Chicken with Almonds and Peppers, or 杏仁雞丁, is a take on the Restaurant classic, but combining Bell Peppers with the Almonds and diced Chicken.
Almond Guy Ding dishes( 杏仁雞丁 ) have long been ubiquitous on the menus of Chinese restaurants catering to Western tastes. Often the dish is listed as ‘Chicken Almond Guy Ding’, which is a bit of a redundancy as the ‘Guy Ding’ is Cantonese for ‘Diced Chicken’. There are plenty of variations, of course, and, beyond the requisite Chicken and Almonds, a vegetable. or vegetables. Will usually be included. Here, Red and Green Bell Peppers are used, and everything is finished in a sauce that is sweet and rich with Hoisin Sauce.
How to make 杏仁雞丁
First, toss the chicken cubes with the soy sauce and oil and leave to sit for at least twenty minutes.
Cut the peppers into small, irregular chunks roughly the same size as the chicken pieces. You could blanch the Green Peppers for a really pretty visual appeal if you like, but they are only going to be stir-fried for a very brief time so I have not bothered here.
Complete the preparation by mixing the Hoisin Sauce, sugar and vinegar together in a small bowl. If the Hoisin is very thick, add a few tablespoons of very hot water to make a smooth blend.
When you are ready to cook, deep fry the chicken cubes at moderately high heat for a minute or two until they are nicely done on the outside but still tender in the center. You can do this in a proper deep-fryer, or in a pan with a cup or two of oil. In the latter case, it is best to work in a couple of batches so as not to lower the temperature of the oil too much.
Now, toast the almonds in a dry pan over high heat just until a few brown spots appear. Remove them from the heat at this point as they will continue to cook from the residual het and it is very easy to burn them if you are not careful.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in you pan over a good high heat and saute the peppers, beginning with the red ones. When they are just beginning to soften, add in the green pieces and cook for a minute or so longer, tossing frequently. Don’t cook the Peppers for too long as you want to preserve color and end up with a nice crisp-tender texture.
Finally, add back the chicken and the almonds followed by the sauce mix. Stir and toss for another minute to heat everything through and allow the sauce to reduce slightly. Plate and serve your Chicken with Almonds and Peppers right away.
Your Recipe Card for 杏仁雞丁 :
Chicken with Almonds and Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 small Chicken Breasts cut into 2cm dice;
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper;
- 1 small Green Bell Pepper;
- ½ cup blanched whole Almonds;
- 1 tsp. Soy;
- 1 tsp. Oil;
- 3 tbsp. Hoisin Sauce;
- 1 tbsp. Sugar;
- 2 tbsp. Vinegar.
Instructions
- Marinated the Chicken in the Soy Sauce and Oil for at least 20 minutes.
- Cut the Peppers into small chunks roughly the same size as the Chicken pieces.
- Prepare the Sauce mixture by combining the Hoisin Sauce, Sugar and Vinegar together in a small bowl along with enough hot water to make a smooth blend.
- Quickly deep-fry the chicken cubes in medium hot oil until just cooked on the outside but tender inside. Drain and set aside.
- Briefly toast the Almonds in a dry pan and remove as soon as brown spots start to appear.
- Stir-fry the Red Bell Pepper in a little oil over high heat until just beginning to soften, the add the Green Bell Pepper and stir-fry for another half-minute.
- Add in the Chicken and the Almonds followed by the Sauce Mix. Stir and toss for a minute or so until the Chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly.
- Serve Immediately.