Hoisin chicken

With vegetables

If you enjoy quick, flavorful stir-fries, this recipe is right up your alley.

After our popular beef strips with vegetables in hoisin sauce, we now have a new favorite: hoisin chicken with vegetables. Just as full of flavor and just as easy, but a little different. Think tender pieces of chicken, crisp vegetables, and a sauce that is sweet, savory, and packed with umami. It is a bit like cashew chicken, but here the hoisin sauce is what brings everything together.

This sauce, dark, thick, and bold in flavor, is a staple in Chinese cooking and often used in stir-fries. When combined with garlic, ginger, and a little soy sauce, it creates its distinctive flavor in a simple dish like this.

What is hoisin sauce?

Hoisin sauce is a dark brown sauce made from fermented soybeans, combined with spices, garlic, vinegar, and sometimes a little sugar. The flavor is rich, slightly sweet, and faintly smoky. Although the word “hoisin” literally means “seafood sauce” in Cantonese, it does not contain any fish. Unlike oyster sauce, which we use here as a marinade.

We like using hoisin sauce in stir-fries because it quickly adds body to a sauce. It caramelizes slightly in the pan and gives vegetables and chicken a deep flavor without making the dish too heavy. Add a little ginger and garlic, and everything comes together even better.

Marinating and stir-frying

We briefly marinate the chicken in a mixture of oyster sauce and soy sauce, which already gives it a great base. Then we stir-fry the chicken, followed by the vegetables. We chose bell pepper, mushrooms, and green onions. This combination is colorful, cooks quickly, and stays pleasantly crisp. Feel free to make it your own, though. Bok choy, broccoli, or snow peas also work very well here.

At the very end, we add finely chopped garlic and freshly grated ginger. Let it cook briefly, then add the hoisin sauce. You’ll immediately notice the wonderful aroma as it hits the pan. Toss everything a few times and it’s ready.

What to serve with it

We usually serve this hoisin chicken with white rice. It absorbs the sauce well without overpowering the flavors. Noodles also work perfectly, such as udon or egg noodles. Just cook the noodles briefly and toss them in the pan at the end so everything blends together nicely.

For a little extra crunch, we sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. And if you like cashews, roughly chop a handful and add them at the end. A few extra slices of green onion for freshness, and your plate is ready to serve.

Easy, quick, and full of flavor

This dish comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight when you still want something really tasty. The best part is that you can easily vary the vegetables depending on what you have on hand. In short, this hoisin chicken with vegetables is one of those recipes that quickly becomes a regular in your kitchen. Simple, flavorful, and always a success.

Print