Chicken Chowed with Black Beans

This is a Cantonese classic: bone-in chicken pieces wok-fried with fermented black beans (dow see), garlic, green peppers, and dry sherry. The fermented beans bring a funky, deeply savory depth that’s completely different from regular black beans. They’re the backbone of black bean sauce in Chinese cooking.

The marinade does double duty. Soy sauce and cornstarch coat the chicken and create a light barrier that seals in juices during the initial browning. This velveting technique keeps the meat tender through the 20-minute simmer instead of drying out and turning stringy.

Mashing the fermented black beans with sherry before they go into the wok releases their concentrated, salty-fermented flavor. Without mashing, you get scattered bites of whole beans. Mashed, their flavor spreads evenly through the entire sauce.

Chef Tips

• Hack the chicken through the bone into 2-inch pieces, Chinese-style. The bone adds flavor to the sauce and the smaller pieces cook evenly and absorb more marinade.
• Rinse the fermented black beans before mashing. They’re packed in salt, and unrinsed beans will make the dish unbearably salty.
• Get the wok smoking hot before adding the chicken. High heat sears the cornstarch coating quickly, creating that golden, slightly crispy exterior.
• Drain and discard the first oil after browning the chicken. Starting fresh with clean oil for the aromatics keeps the sauce from tasting heavy or burnt.

Variations

• Use pork spareribs cut into small pieces instead of chicken for a richer version.
• Add sliced fresh chili peppers with the garlic for a spicier dish.
• Serve over steamed jasmine rice to soak up the black bean sauce.