Chinese Velvet Chicken Recipes

VELVETING CHICKEN BREAST, CHINESE RESTAURANT-STYLE

Steps:

• Whisk egg white, vinegar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl until marinade is smooth. Add chicken; cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• Bring water and oil to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium.
• Pour excess marinade off the chicken. Add chicken to the pot; boil until white on the outside but still raw in the middle, about 1 minute. Strain off excess liquid.
• Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container until ready to use, up to a few hours. Heat until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

VELVET CHICKEN BREAST WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim chicken breasts to a uniform size, shape and thickness; they should be about 1/2 inch thick. (If using larger breasts, slice them into 1/2-inch-thick cutlets.) Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Velvet the chicken: In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy, then whisk in cornstarch until lump-free. Add chicken breasts and coat well with cornstarch mixture, then cover and marinate for 30 minutes. (Chicken may also be marinated several hours ahead and refrigerated.)
• Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl, stir together Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dried mustard, horseradish and crème fraîche. Set aside.
• Put butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Lay chicken breasts in the pan and sauté very lightly for 30 seconds a side without browning. Remove breasts and blot on paper towels. Discard remaining oil and wipe pan.
• Return skillet to stove and add mustard and crème fraîche mixture and chicken broth. Whisk together to make a thin sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Add breasts and simmer for 1 minute, then turn breasts over, cover pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 1 or 2 minutes more, until meat is firm to the touch.
• Transfer breasts to a warm platter. Bring sauce to a boil, add chopped thyme and reduce until slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over breasts, sprinkle with chives and serve.

CHINESE VELVET CHICKEN

Steps:

• Peel and grate ginger.
• Finely mince garlic cloves.
• Mix ground chicken with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, 1/2 cup chicken stock.
• Lightly beat and gently fold in egg whites.
• Thinly slice mushrooms.
• Chop water chestnuts.
• Heat peanut oil in wok to frying temperature of 375°.
• Drop chicken mixture by rounded spoonful 5 or 6 at a time.
• You should taste test to be sure seasoning is to your liking.
• Finish frying chicken.
• Drain oil from wok.
• Stir fry snap peas, mushrooms, water chestnuts.
• Return chicken to wok.
• Add chili paste & soy sauce.
• Stir corn starch and chicken stock together.
• Pour into wok and toss to coat meat & vegetables; allow to thicken.
• Serve over white rice.
• Ground chicken, chili paste, mushroom soy sauce and fresh shiitaki mushrooms can all be found in Asian markets.

VELVET CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine everything except the chicken and cilantro in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
• Add the chicken, breast side down, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pot undisturbed 30 minutes. Turn the chicken over, breast side up, recover and let stand another 15 minutes.
• Carve the chicken as usual. Serve with a few spoonfuls of broth and garnish with cilantro. The rest of the broth can be used to make ramen or rice, or toss the chicken bones back into the broth and simmer another 2 hours to make Asian chicken stock.