Mangetout: Chinese Chicken With Snow Peas

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Updated on 06/27/23
Chicken, snow peas, and broccoli in a steel dish with a gray napkin under it and wooden chopsticks on top of the napkin. Small bowl of rice in the background all on top a dark wood table.

rudisill / Getty Images

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 7 mins
Total: 37 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings

Crunchy snow peas, also called mangetout in China, are an essential part of Chinese cuisine. In this recipe, they combine nicely with tender, delicately marinated, chicken to make an easy stir-fry packed with Chinese flavors. This is sure to be a hit.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 chicken meat (boneless, skinless chicken breasts are good)
  • 1 cup snow peas (mangetout)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (as desired)
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut oil (or vegetable oil, canola is good)
  • For the Marinade:
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • For the Sauce:
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cut the chicken meat into large cubes. Add the marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 20 to 30 minutes.

  3. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce and ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients, whisking in the cornstarch. String the snow peas, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

  4. Heat the wok and add 1 1/2 cups oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken cubes. Blanch in the hot oil for about 30 seconds, using a spatula or long cooking chopsticks to separate the chicken cubes. Remove the chicken cubes and drain.

  5. Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the salt. Add the snow peas. Stir-fry until the snow peas turn bright green (about 2 minutes).

  6. Add the chicken back into the pan. Give the sauce a quick re-stir and add in the middle of the wok, stirring quickly to thicken.

  7. When the sauce thickens, mix everything together. Heat through and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
988 Calories
97g Fat
5g Carbs
26g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 988
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 97g 124%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 713mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 26g
Calcium 29mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)