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Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken

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Indulge in the delectable fakeaway dish of Chinese salt and pepper chicken, a healthier option to the popular takeout dish. This dish features succulent chicken thigh pieces coated in a homemade salt and pepper seasoning blend, paired with fresh vegetables, and is low in calories.

salt and pepper chicken in a wok with a wooden handle

In this post, I share an easy and delicious recipe for Chinese salt and pepper chicken that you can cook in an air fryer or oven. Whether you're looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle or simply want to enjoy a guilt-free meal, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite in your household.

This recipe is also found in the Slimming Eats cookbook as one of the 15 bonus blog favourites. You can get it from all Major Retailers including Amazon

See here for a full list of recipes: Slimming Eats Cookbook

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Calories in Salt and Pepper Chicken

This delicious recipe serve 4 and are 320 calories per serving, which is perfect for a family friendly meal when paired with some additional sides.

There are lots more recipes around this calorie value in my 300-400 calories recipe section.

If you are using these recipes as part of a calorie controlled diet or healthy eating plan, you can calculate your daily calories by using a calorie calculator, as this will vary per individual depending on various factors.

Slimming Friendly Salt and Pepper Chicken Fakeaway

One recipe I get many requests for is Salt and Pepper Chicken, so this is my version on the ever so popular Chinese take away dish.

If you were to search salt and pepper chicken right now, the amount of hits you would get is unbelievable. There are so many variations out there, no two recipes are the same. Even if you were to order this dish from the local Chinese Take Away, and then try a different take away the next week, they probably wouldn't taste the same.

The majority of the recipes, use a salt and pepper mix that consists of Pepper, Salt, MSG, Chinese 5 spice and sugar. The salt is dry fried in a hot wok, before being mixed with the other ingredients.

salt and pepper chicken in a wok

Chinese Wok Cooking

Wok cooking is a amazing cooking technique and a hard one to learn. Most households nowadays cook on electric hobs, and electric hobs are just not designed for wok cooking. A wok cooker is a specialist piece of equipment - large gas burners with a water tap.

You may be wondering how on earth I know about these, well, my Dad used to own his own business designing, building and installing Wok Cookers for restaurants across the UK and Ireland.  I often used to accompany him when he would go out to these restaurants to do an install or maintenance, so got to learn how they would work and get a sneak peak behind the scenes in the kitchens! Often sampling the food too - yum!!

Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken

Unfortunately as much as I would love one, I don't own a wok cooker, or a gas hob for that matter (one thing I hope to upgrade to when the current electric cooker decides to stop working) and wok cooking just isn't great on an electric hob, as you do not get the same distribution of heat.

So I compromised for this dish and used my Tefal Actifry for the chicken and small wok for the vegetable part of this dish. An actifry is one of the many air fryers available, there are various different brands to be found.

This can also be done in a air fryer with a basket. I recently tested the recipe and it works perfectly.

(As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

salt and pepper chicken with rice on a white plate

Oven Salt and Pepper Chicken

If you don't have an actifry, I recommend placing the coated chicken on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spray over the top with spray oil  and bake in the oven at 180c fan, 200c or 400f for about 25-30 mins until lightly golden.  Then follow the rest of the steps.

Vegetables for Salt and Pepper Chicken

Generally Salt and Pepper chicken doesn't have a great deal of vegetables. Mostly onion, chilli (red or green) and spring onion are the chosen ones, but I like to try and get as much speed foods as I can into a dish, and so I also added some finely chopped bell peppers and julienned carrot. I used my fantastic julienne peeler to shred the carrot - if you don't have one of those you can just finely slice into matchsticks.

I didn't dry fry the salt, like is authentically done for Salt and Pepper chicken. Instead, I premixed the salt and pepper mix and then added into the actifry onto the chicken just as it was almost done, before mixing it into the vegetables. This technique worked out really well. Plus because the actifry is constantly rotating that chicken it gets a beautiful golden colour.

Sides for Salt and Pepper Chicken

All that is then left to decide is what to serve with the Salt and Pepper chicken. I chose some plain steamed rice, but it would be equally good served with noodles, Egg Fried Rice or even Homemade Oven Chips or Roasted Cauliflower Rice or Egg Fried Cauliflower Rice for a lower carb option.

More Chinese Fakeaway Recipes

Looking for some other Chinese Slimming Friendly Fakeaway Recipes? Check out these:

or if you would like more recipe ideas or sides to make with this recipe - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more..

All recipes on Slimming Eats have estimated nutritional information for your convenience.

chinese salt and pepper chicken on a white plate with ricre

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Recipe Card

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken - Slimming Friendly

Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken - Slimming Friendly

Yield: SERVES 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Salt and Pepper Chicken – create this popular Chinese dish in your own home, perfectly delicious and Slimming friendly

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (approx 650g/23oz) , trimmed of all visible fat and cut into chunks
  • 4 tablespoons of cornstarch (or tapioca or arrowroot powder)
  • salt and black pepper to season
  • 1 egg
  • spray oil

For the vegetables:

  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 red chilli, sliced
  • ½ red pepper
  • ½ green pepper
  • 1 small carrot, julienned (or sliced into thin matchsticks
  • ¼ cup (60ml)  of chicken stock 
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
  • 2 spring onions, sliced

For the salt and pepper mix:

  • 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons of black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons of Chinese five spice
  • 2 teaspoons of granulated sweetener (I use Erythritol)

Instructions

ActiFry Method

For the Salt and Pepper Mix:

  1. Mix all the salt and pepper seasoning ingredients in a bowl.

For the Chicken:

  1. Add the chicken to a large bowl and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl, pour it over the chicken, and toss well to coat. Drain off any excess egg.
  3. Gradually sprinkle in the cornstarch, tossing as you go, until the chicken is evenly coated.
  4. Place the chicken in the ActiFry, spray well with cooking oil, and set the timer for 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. (It may take slightly more or less time, depending on your ActiFry.)

For the Vegetables:

  1. Heat a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat and spray with cooking oil.
  2. Add the onion and garlic, frying for 1 minute until softened.
  3. Add the peppers and chilli, then gradually add a little stock at a time, tossing continuously, until it’s fully absorbed.
  4. Stir in the carrots, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, cooking until the liquid evaporates.

To Finish:

  1. When the chicken is cooked, sprinkle some of the salt and pepper mix into the ActiFry and turn it back on for a couple of minutes to coat the chicken. Continue adding the seasoning gradually, tossing as you go, until it’s seasoned to your liking—avoid adding it all at once, as you may prefer less.
  2. Once the seasoning is to your taste, transfer the chicken to the frying pan with the vegetables and toss everything together.
  3. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve with your choice of sides.

Air Fryer Method

For the Salt and Pepper Mix:

  1. Mix all the salt and pepper seasoning ingredients in a bowl.

For the Chicken:

  1. Add the chicken to a large bowl and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl, pour it over the chicken, and toss well to coat. Drain off any excess egg.
  3. Gradually sprinkle in the cornstarch, tossing as you go, until the chicken is evenly coated.
  4. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for a couple of minutes.
  5. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and place the chicken pieces inside, ensuring they are spaced apart. (If your air fryer has a smaller capacity, cook in two batches.)
  6. Spray the chicken well with low-calorie cooking spray and air fry for about 15 minutes, turning the pieces after 8 minutes and spraying again.

For the Vegetables:

  1. Heat a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat and spray with cooking oil.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 1 minute until softened.
  3. Add the peppers and chilli, and gradually pour in the stock a little at a time, tossing as you go, until it’s fully absorbed.
  4. Add the carrots, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, cooking until the liquid evaporates.

To Finish:

  1. When the chicken is cooked, sprinkle some of the salt and pepper mix directly into the air fryer basket.
  2. Add the vegetable mixture to the air fryer and toss everything together to coat evenly. Air fry for a couple of minutes to warm through.
  3. Gradually add more seasoning to taste—avoid adding it all at once, as you may prefer less.
  4. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve with your choice of sides.

Oven Method

For the Salt and Pepper Mix:

  1. Mix all the salt and pepper seasoning ingredients in a bowl.

For the Chicken:

  1. Add the chicken to a large bowl and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl, pour it over the chicken, and toss well to coat. Drain off any excess egg.
  3. Gradually sprinkle in the cornstarch, tossing as you go, until the chicken is evenly coated.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
  5. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and spray it with low-calorie cooking spray.
  6. Place the chicken pieces on the tray, ensuring they are not touching. Spray the tops with olive oil spray.
  7. Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through and spraying the chicken again with low-calorie spray.

For the Vegetables:

  1. Heat a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat and spray with cooking oil.
  2. Add the onion and garlic, frying for 1 minute until softened.
  3. Add the peppers and chilli, then gradually add a little stock at a time, tossing continuously, until it’s fully absorbed.
  4. Stir in the carrots, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, cooking until the liquid evaporates.

To Finish:

  1. When the chicken is cooked, transfer it to the pan with the vegetables.
  2. Add some of the salt and pepper mix and toss to coat. Continue adding the seasoning gradually, tossing as you go, until the chicken is seasoned to your liking—avoid adding it all at once, as you may prefer less.

Notes

Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:

  • Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
  • WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs -   due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values. 

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Nutritional information etc are an estimate and are to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary in values from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate values yourself by the ingredients you use and the tools provided to you as a member of the programme you are following.

It is the responsibility of the Reader to assure the products or ingredients they use in any recipes from Slimming Eats are allergen-free (gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free and/or dairy-free, for example). Slimming Eats assumes no liability for inaccuracies or misstatement about products, opinions or comments on this site. 

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As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 serving
Amount Per Serving Calories 320Total Fat 10.1gSaturated Fat 2.9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 345mgSodium 2366mgCarbohydrates 22.3gFiber 3.1gSugar 7gProtein 33.4g

Nutritional information, values, points etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram and tag me @slimmingeats

© Siobhan (Slimming Eats)
Cuisine: Chinese / Category: Main

Are you Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?

We are removing all Slimming World syn values from the website, you can read more about that here.

To ensure precise calculations, we recommend utilizing the official tools provided with your membership to specific plans, as they may undergo regular updates. Values can vary between different brands, so it's essential to calculate recipes using these tools to guarantee accuracy in any recipe you prepare.

Disclosure:

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” Check Legal section, for Full Disclaimer, Disclosure and Privacy Policy.

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Comments

  1. Laura says

    Once again, yet another amazing recipe!

  2. Shaorn says

    This makes me want to run home right now and try it out! It sounds delicious!!

  3. Joanne says

    Hi I'm in England what can you use instead if corn starch? Please? I really would like to try this, it looks amazing x

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      cornflour is the same as cornstarch 🙂

  4. Michelle says

    Is like to save this for future use. If it's not allowed to.screen shot it what is the best way to save it ? Thanks

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      Hi Michelle, you can save for your own personal record. I just ask that you don't screenshot or save to copy and paste anywhere else. Thanks 🙂

  5. Christine moffat says

    If using an actifry do you take the paddle out?
    Looks amazing btw. Having this tonight

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      Hi Christine - The paddle stays in 🙂 - hope that helps.

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      Hi Christine - I hope it turned out okay for you. You leave the paddle in for this recipe. Hope that helps 🙂

  6. Sarah says

    Lovely and tasty, yet another great meal!

  7. Moira Fox says

    Made this tonight and OH said it's better than a takeaway! Will definitely be making this again !

  8. Shirls says

    Hi there, just wondering do you leave the paddle in when cooking the chicken in the actifry? Thanks 🙂

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      you sure do 🙂 - enjoy

  9. Sam says

    Just made this- delicious!!!

  10. Harriet says

    Another faboulous delicious recipe, I can't rate these recipes anymore

  11. Sheila Sears says

    I cooked this tonight for supper, it was delicious with amazing flavours, a definite keeper. THANK YOU SHEVY.

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      So glad you enjoyed this one Sheila, thanks for taking the time to comment

  12. Sophie says

    I have an airfrier that doesn't have a paddle just a basket. Do I just shake a few times for this recipe? Thanks.

  13. Beth says

    Just made this using the oven, turning the chicken once halfway and cooking it for about 30 minutes total, and it was brilliant! So tasty, it really felt like a takeaway meal 🙂

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      Thanks for commenting Beth, so happy to hear you enjoyed it.

  14. Harry says

    Another 5* recipe. I consult your website at least 3 times a week for inspiration. I love them all!

  15. Angela Boyd says

    Wow this dish is so good. Made it tonight when the no actifryer and it worked wonders. Really easy to make and just so tasty!

  16. LEONI RUDGE says

    do I bake it in the oven with the egg coating then sprinkle on seasoning once cooked and cook again for a further 30 mins?

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      Bake the chicken in the oven with the egg coating for 20-30 mins, cook the veggies in a pan as direct. Once the chicken is cooked, add to the pan with the veggies and add in the salt and pepper mix and toss to coat.

  17. Rachel says

    What a mess I made of this! Chicken didn’t go golden in the slightest, the cornflour was soggy I guess I didn’t drain it enough I’m sure it’s lovely made by anyone else!

  18. Rachel says

    Further to my last comment, it was actually really delicious even if mine looked a bit messy. Will definitely drain the chicken a bit more next time

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      Yes definitely don’t leave too much egg coating or it will absorb all the cornflour, you just want it to coat the chicken, so the cornflour sticks and makes a batter like coating.

  19. Sue says

    Do you use soy and rice vinegar? Ingredients say or and method says and x

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      it's both - should say of rice vinegar 🙂

  20. Veronica says

    Thank you for the recipe, love it

  21. Charlotte says

    Hello, when do you use the sweetener and the Chinese 5 spice ?

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      it's the steps for the salt and pepper mix.

  22. Orlagh says

    Hi there! Making this tonight and can’t wait. I’m trying to work out the syns however I can only see 0.5 syns pp for the Cornstarch. What are the other syns for? Thanks x

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      Hi there Orlagh - there is 1.5 syn in a level tablespoon of cornstarch - the whole recipe has 4 tbs of cornstarch and serves 4 people so is 1.5 syns per person 6 syns in total.

  23. Maxine Smith says

    Made this dish, it was really really nice. The chicken in the Actifry took almost an hour, worth the wait. Highly recommend, thanks for the recipe.

  24. Julia says

    Wow I love this, it’s going to be a regular fakeaway! Thanks for a lovely tea! X x

  25. Gemma says

    Iv been told to use smash on this is that right ?

    • Shevy (Slimming Eats) says

      No definitely not, not for this recipe anyway. You just will not get the same result with this recipe if you use smash.

  26. Nicola says

    Hi, absolutely love this recipe! We have it on a weekly basis and made it tonight for my mum and sister, who loved it! Just wondered if you can freeze this...? And how well it reheats. Thanks x

  27. Vicky says

    Had this dish tonight and it was beautiful

  28. Hannah says

    Do you leave the skin on the chicken thighs?

    • Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says

      no, you remove the skin on the thighs, it's boneless skinless chicken thighs.

  29. Jasmine Louise Moore says

    When you say sweetener what exactly can I use?

    • Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says

      you can use any sweetener of choice, one that you have tried and tested and are happy with. I use sukrin or swerve as it's naturally based and doens't have those overpowering artificial taste.

  30. Sarah says

    Hi, how would I best make this egg free as my sin has an allergy x

    • Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says

      You could try a vegan egg replacement, like canned chickpea juice, unfortunately I haven’t tested without egg.

  31. Alice Swatton says

    Does rice vinegar have to be used or is there an alternative? It’s hard to find here in the U.K.

    • Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says

      any white vinegar is fine if you don't have rice vinegar

  32. Jessica says

    Tried this a couple of times and it’s one of our favourite dishes! I just want to know though if you have ever logged this on my fitness pal if so how do you log it as I’m individually scanning everything and the total of calories is 395 for 1 portion?

    • Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says

      Hi Jessica, make sure you are using boneless and skinless chicken thighs with all visible fat trimmed, as that will bring the calories down for what you are entering.

  33. Valerie says

    Made this for tea last night. It is a bit fiddly first time making but absolutely delicious. Many thanks for the recipe I will definitely be making this again.

  34. Arlene Metcalf says

    Made this last week with chicken breast, it was gorgeous! Had it again tonight using tofu and it was just as tasty.

  35. Paula Howlett says

    Absolutely love this dish. Everytime I make it I forget how delicious it is.
    One of our favourites.

  36. Karen says

    Had never heard of a julienne peeler until I read this. Found one on the internet and look forward to taking all the chopping out of this recipe and my stir fries! Thanks for posting this, looks delish!

  37. Ayesha says

    Hi I don't understand something. Online it says 1TBSP of cornstarch is 3.5syns. that makes 14 syns of flour in the whole dish. Divide that by 4 servings makes 3.5 syns of flour in each serving. Not sure if I'm missing something here. Thanks.

    • Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says

      Not sure where you have got 3.5 syn? Cornstarch (cornflour) is 1 - 1.5 syns per tablespoon depending on the brand. It is not 3.5 syns.

  38. Annie says

    Full of flavour, great fakeaway recipe, with crispy chicken without deep frying. Husband has been raving about it and now one of his favourite dinners

  39. Cheryl says

    I made this recipe tonight with left over cooked chicken and it was fabulous, a firm favourite. Thank you very much for your hard work as I haven’t found a recipe yet that has not been approved. Loved it.

  40. Ingrid Xiques says

    I made this recipe and my boyfriend and I loved it. Thanks a lot Siobhan for another amazing recipe. I check your website almost everyday. I have your book as well.

  41. Linda Reilly says

    Great recipe, made it with chicken breast fillets and reduced the cooking time. Perfect dish.

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