Chicken Ginger

Ginger Chicken is an easy Chinese recipe that uses a lot of fresh ginger, scallions and garlic, all cooked into a brown sticky sauce. It’s great with rice or noodles.

In Rochester, NY, I was waitress at a Chinese Restaurant. I had my first taste of Ginger Chicken there. The Cantonese cooks called this Ginger Chicken “Old Ginger Chicken” or “logyong gai” (Lao Jiang Ji, “laojiangji” if you speak Mandarin).

The chefs were very friendly and helpful. I learned why the dish is called “Old Ginger Chicken” because “old” or mature ginger should be used.

Young Ginger vs. Mature Ginger

Mature ginger has a stronger, more intense ginger flavor. Young ginger has a pinkish-reddish color with a slightly transparent skin. It is mildly spicy with a floral taste.

You can find mature ginger in most U.S. grocery stores, so getting the ingredients you need for this recipe is easy! Young ginger is rarely available in Asian groceries and only a few months of the year (mid-September through early November) when it is in season.

The first time I tried the Chinese Ginger Chicken chefs, it was bursting with the flavor of the classic Cantonese trio of fresh aromatics: ginger, scallion, and garlic.

The ginger was the star, but I also thought it tasted like the Oyster Sauce Chicken my mother would make. It’s the sticky sauce. This recipe is a good alternative to my mom’s bone-in chicken.

You might not like ginger now but wait a few more years. As I grew older, I developed a taste for it and began craving dishes such as Ginger Chicken. See our Chinese Ingredients Dictionary entry for fresh ginger to learn more about ginger and its use in Chinese cuisine.

Which is better, chicken breasts or chicken thighs, for cooking?

The longer the cooking time, the better. This allows sauces and braise flavors to penetrate the chicken thighs without drying out.

Chicken breast is best for quick cooking, such as stir-frying or grilling.

This dish is braised, so chicken thighs work best. If you like breast meat, remove the breasts from the pan after browning. Add them back after the sauce is reduced and the cooking has finished. You will get a tender, moist chicken with a slow-cooked gingery sauce.

Do I need to use a wok for ginger chicken?

We prefer to use our work for this kind of dish. A large saute pan or frying pot will work just as well!

When searing chicken, use Judy’s method to prevent food from sticking on a wok or pan.

Ginger Chicken Recipe Instructions

Use a knife to lightly smash the white part of the scallions (use firmer hands for the ginger). The aromatics will release their flavors, resulting in a more flavorful meal.

You can see me demonstrate this technique in a video by scrolling down the recipe card! The video is less than one minute, but it’s worth watching to see the technique for smashing ginger.

Add the cut ginger slices and fry for 15 seconds. Fry the ginger slices for 15 seconds.

Spread the pieces of chicken in one layer in the wok.

Sear for 45 seconds. Fry the other side of them for 30 seconds.

Put the white parts of the scallions and garlic.

Add the shallots. Stir-fry everything for 30 seconds on high flame.

Add the Shaoxing Wine…

Stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

Add the brown sugar, chicken stock, soy, dark soy, white pepper and oyster sauce next. (Optional, but will give your dish an extra flavor!) Cover the pan and continue cooking on high heat for another 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and cook for 7 more minutes to reduce the liquid.

Add the green parts to the scallions.

Stir in the cornstarch-water mixture directly to thicken your sauce. If you want a thicker, more cornstarch-water slurry, add it. For more information on using cornstarch in Chinese cooking, please see our post How to Use Cornstarch.).

Serve with white-hot brown or black rice and a vegetable like stir-fried bok choy.