Hainan Chicken Chop

Hainan Chicken Chop is a dish of crispy fried chicken chop served and drenched in onion gravy with fried potatoes, tomatoes and mixed vegetables.

Hainan Chicken Chop is a dish of crispy fried chicken chop served and drenched in onion gravy with fried potatoes, tomatoes and mixed vegetables. Just basing on the name you will instantly think that this dish is of Chinese origin, partly true because it was the Hainan people who created them but not in China, this was invented in Malaysia during the time when British was dominant in the region. This dish was made by the Hainanese communities that migrated to Malaysia during those times, Hainanese cooks and operators of coffee shops primarily cater for their British colonial masters where potatoes and meats are their preference for meals, this is where Hainanese chicken chop was born.

A true mix of Chinese and Western flavours that is only found in Malaysia, it’s not to be found in Hainan or even in UK apart from specialty Malaysian restaurants on those places if there are any. If you will closely look at its ingredients you will see how it tried to fuse two different cuisines, chicken that is deep fried most probably came from the Western together with fried potatoes, vegetables and gravy but how its prepared is so Asian since the chicken usually is marinated in soy sauce, five spice and sesame oil then coated with potato or tapioca starch instead of wheat flour. Potatoes are sometimes optional as rice is often served with it in traditional restaurants in Malaysia.

I love this dish, the unique texture and flavour of the chicken is impeccable, its crunchy, chewy, juicy and full of umami, pair that with a nice rich onion gravy and perfectly cooked potatoes this is what a comfort food should be.

Hainan Chicken Chop

• Author: Raymund
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Yield: 5 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Malaysian

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Description

Hainan Chicken Chop is a dish of crispy fried chicken chop served and drenched in onion gravy with fried potatoes, tomatoes and mixed vegetables.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chicken

• 5 pcs deboned, chicken legs
• 5 pcs deboned, chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 cup tapioca or potato starch
• 4 eggs

Marinade

• 1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 6 cloves garlic, minced

Gravy

• 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 medium white onions, sliced into wedges
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 4 tbsp water
• freshly ground black pepper
• oil

Others

• 5 servings crinkle cut fries
• 3 pcs tomato, cut into wedges
• 3 cups green peas
• 3 tbsp butter
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

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Instructions

Chicken

1. In a large bowl combine all marinade ingredients together, add and coat chicken with the sauce. Let chicken marinate for at least one hour.
2. In a bowl lightly beat eggs, set aside.
3. Place tapioca or potato starch in a large plate, set it aside.
4. Prepare a wok, heat oil to 180C.
5. Dip chicken in egg then into the tapioca starch to coat then deep fry chicken for 12 minutes or until cooked. Set aside cooked chicken.

Gravy

1. In a sauce pan add oil then sauté garlic and onions.
2. Pour the Worcestershire Sauce, soy sauce, chicken stock, ketchup and sugar into the saucepan, bring it to a boil.
3. Mix potato starch with water then pour into the sauce pan, simmer until sauce is thick.

Others

1. In a small sauce pan add and melt butter in low heat. Once totally melted add and toss the peas then cook in low heat for 5 minutes, Set it aside.
2. Cook crinkle cut fries according to packet instructions. Set aside and sprinkle salt on top.

Bringing it all together

1. Place a piece of fried chicken thigh and leg in a plate. Pour a really good amount of sauce on top (be generous), add green peas on top, place crinkle cut fried on the side then garnish with tomato wedges.

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