A foolproof way to make flavorful, juicy pan-fried chicken thighs. This 10-minute speedy Chinese chicken recipe with a scallion ginger sauce is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious!

About this Chinese Pan-Seared Chicken Recipe

Chicken thighs are my favourite cut for Chinese-style meals—they stay tender, juicy, and are nearly impossible to overcook. Paired with ginger, scallions and garlic, and you’ve got a dish full of delicious Asian flavour.

The chicken thighs are marinated and pan-seared, then topped with a layer of ginger-scallion sauce. Cover it with a lid to create a steaming effect. When I lift the lid, the smell is incredible—and the chicken is perfectly cooked every time.

What I love most is how simple it is. Even on busy weeknights, this comes together quickly and tastes like something way more involved. It’s honestly hard to mess up. 👌👨‍🍳

Ingredients and substitutions

• Chicken: This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but skin-on works too. Fresh chicken is best—frozen tends to release too much water and doesn’t stay as juicy. I’ve also tried deboning chicken drumsticks, which tasted great but took a bit more time. 
• Scallions, Ginger and Garlic: These three ingredients are essential for the flavour, so always use them fresh. Canned ginger or garlic isn’t recommended—the taste is flat and off. Even the frozen ones I’ve tried just don’t compare to the fresh.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a saltiness to the chicken, but you can substitute it with salt if needed.
• Rice Wine: I’ve tried marinating the chicken with rice wine and without, and the difference is subtle. If you don’t have rice wine, skip it or use white wine as a substitute.

Instrutions

• Step One: Marinate chicken and prepare sauce
  • Prepare the chicken by combining soy sauce, rice wine, pepper, and cornflour. Mix well and marinate.
  • Mix scallions, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until well combined.
• Step Two: Pan-fry the chicken
  • Add oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and place the chicken pieces in the pan.  Cook until lightly browned. Flip the chicken, then spoon the scallion-ginger sauce over the top.
  • Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low-medium, and let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Step Three: Finishing Touches
  • Remove the lid, and if there’s excess water, turn the heat to high and let it reduce until the chicken starts sizzling. 
  • Serve with rice or as a topping for noodles.

Cooking Tips

• A non-stick pan is recommended, as chicken coated with cornflour can stick in regular pans. Using a non-stick pan ensures a hassle-free cooking experience.
• Chicken thighs should ideally be cut into about 3-5 cm pieces—bite-sized and easy to eat. However, cutting them too small can cause them to lose their juiciness and become dry.
• Sauce: As long as the saltiness is balanced, the ratio of these three ingredients (scallion, ginger and garlic) can be adjusted to suit your preference.
• Cooking time: If you’re cooking larger chicken pieces or chicken with bones, adjust the cooking time to ensure it’s fully cooked. To check, insert a fork into the chicken—if the juices run clear and the fork easily goes through, it’s cooked.

When your kitchen is sizzling with chicken thighs and that aromatic scallion-ginger goodness, you know it is about to be a good day! 😍

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