This Mapo Tofu with Chicken features tofu pieces braised in a spicy and savory sauce with tender minced chicken. Traditionally, it's made with beef or pork, but this recipe tastes just as good (maybe even better). And the best part? It's ready in under 20 minutes!
Can't get enough of tofu dishes? Try my Egg Tofu with Pork next!
Ground chicken recipes are few and far between. They always seem to come in second to ground pork or beef recipes, which are far more common. But I understand it, in part because of the butchery of the animals. There are always a lot of leftover scraps from large animals like cows and pigs, and grinding them opens them up to a plethora of dishes.
However, there are occasions when we find ourselves with leftover chicken or come across discounted ground chicken at the supermarket. In these cases, we need a good recipe to use the chicken! Chicken Mapo Tofu is a tasty Chinese minced chicken recipe that is easy, flavorful, and delicious. You can also try my Chicken Gyoza!
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🥄 What is it?
Mapo Tofu with Chicken is a chicken-based version of the traditional Chinese dish Mapo Tofu, a tofu dish braised in a spicy red sauce and served with minced pork or beef. It's made the same way as traditional Mapo Tofu but with chicken. Tofu pieces are simmered in an aromatic sauce made with chili bean sauce, peppers, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns.
Mapo Tofu is the epitome of "mala," a Chinese term that means "numbing spicy." It has a heat that will make you sweat and a tingly sensation that will tickle your tongue. The broth is super flavorful and pairs best with plain rice for a balanced bite.
🧂 Ingredients
- Oil - Use neutral-flavored oil such as canola, vegetable, corn, or soybean.
- Chili bean sauce - Also known as doubanjiang, Chinese/Sichuan chili bean paste, or spicy bean sauce. See the FAQ section for more information on what this is. Also used in my Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce recipe!
- Ginger - Freshly minced for the best flavor.
- Garlic - Freshly minced for the best flavor.
- Scallion - The whites will be sautéed with ginger and garlic, while the greens will be reserved for garnishing.
- Dried Chinese peppers - These can be found in the dried or spices section of most Asian grocery stores.
- Ground Sichuan pepper - Buy whole Sichuan peppercorns and grind them yourself if possible.
- Ground Chicken - Buy it pre-grounded or grind it yourself. You can use breasts or thighs.
- Chicken stock - For Chinese recipes, I recommend using Homemade Chicken Stock or mixing Chinese Chicken bouillon powder with hot water.
- Soy sauce - Adds saltiness and umami to dishes.
- Sugar - Just a small amount to balance the savory and salty flavors.
- Tofu - Use medium-firm or any firmness you prefer. For more information on the different varieties of tofu, check out my Panko fried tofu recipe.
- Cornstarch - To thicken the sauce.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Make sauce
Heat your wok or a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the oil and swirl it around the wok. Add the chili bean sauce and cook for 3 minutes until the oil is red and fragrant.
Turn the heat to medium and add the ginger, garlic, scallion whites, dried peppers, and ground Sichuan pepper and fry for 2 minutes.
Turn up the heat to high and add the ground chicken. Break the meat up and cook for 2 minutes until it's no longer pink.
Add chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Step 2. Add tofu
Gently add the tofu and simmer for 2 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors of the seasonings.
Step 3. Add slurry & Finish
Make a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and mixing it thoroughly. Pour the slurry around the edges of the sauce and gently mix to thicken. Add the sliced scallion greens, and serve immediately.
💭 Top Tips
- Use medium-low heat when frying the chili bean sauce. We want to gently coax out the flavor without splattering sauce everywhere.
- Grind your own Sichuan peppercorns for the best flavor. You can use a spice grinder, pestle and mortar, or rolling pin. I prefer a pestle and mortar because the pounding action releases the most aromas.
- Consider adding a ¼ teaspoon of MSG or mushroom powder to add even more umami.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more chicken stock or cornstarch slurry.
👩🏻🍳 Substitutions
- Chicken - If you don't have chicken, treat this recipe like traditional Mapo Tofu and use pork or beef instead.
- Chili bean sauce (doubanjiang) - If you can't find it, you can substitute with 1 part bean paste (regular sweet bean paste, hoisin sauce, or ground bean sauce) and 1 part chili oil or chili sauce (sriracha, Sambal Oelek, etc.)
- Soy sauce - Use equal parts of either oyster sauce, tamari, or Coconut Aminos.
👨🏻🍳 Variations
- Fermented black beans - Many traditional mapo tofu recipes use fermented black beans to add additional umami and depth. Add 1 tablespoon of fermented black beans along with the chili bean sauce in Step 1.
- Vegan - Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock, add 1 tablespoon of fermented black beans along with the chili bean sauce in Step 1, and replace the chicken with 5 rehydrated shiitake mushrooms (minced).
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Before storing the leftover Mapo Tofu with Chicken, allow it to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the cooled Chicken Mapo Tofu in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: When you're ready to eat the leftover Mapo Tofu, reheat it in a saucepan along with 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat until it's piping hot. Stir every now and then to ensure even heating. Or, you can microwave it for a couple of minutes until it's heated through.
Freezing: Leftovers can be frozen in a freezer-safe, air-tight container for up to 1 month. Remember that the texture of the tofu will change as the water in the tofu expands when frozen, destroying the original structure. It will be spongier and more airy.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Medium-firm tofu is commonly used in Mapo Tofu because it holds its shape during cooking. You can use soft or silken tofu for an extremely delicate texture, but you must be very careful when cutting and cooking it. Firm tofu can also be used, but some people find the texture too firm. Ultimately, any tofu can be used, depending on personal preference.
Chili bean sauce, also known as Doubanjiang, Chinese/Sichuan chili bean paste, or spicy bean sauce, is a salty, thick paste made primarily of fermented broad beans and hot red chili peppers. It also contains wheat flour, salt, and, on occasion, a small amount of soybeans. It's an essential ingredient in Sichuanese-style cooking.
Layering flavors and extracting flavors from aromatics are key to making flavorful Mapo Tofu with Chicken. If your dish lacks flavor, consider the following questions:
Are you gently cooking the chili bean sauce aromatics over medium-low heat for a long enough time? The chili bean sauce aromatics must be cooked for at least 5 minutes to extract all their flavor.
Did you use freshly minced ginger and garlic? Freshly minced aromatics have way more flavor than powdered or pre-minced.
Did you grind your Sichuan peppercorn powder? Pre-ground powders lose a lot of their aroma during processing. Freshly grounded is always the best.
Are you using the correct chicken stock? Chinese chicken bouillon powder is used in most authentic Chinese recipes. They're packed with flavor and a little bit of MSG.
Did you use a sufficient amount of cornstarch slurry? The tofu won't be adequately coated if your sauce isn't thick enough.
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📋 Recipe
Mapo Tofu with Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 2 tablespoon chili bean sauce (also known as doubanjiang, Chinese/Sichuan chili bean paste, or spicy bean sauce)
- 3 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 3 tablespoon 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 oz ground chicken
- 1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock, or water)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 pound medium-firm tofu (soft or medium-firm, cut into ¾-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons of water)
Instructions
- Heat your wok or a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the oil and swirl it around the wok. Add the chili bean sauce and cook for 3 minutes until the oil is red and fragrant.
- Turn the heat to medium and add the ginger, garlic, scallion whites, dried peppers, and ground Sichuan pepper and fry for 2 minutes. Turn up the heat to high and add the ground chicken. Break the meat up and cook for 2 minutes until it's no longer pink.
- Add chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Gently add the tofu and simmer for 2 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors of the seasonings.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and mixing it thoroughly. Pour the slurry around the edges of the sauce and gently mix to thicken. Add the sliced scallion greens, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use medium-low heat when frying the chili bean sauce. We want to gently coax out the flavor without splattering sauce everywhere.
- Grind your own Sichuan peppercorns for the best flavor. You can use a spice grinder, pestle and mortar, or rolling pin. I prefer a pestle and mortar because the pounding action releases the most aromas.
- Consider adding a ¼ teaspoon of MSG or mushroom powder to add even more umami.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more chicken stock or cornstarch slurry.
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