Chicken in black bean sauce is delicious and simple to make at home for a restaurant-style Chinese stir-fry dish with lots of garlic, bell peppers, and bean sprouts.
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
Sauce:
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons black bean sauce with garlic
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 onion, finely sliced
½ green bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
To make the marinade: Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water in a bowl; stir in light soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Add chicken; toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add bean sprouts; cook just until blanched, about 30 seconds; drain and set aside.
Combine 1/4 cup water, oyster sauce, and sugar together in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat. Add black bean sauce and chopped garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion; cook and stir until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add chicken and marinade mixture; stir-fry until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce mixture; cook until heated through. Cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in bell pepper; cover and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water. Stir in bean sprouts and cornstarch mixture; cook until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes more.