Chinese Walnut Chicken

5 from 1 vote

This Chinese Walnut Chicken was one of my go to recipes back when I lived in Beijing. It's quick, tasty, easy, and a good way to use up some leftover chicken thighs. Pair it with some white rice and marinated cucumber for a wholesome Chinese meal.

Course Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine Asian, Beijing Chinese, Chinese

Keyword Authentic Chinese Food, Chinese Walnut Chicken, Stir Fry

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Walnuts Time 5 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Servings people

Calories 992kcal

Cost $5

Equipment

pan or wok

Ingredients

2 Chicken Thighs Chopped into bite size pieces
1 cup Walnuts toasted optional
200 grams Mushrooms white button, quartered
100 grams Sugar (1/2 cup )white, granulated
2 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Chinese Rice Wine I used MiJiu which is sweetened, but you can use any style you prefer
1 tsp Potato Starch
75 grams Peas (1/2 cup) can be canned, frozen, or fresh
1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce to taste.
1 tsp Sesame Oil optional
1 tbsp Neutral Oil like soybean, sunflower, canola, etc

Instructions

In a saucepan on medium high heat add the sugar and allow to melt. You don't need to touch it. Once it is just melted add in all the walnuts and stir/toss the pan around so all the walnuts are coated. Pour the contents in one layer onto a sheet of parchment paper and let cool.
In a bowl add the chicken pieces along with the soy sauces, rice wine, and potato starch. Mix everything up and let sit while you cook the mushrooms.
Back in the pan add the oil and put the heat on medium high. When hot add in the quartered mushrooms and let cook. It's hard to overcook mushrooms so you don't need to worry with the pan too much. I let them brown on the edges and toss the pan every minute or so. After the mushrooms are sufficiently browned add the bowl of chicken and marinade.
As soon as you add the chicken and marinade to the pan start stirring/tossing the pan. The chicken will only take 2-3 minutes to cook. While the chicken is cooking you can break up the walnuts.
Take the parchment paper with the walnuts on it and roll it up into a ball. Smack the ball on the countertop a few times to break up the walnuts fused together with the sugar. Add the walnuts to the pan.
Toss the pan around now with the walnuts, just to soften the hard or sharp sugar. I cook this for about a minute and then add the peas. Toss with the peas quickly, add the hoisin and sesame oil and turn off the heat. Give the pan one more good stir and then plate the dish.

Notes

This dish makes great leftovers, just microwave and you're good to go. I do recommend that you double or triple the batch of candied walnuts so you have some for other recipes like in salads or desserts.

Nutrition