Sichuan Chicken: Velveting-The Chinese Trick to Perfectly Tender Chicken

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

The secret is a classic Chinese technique called velveting. Once you learn it, you’ll understand why restaurant chicken is so tender and silky.

I used to make this dish regularly many years ago, and I’m not sure why I stopped making it, but decided to give it another go and I’d forgotten how good it was.

It’s very similar to a dish I used to get at Szechuan East in NYC. It’s a bit of a fusion dish, but I enjoy the over the top flavor, and everyone always enjoys it.

I call recipes like this, “rice guzzlers”, because it’s so spicy and the sauce is so good you don’t want to miss any.

What is the Chinese secret for moist chicken?

The answer is a technique called velveting. This is a Chinese technique chefs use to keep chicken very juicy. It works particularly well with low fat pieces like boneless breasts.

Basically you coat the chicken pieces in soy sauce, egg white, splash of rice wine, cornstarch and a splash of oil and then par cook it in hot oil or poach in boiling water in the wok and then remove it to be added back later. Personally I find using oil works well, but if it was a delicately flavored dish, the water makes sense.

There are many variations on this method, with some adding rice vinegar and some omitting the rice wine, or oil etc, but the cornstarch is essential.

Note: This velveting technique can also be used on beef, pork and shrimp.

Here’s a few other dishes to try:

Make your own Chinese BBQ Pork, Authentic Char Siu Recipe: Make Delicious BBQ Pork at Home

Another classic spicy dish, Kung Pao Chicken- Authentic Sichuan Recipe

Looking for a fish dish, Spicy Sichuan Fish Recipe with Sweet and Sour Flavors

A Taiwanese classic, Taiwanese 3 Cup Chicken Recipe- San Bei Ji

Want to try a Thai classic, Thai Chicken with Basil/ Gai Pad Prik Grapao- Top Thai Dish

And the takeaway favorite, Chinese Chicken with Fermented Black Beans: A Takeout Favorite

And a wonderful vegetarian option, How to Make Lao Gan Ma Tofu Stir-Fry in 5 Minutes

Another classic shrimp dish, Kung Pao Shrimp- Sichuan Classic

Interested in my “go to” recipes, My Favorite Recipes

Ingredients:

1 lb Chicken Breast, sliced into 1/2 – 3/4 inch cubes.

Velveting:

1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce

Splash of Shaoxing rice wine

1 Egg White

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 inch piece of minced Ginger Root

1 Red Pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces.

3 Green Onions, white only, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces.

Sauce:

2 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine

1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Chili and Garlic Paste

1 tsp Chinkiang Vinegar or Rice Vinegar

1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp Water

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

Preparation:

After prepping your chicken, mix with the velveting ingredients and into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Heat your wok until very hot, then add your oil and when almost smoking, add the chicken pieces and quickly stir fry, breaking them apart and allowing them to just turn white with a hint of browning. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon or ladle and set aside.

Add in your ginger and red peppers into the hot wok and stir fry for about a minute, then add your green onions and stir fry for another minute and add back the chicken and any juices.

Stir fry lightly and add in your sauce mixture and cook until it thickens. Serve with lots of rice.

This article is part of The Pasadena Chef Cooking School. Explore more cooking lessons, techniques, and ingredient guides here. The Pasadena Chef Cooking School

Easy Sichuan Chicken: Master the Velveting Technique

It uses a technique that I really like called, “velveting”. This is a Chinese technique to keep chicken very juicy. It works particularly well with low fat pieces like boneless breasts.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Chicken Breast sliced into 1/2 – 3/4 inch cubes.
Velveting:
  • 1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
  • Splash of Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 Egg White
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 2 inch piece of minced Ginger Root
  • 1 Red Pepper chopped into 1/2 inch pieces.
  • 3 Green Onions white only, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces.
Sauce:
  • 2 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Chili and Garlic Paste
  • 1 tsp Chinkiang Vinegar or Rice Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Water
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch

Equipment

  • Wok or non stick sauce pan

Method
 

  1. After prepping your chicken, mix with the velveting ingredients and into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Heat your wok until very hot, then add your oil and when almost smoking, add the chicken pieces and quickly stir fry, breaking them apart and allowing them to just turn white with a hint of browning. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon or ladle and set aside.
  3. Add in your ginger and red peppers into the hot wok and stir fry for about a minute, then add your green onions and stir fry for another minute and add back the chicken and any juices.
  4. Stir fry lightly and add in your sauce mixture and cook until it thickens.

Notes

Enjoy my recipes, Join the Kitchen

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Leave a Reply