Learn how Chinese restaurants tenderize chicken in this classic Chinese Chinese Chicken! As with most of my stir fries, I make this quite saucy. All the better to pour over rice!
Have you noticed that chicken and sometimes even beef and pork at Chinese restaurants is extremely tender and has a different texture that is quite unique to Chinese dishes?
The technique is called velveting and it’s dead simple to do at home. All it requires is a bit of baking soda (bi-carb) to lightly coat the raw chicken, set aside for 15 minutes then wash off thoroughly before proceeding to make the stir fry. The first time you try this, you will be amazed!
The baking soda essentially breaks down the chicken fibres, making it very soft and giving what I describe as a “spongey” texture. As unappealing as that sounds, I don’t know how else to describe it!
I have not come across velveted meat in any other cuisine, not even other Asian stir fries. I don’t use it for all Chinese stir fries, and neither do Chinese restaurant. Particularly beef, I have noticed. I personally am not the hugest fan of velveted beef, I just find the texture doesn’t suit red meats as well as white meats.
However, velveting chicken is made for Cashew Chicken!! The silky, fairly light flavored sauce and creamy, soft crunch of cashews pairs perfectly with the extra tender chicken.
Can you see how the texture of the chicken is different to the usual in this close up? I’m not sure if you can, but it really does look different. It still tastes like chicken, but it is softer. Like….well….velvet! (Honestly, I think I just connected the dots and realized why it’s called velveting. I an be really slow sometimes).
Feel free to add other vegetables into this. The most common way I see it served is with green bell peppers and onion. But I’ve also seen it with red bell peppers, celery, Asian Greens , carrots and scallions/shallots.
And as with all (well, most!) stir fries, this comes together very quickly once you start cooking so have everything chopped up and the sauce in the jar, ready to go when you start cooking.
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
- 1 lb / 500g chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into 1”/2.5m pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda – NOT baking powder)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (ordinary all purpose or light soy sauce. Not dark soy sauce)
- 3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (shaosing wine) (or dry sherry)
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- Dash of white pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
- 6 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- ½ onion (yellow, brown or white, chopped into 1cm/1/3”)
- 1 small green bell pepper/capsicum, chopped into 1cm/1/3”
- 1 cup roasted cashews, salted or unsalted
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Velvet the Chicken (optional): Combine baking soda and chicken in a bowl, toss to coat evenly then set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. Rinse chicken thoroughly in a colander, then pat with paper towels to remove excess water (no need to thoroughly dry).
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Place Sauce ingredients in a jar, screw on lid and shake to combine.
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Place chicken in a bowl and measure out 3 tbsp of Sauce. Mix and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
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Add cornstarch and water into remaining Sauce. Screw lid on, shake to combine.
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Heat oil over medium high heat in a wok or heavy based skillet. Add the garlic and fry for 15 seconds, then add the onion and cook for 1 minute.
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Then add the chicken and bell pepper and cook until all the chicken turns white but is still pink inside (about 2 minutes).
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Pour the Sauce in, bring to simmer and cook for around 2 - 3 minutes or until it thickens and the chicken is cooked through.
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Remove from stove, stir through cashews and serve with rice.
Chinese Cashew Chicken nutrition per serving assuming this serves 4. It can easily serve 5 or more with other sides, as is typically served at Chinese restaurants.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Chinese Cashew Chicken recipe video!
Looks delicious! Do you prefer using breast your thigh when you make it? Thanks 🙂
Hi Summer! I always choose thigh over breast where I can 🙂 N x
Hands down the best recipe for an authentic Chinese meal ever!
I followed the exact recipe and was very happy with the result.
If a friend popped around unannounced and tried some, they would think I ordered take out. It was that good!!
Do the velvet the Chicken when making sweet and sour dishes?
BEST COMPLIMENT EVER!!! I velvet chicken breast always for Chinese recipes 🙂 Not thigh, but ALWAYS breast! N x
Oh. My. God! Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve loved chicken and cashew since I was a kid, and I’ve always had to fall back on take aways whenever I get a hankering as all the recipes have been daunting for someone who hates to cook. This is so simple and straight forward, especially the velveting! This will be a staple here from now on. Thank you!
That’s terrific! So pleased you enjoyed this Krysia – N x
Is there any non-alcoholic substitute for the sherry?
Chicken broth will be fine 🙂
What a terrific recipe, quantities were just right, I might use light soy next time instead of normal as was a touch too salty for my tastes. The family loved it and that chicken really was so soft and delicate. Gorgeous. Thanks
That’s so great to hear Tara! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x
Grateful to have found your blog because of this recipe. It was the only cashew chicken recipe I found where the ingredients sounded Chinese. Outstanding results! We had leek instead of onion and I added jicama matchsticks at the end. I didn’t have green bell pepper, so I added a red pepper that looked like a jalepeno but had thinner flesh and was not hot. Looking forward to your other recipes!
Delicious recipe! I think I was a little heavy handed with the sauces so it was a bit too salty. Will definitely be trying the velveting technique with other types of meat, including steak in future. One query, how much onion overall should be used, one half or a whole?
That’s wonderful to hear Amanda! Thanks for letting me know! Regarding the onion, it should be 1/2 an onion. 🙂 Typo. Fixed! N x ❤️
This was so good. Added some broccoli as I didnt have any capsicum. Can’t believe how much it tastes like Chinese takeaway just better.
So pleased to hear that Natalie! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
This is an excellent recipe! Thanks!!
Helloo nagi 🙂
At chinese restaurant they serve hot sauce and a sweet sour sauce with the cashew plate…can that be homemade??
Do you mean on the side???
Yess on the side! I think i can use sriracha chillisauce aside or does it have to be included while cooking it?
Made this last night. Even my very picky 13 year old loved it!
That’s terrific to hear Brian! So glad you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N x
I am going to make this recipe this weekend. Thank you for the velveting tip. I will try this on steak also.
Hope you love it Brenda!
This is so good! Made it on Monday & again tonight…Thursday!
That’s so terrific Beth! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️