Home-styleEasy 25 min serves 2 Gluten-free

Salt and Pepper Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs (香煎鸡腿)

Name: Salt and Pepper Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs (香煎鸡腿)
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: bone-in chicken thighs; fine salt; white pepper; garlic, sliced; ginger, sliced; cooking oil; lemon or lime, cut in wedges; scallion, thinly sliced

香煎鸡腿 · xiāng jiān jī tuǐ

家庭快手版 · Home version: Home version seasons only with salt, white pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Restaurant version adds a dusting of five-spice before searing.

This is the dish Cantonese home cooks make when there is no time for a marinade. Salt goes on early so it penetrates, white pepper goes on late so it stays sharp, and the whole thing is done in one pan in under half an hour.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More chicken recipes →Quick & Easy

Ingredients

bone-in chicken thighs带骨鸡腿🛒 local2 pieces, about 500 g
fine salt细盐🛒 local1 tsp
white pepper白胡椒粉🏮 asian1/2 tsp
garlic, sliced蒜片🛒 local3 cloves
ginger, sliced姜片🛒 local4 slices
cooking oil食用油🛒 local1 tbsp
lemon or lime, cut in wedges柠檬或青柠🛒 local1/2 piece
scallion, thinly sliced葱花🛒 local1 stalk

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Salt the thighs on both sides 15 minutes ahead. Pat off any surface moisture that beads up.
提前撒盐
🔍 Look for 15 minutes
Visual: 表皮渗出细小的盐水珠Small beads of brine appear on the skin
You know it's right when: 表皮黏手但不湿漉Skin feels tacky rather than wet
2Heat a heavy pan over medium-low with the oil. Lay the thighs skin-side down and do not move them.
皮朝下入锅
🔍 Look for Medium-low
Visual: 边缘发出均匀的轻响Gentle even sizzle around the edges
You know it's right when: 表皮平贴锅面，看着干爽Skin looks dry and flat against the pan
3Render 10 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden. Spoon out excess fat halfway through.
煎脆表皮
🔍 Look for Medium-low 10 minutes
Visual: 表皮由浅黄转为均匀琥珀色Skin goes from pale to even amber
You know it's right when: 用铲轻推能滑动Thigh slides when nudged with a spatula
4Flip, add garlic and ginger to the fat, and cook 6 minutes, basting the skin with the pan fat.
翻面上色
🔍 Look for Medium heat 6 minutes
Visual: 蒜片呈浅金色，不发褐Garlic turns pale gold, not brown
You know it's right when: 贴着骨头处中心温度达 74°CInternal temperature reads 74°C / 165°F at the bone
5Off the heat, dust with white pepper and squeeze over lemon. Rest 5 minutes.
撒胡椒柠檬
6Slice along the bone, scatter scallion, and spoon the pan juices back over.
切块装盘

Tips

· Salt 15 minutes ahead, not overnight — longer makes the texture springy.
· Medium-low heat renders the fat slowly; high heat burns the skin before the meat cooks.
· Add pepper off the heat so its aroma stays bright.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I reduce the salt/soy in this recipe?

Yes — soy sauce is the main sodium source. Use light soy at 2/3 amount and finish with salt only to taste. Rinse canned/doubanjiang components if possible. Note: reducing soy also reduces color; a drop of dark soy or a pinch of sugar can restore depth without salt.

Source: HǎoWèi diet guide

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine