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Chicken Black Pepper with Egg Fried Rice (Restaurant-Style Chinese Platter at Home)
Fozia Siraj

Chicken Black Pepper with Egg Fried Rice (Chinese Platter)

Soft, velvety chicken in a glossy black pepper sauce, served with egg fried rice, crispy fried rice noodles and a creamy salad. A complete restaurant-style Chinese platter made at home.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Marinating & Cooling Rice 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Pakistani Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Marinade
  • 500 g boneless chicken breast cut into bite-size cubes
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Black Pepper Sauce
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce for colour, optional
  • 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns freshly crushed, or to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 cup chicken stock or water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp water
  • 3 spring onions green parts sliced
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds toasted
Egg Fried Rice
  • 2 cups basmati rice boiled with salt and cooled completely (see notes)
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 small carrot finely diced
  • 3 spring onions chopped
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
Crispy Noodles
  • 50 g thin rice vermicelli (rice sticks)
  • 2 cups oil for deep frying
Salad and Dressing
  • 2 cups iceberg lettuce shredded
  • 1/2 cup red cabbage finely shredded
  • 1 small carrot cut into thin matchsticks
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp chilli garlic sauce
  • 1 pinch black pepper

Equipment

  • Wok or large frying pan
  • Small pot for deep frying
  • Mixing Bowls

Method
 

Prepare ahead
  1. Boil the rice in salted water until just cooked, drain and spread on a tray to cool completely. Cold, dry rice is the key to fried rice that does not turn sticky.
  2. Mix the chicken with all the marinade ingredients and rest for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the chicken black pepper
  1. Heat oil in a wok on high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes until it turns white and lightly golden. Take it out of the wok.
  2. In the same wok, fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, crushed black pepper, sugar and vinegar. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
  4. Stir the cornflour slurry and pour it in slowly while stirring. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce turns thick and glossy.
  5. Return the chicken to the wok, toss to coat and simmer for 2 minutes. Finish with spring onion greens and sesame seeds. Taste and add more pepper if you like it sharper.
Make the egg fried rice
  1. Heat oil in a clean wok. Scramble the eggs until just set and push them to one side.
  2. Add garlic and carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute.
  3. Add the cold rice, salt, white pepper and vinegar. Toss on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up any lumps, until every grain is hot. Mix in the spring onions.
Fry the crispy noodles
  1. Heat oil in a small pot until very hot. Test with one strand: it should puff up instantly.
  2. Add small handfuls of rice vermicelli. They puff up in 2 to 3 seconds, so lift them out straight away and drain on paper towels.
Make the salad and plate up
  1. Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, chilli garlic sauce and black pepper into a smooth dressing.
  2. On a large platter, arrange the fried rice, the chicken black pepper, the lettuce and cabbage salad with dressing on top, and a pile of crispy noodles. Garnish the rice with carrot matchsticks and serve hot.

Notes

Cold rice matters: boil the rice a few hours ahead or the night before. Freshly cooked rice turns mushy in the wok.
Soft chicken every time: the egg white and cornflour coating (velveting) keeps the chicken juicy, just like restaurants.
Pepper: crush whole peppercorns just before cooking. Ready-made pepper powder does not give the same sharp aroma.
Shortcut: no rice vermicelli? Skip the crispy noodles, or serve with prawn crackers instead.