says
I don’t dabble in Asian cooking myself for the blog, but I might have to make this for my husband and I. Very nice job.
Helen says
Thank you so much, Janette … I take that as a huge compliment!
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
This is fantastic! I’m in love your flavor combinations and the fact that you can make this in just 15 minutes – oh h*ll yeah! Beautifully done! Authentic recipes are certainly wonderful, but making them modern has absolutely earned its place as well. Heck, I may make Asian food, but hardly any of it is truly authentic 😉 This is a wonderful recipe, Helen! Sharing, of course!
Helen says
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Kathleen! Your recipes may not be truly authentic either, but you’re still one of my Asian recipe gurus!! 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I don’t think you need to be an expert to post an Asian recipe, and this just proves it. It looks delicious and like something you would get in a restaurant.
Helen says
Hi Dannii! Thanks so much for the encouragement … wow, I feel very flattered that you think this is like something you’d find in a restaurant (blush blush) 🙂
Dini @ The Flavor Bender says
This is AMAZING!! I am definitely running to the kitchen to eat this! 😀 My kind of stir fry and I know my husband is going to love it too… I probably might eat this all week next week! hahaha! Pinned
Helen says
Hi Dini! I knew I’d get you runnin’ into that kitchen … hahaha! I really hope you give this a go some time and that the hubs does enjoy it 🙂