This is my version of the Chinese Jalapeno Chicken served at Chinese buffets. I decided to debone chicken legs for the meat, but you can use whatever chicken you want. The chicken came out very juicy, and it was overall super easy to make.

This is another classic buffet dish that I grew up eating. It's basically a chicken, jalapeno, and onion stir-fry with soy sauce and oyster sauce as the main seasonings.

My mom used to make a version of this, but she would use 10x the amount of jalapenos as restaurants. It was tasty, but it was too spicy for me. Today, I'm using fewer jalapenos, two to be exact. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you like it.

How to velvet the chicken

My favorite part of this dish is that each piece of chicken has a thin layer of coating around it. The coating results from "velveting" the chicken, which is a Chinese technique for making meat more tender.

Essentially, you just mix chicken with a wet marinade then add cornstarch to thicken it. The marinade will cling to the chicken and form a barrier during frying. This barrier helps the sauce stick to the chicken and also prevents it from overcooking.

After marinating the chicken, all you have to do is fry the chicken. Restaurants usually deep-fry for this step, but I prefer to pan-fry at home.

First, add some oil to a hot wok. Spread the chicken in a single layer. Do not touch the chicken for one minute. This will allow a crust to form underneath the chicken, which prevents it from sticking when you flip it. After one minute, flip the chicken then cook for another 1 minute. Break apart the pieces of chicken then remove them to a plate.

The rest of the stir-fry

In the same wok, add some more oil. Add the garlic, onions, and jalapenos, and cook for a few minutes until softened. The jalapenos should change to a more olive-green color.

onions, garlic, and jalapenos being cooked in wok.

Add back the chicken and give everything a good toss. Then add the sauces and stir well. After one minute, everything should be done. Enjoy!

chicken and sauces being tossed with rest of stir-fry.

Chinese Jalapeno Chicken (Buffet Style)

This is the spicy chicken dish that you see at a lot of Chinese buffets. You can play with the number of jalapenos to suit your own taste. A big bowl of rice goes amazing with this.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Marinating Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

12 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablepoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Stir fry

3 tablespoons oil (divided)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion (cut into squares)
2 jalapenos (sliced)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken marinade ingredients. Use your hands to massage the meat for 20 seconds. Transfer to the fridge and let it marinate for at least one hour. You can marinate it for up to 48 hours, but if you decide to go this route, make sure to cover the bowl in plastic wrap.
In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. This makes it easier to add it all at once later.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Spread the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without touching. Flip the chicken and cook for another 1 minute. Use a spatula to break up the pieces of chicken then cook for another 30 seconds until it is about 90% done (we will cook it again later). Remove to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 30 seconds. Add the jalapenos and cook for another two minutes. Add back the chicken and toss everything together.
Finally, add the sauce mixture and mix everything together. Cook for about 1 minute then transfer to a serving dish. Enjoy!