Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Steamed Chicken Thighs with Black Bean Sauce
豉汁蒸雞腿肉
Recipe overview
Garlic and fermented black beans give savoury depth while steamed chicken thigh stays tender and juicy, making an easy home dish with little stove attention.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g boneless chicken thigh (boneless thigh, cut into 4 cm pieces)
- 2 tbsp fermented black beans (briefly rinsed and chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 15 g ginger (minced)
- 1 stalk spring onion (chopped)
Marinade
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp water
02
Tools
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- chopsticks
- steamer
- steaming rack
- heatproof shallow dish
- food thermometer
- oven mitts
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare the steamer
Add water below the steaming rack, cover and bring to a steady steam.
Step 2
Check and cut the chicken
Thaw chicken in the refrigerator, check smell and colour, trim excess fat and cut into about 4 cm pieces using separate raw-meat tools.
Step 3
Rinse and chop the black beans
Rinse the fermented black beans briefly to remove excess surface salt, drain thoroughly and chop roughly.
Step 4
Mince garlic and ginger
Mince the garlic and ginger separately, then combine them with the chopped fermented black beans.
Step 5
Chop the spring onion
Wash and dry the spring onion, chop it and reserve in a clean small bowl for garnish.
Step 6
Mix the black bean marinade
Mix the black bean, garlic and ginger with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, sugar, cooking oil and water until smooth.
Step 7
Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes
Coat chicken with about two-thirds of the black bean marinade, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes; reserve the remainder.
Step 8
Arrange the chicken
Arrange chicken loosely in one layer in a heatproof shallow dish, skin side up, without thick overlaps.
Step 9
Spoon over remaining sauce
Spoon the remaining black bean garlic sauce evenly over every chicken piece instead of leaving it in one mound.
Step 10
Steam for 16 to 18 minutes
Place the dish over steadily boiling water, cover and steam on high for 16 to 18 minutes without repeatedly lifting the lid.
Step 11
Check chicken doneness
Probe the thickest chicken piece; remove only at 75°C with no pink meat or bloody juices.
Step 12
Garnish and serve
Remove with oven mitts, scatter over spring onion, rest for 2 minutes and serve hot with the black bean juices.
Common mistakes
- Unrinsed black beans or excessive soy sauce makes the dish too salty.
- Thickly stacked chicken can remain undercooked in the centre.
Tips
Rinse black beans briefly; long soaking removes their aroma.
A single loose layer helps chicken cook evenly.
