I always have ground chicken in my freezer so I wanted to try making Mapo Tofu With Chicken. This recipe is more or less identical to the original version but with chicken instead. There are a lot of small techniques that add up to the final dish, so make sure you follow closely.
Can't get enough of Sichuan Recipes? Try my Chinese Eggplant In Garlic Sauce next!
🥡 About This Recipe
Mapo Tofu is a very special dish to me. Not only did I grow up eating it, but it is one of the quintessential dishes of my Sichaunese heritage. When many people think of Sichuan food, this is the first dish that comes to mind.
There are a few key techniques which I think are most important for replicating this dish at home. The first is frying the chili bean sauce in oil for a few minutes to really bring out its flavor. You need to do this on low heat otherwise it will cause a lot of oil splatter to clean up.
The second technique is to grind your own Sichuan peppercorns. I use a mortar and pestle for this as I find it releases much more flavor than a spice grinder. I use a pounding and stirring motion to get the pieces as small as possible.
👨🍳 What Tofu To Use?
When I am making this dish for others, I usually use firm or extra-firm tofu because it holds its shape better and does not crumble during cooking.
However, if I am making this for myself, I use soft tofu because I much prefer the texture of soft tofu over firm tofu. The main problem with soft tofu is that it is very delicate so it usually crumbles into smaller pieces in the sauce. If you do not care about presentation then it is a good option. That is why I only do this when I make it for myself.
🧂 Ingredients
- Ground chicken: I am using ground chicken that I ground myself using whole chicken legs.
- Tofu: I am using firm tofu today.
- Chili bean sauce: This is also known as doubanjiang. It is a spicy bean paste with a very savory flavor. I am using the Lee Kum Kee brand today. There are many options at the grocery store, but I almost always use Lee Kum Kee because it is a good bang for your buck.
- Dried chili peppers: You can buy these in most Asian markets. I recommend removing the seeds, but if you want the dish to be more spicy, you can include them.
- Sichuan pepper: I am grinding my own using a mortar and pestle.
- Aromatics: Ginger, garlic, and scallions. You want to mince and slice them as small as possible to release the most flavor.
- Chicken stock: I am combining chicken bouillon powder with water.
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
- Cornstarch for thinking.
- Oil for frying: Use neutral-flavored oil, like canola, vegetable, corn, or soybean.
🔪 Instructions
STEP 1: Heat your wok on medium-low heat. Add the oil and swirl it around the wok. Add the doubanjiang and cook for 3 minutes until the oil is red and fragrant. If the oil starts splattering, reduce the heat.
STEP 2: Increase the heat to medium and add the ginger, garlic, scallion whites, dried peppers, and ground Sichuan pepper. Fry for 2 minutes.
STEP 3: Increase the heat to high and add the ground chicken. Use your spatula to break up the meat into small pieces. Cook for 2 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
STEP 4: Add the chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
STEP 5: Add the tofu cubes and simmer for 2 minutes.
STEP 6: Make a cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Pour the slurry around the edges of the sauce and gently mix to thicken. Add the sliced scallion greens, and serve immediately.
📋 Recipe
Mapo Tofu with Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (chili bean sauce)
- 3 tablespoons ginger (minced)
- 3 tablespoons garlic (minced)
- 1 scallion (sliced, green and white parts separated)
- 8 Chinese dried chili peppers (snipped in half, and seeds removed)
- 1 tablespoon ground Sichuan pepper
- 8 ounces ground chicken
- 1 cup chicken stock (or water)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 pound medium-firm tofu (cut into ¾-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat your wok on medium-low heat. Add the oil and swirl it around the wok. Add the doubanjiang and cook for 3 minutes until the oil is red and fragrant. If the oil starts splattering, reduce the heat.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the ginger, garlic, scallion whites, dried peppers, and ground Sichuan pepper. Fry for 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the ground chicken. Use your spatula to break up the meat into small pieces. Cook for 2 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the tofu cubes and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Pour the slurry around the edges of the sauce and gently mix to thicken. Add the sliced scallion greens, and serve immediately.
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