Velvet Chicken for Tender Stir-Fry
A fundamental Chinese technique to tenderize chicken, beef, or shrimp for stir-fries, resulting in incredibly soft and juicy pieces by using baking soda and a light marinade.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 0.25 teaspoon white pepper optional
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil e.g.
Instructions
- Slice chicken into uniform, bite-sized pieces.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the chicken and mix thoroughly. Let marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse chicken thoroughly under cold running water for 1-2 minutes to remove excess baking soda. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
- In a clean bowl, combine the rinsed chicken with soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, and white pepper (if using). Mix well.
- Toss the marinated chicken with the neutral cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook immediately in a hot wok or skillet according to your stir-fry recipe, usually 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and opaque.
Notes
Ensure chicken is sliced uniformly for even tenderizing and cooking. Rinsing the baking soda thoroughly prevents any metallic taste. This technique is also excellent for thinly sliced beef or shrimp. Always pat the meat dry before adding the final marinade.