Fried Chicken with Bean Shoots is one of those recipes I make whenever my husband announces, mid-afternoon, that he wants something “Chinese tonight.” I used to find that request stressful, but this one has become my go-to answer for it. The poultry marinade is the part that made me fall for this dish early on. Once you have that jar in the fridge, the actual cooking moves quickly and without much fuss.
I always chill the chicken before slicing it into shreds because cold chicken cuts cleanly with a sharp knife, and you get even pieces that cook in the same time. There is something specific about the moment the sauce hits the hot wok and begins to thicken around the bean shoots — the smell of sesame and sherry going from sharp to mellow. That is the moment I know it is working.
About the Recipe
Most of the ingredients here — chicken, bean shoots, cornflour, egg whites, soya sauce — are standard pantry or fridge staples you can find at any large supermarket or local market. The only thing worth tracking down beforehand is sherry, which some Indian stores stock, and sesame oil, available at most Chinese or gourmet grocery shops. From marinating to plate, the whole thing takes about 45 to 50 minutes. I tend to make this on Friday evenings when I want something satisfying but do not want to spend an hour and a half at the stove.
Why you will love this recipe
The marinade is what keeps me coming back. Soya sauce, sherry, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic mixed together give the chicken a deep, savoury base that plain stir-fried chicken just does not have.
Because the chicken marinates twice — once in the poultry marinade, then again in the egg white and cornflour mixture — it develops a light, slightly crisped coating after frying, which holds up even after the sauce is added. The bean shoots cook for just a couple of minutes, so they stay firm and give each bite a contrast in texture against the softer chicken.
The sauce itself is minimal: chicken stock, a little sherry, cornflour, and seasoning. Nothing fancy, but it pulls everything together without overpowering the other flavours.
Cooking Tips
The single most common beginner mistake here is frying the chicken on oil that is not hot enough. If the oil is merely warm when the chicken goes in, it absorbs too much oil and turns greasy rather than lightly crisped. Get the oil properly hot first, then lower the heat just before adding the chicken — that way the outside seals quickly. A second thing worth watching: do not stir-fry the bean shoots for too long.
More than two to three minutes and they go limp. They should still have some bite when the chicken and sauce go in.
Top Tips
- Make the poultry marinade a day ahead and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge — it keeps well and cuts your prep time considerably on the day you cook.
- Chill the chicken in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing — it firms up and shreds much more cleanly than chicken at room temperature.
- Use a wide, heavy frying pan or wok for the stir-fry so the bean shoots get heat contact rather than steaming in a crowded pan.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl before you start cooking and keep it within reach — the stir-fry moves fast and you will not have time to measure out sherry mid-cook.
- If you cannot find sherry, dry white wine works as a substitute in both the marinade and the sauce, though the flavour will be slightly lighter.
- Pat the marinated chicken lightly before coating it in the egg white and cornflour mixture — excess moisture can make the coating thin and uneven.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This recipe serves three to four people comfortably as a main dish alongside steamed white rice or plain egg noodles. Total prep and cook time is around 50 minutes, including the two marinating rests. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a small splash of water or chicken stock to loosen the sauce. The bean shoots will soften on reheating, so this dish is best eaten fresh when the textures are at their best.
Similar Recipes
- Chicken and Capsicum Stir-Fry
- Honey Chilli Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Stir-Fried Prawns with Vegetables
- Chicken Manchurian
Nutrient Benefits
Bean shoots are low in calories and carry a decent amount of Vitamin C, folate, and dietary fibre for a vegetable that cooks so quickly. Chicken breast, used here as boneless shredded pieces, provides lean protein without heavy fat. Sesame oil, used in small quantities, contributes Vitamin E and healthy unsaturated fats. Because the chicken is deep-fried briefly and then stir-fried, the overall oil absorption is relatively moderate compared to heavier fried preparations.
Fried Chicken with Bean Shoots
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg Boneless Chicken
- 1/2 kg Bean Shoots
- 2 1/2 tbsp Poultry Marinade
- 3 Egg Whites
- 3 Cornflour
- 3 Red Chillies (shredded)
- Oil
- 1 Tomatoes (sliced)
- 1/2 Cucumber (sliced)
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
- 2 tsp Sherry
- 1 tsp Cornflour
- Salt as per taste
- Sugar as per taste
- Pepper as per taste
- 1/4 cup Water
For the Poultry Marinade:
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 cup Water
- 5 tbsp Sherry
- 5 tbsp Soya Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Ginger (shredded)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
- Salt as per taste
- White Pepper as per taste
Instructions
- To make the marinade, mix all the ingredients in a jar and shake well.
- Rinse the bean shoots and remove the roots and pods.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Chill the chicken and cut it into shreds.
- Mix with the marinade and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
- Beat the egg whites and mix the cornflour into them.
- Add to the chicken, mix well and leave to stand for another 15 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan.
- When the oil gets very hot, reduce heat and deep fry the chicken for a minute.
- Drain and remove.
- In about 5 tblsp of oil, stir-fry the bean shoots and chillies.
- After a couple of minutes, add the chicken and pour in the sauce.
- Reduce heat and cook till the mixture thickens.
- Garnish with sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Serve.
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Frequently Asked Questions
My chicken coating came out thin and fell off during frying — what went wrong?
This usually happens when the chicken has too much moisture on it before the egg white and cornflour are added. After the first marinade, shake off the excess liquid and pat the chicken lightly with a kitchen towel before mixing in the egg white and cornflour. Also check that the oil is genuinely hot before the chicken goes in — if it is not hot enough, the coating does not set quickly and slips off.
Can I make the poultry marinade in advance?
Yes, and it is actually better if you do. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a clean jar, seal it, and refrigerate for up to five days. Give it a good shake before using because the oil tends to separate from the water and sherry when it sits.
The bean shoots turned watery and soggy in my version — how do I prevent that?
Two things cause this. First, make sure the bean shoots are properly drained and as dry as possible after rinsing — wet shoots release water into the pan immediately. Second, stir-fry them on high heat and do not cook them for more than two minutes before adding the chicken and sauce. Overcrowding the pan also causes steaming instead of stir-frying, so use the widest pan you have.
Can I substitute the sherry with something more commonly available?
Dry white wine is the closest substitute and works well in both the marinade and the sauce. If you want to avoid alcohol entirely, use a small amount of white wine vinegar mixed with water — roughly half a teaspoon of vinegar to replace each teaspoon of sherry — though the flavour will be noticeably sharper, so use it sparingly.
The sauce did not thicken properly. What should I check?
The sauce thickens because of the cornflour in it, but cornflour needs heat and time to activate. Make sure the heat is not too high when the sauce goes in — a rapid boil can cause it to seize unevenly. If the sauce is still thin after a minute of cooking, mix half a teaspoon of cornflour with one tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl, then stir that into the pan gradually while the mixture cooks on low heat.
