Chinese Velveting Marinade for Tender Chicken

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken breast, cut into cubes
• baking soda (A pinch; use for the initial 10-minute tenderizing step.)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 garlic, grated (Cloves)
• 1 egg white (From 1 small egg)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Steps

1. 1

   Place the cubed chicken breast in a bowl. Add a pinch of baking soda and mix thoroughly so the chicken is evenly coated.

2. 2

   Set the chicken aside for about 10 minutes. The baking soda helps raise the meat’s pH and helps prevent the proteins from tightening too quickly during high-heat cooking.

3. 3

   Add the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, grated ginger, grated garlic, egg white, and cornstarch to the chicken.

4. 4

   Mix everything well until the chicken is evenly coated in the thin marinade.

5. 5

   Cover the bowl and set the chicken aside for at least 15 minutes before stir-frying.

6. 6

   Stir-fry the velveted chicken in a very hot, well-seasoned wok as part of a Chinese stir-fry.

Notes

The source does not specify the stir-frying time, oil quantity, or the complete stir-fry recipe. This preparation is a velveting marinade intended for use in a subsequent Chinese stir-fry.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Chinese
• East Asian
• stir-fried
• wok cooking
• high-heat cooking
• chicken