A classic Cantonese takeout dish featuring crispy double-fried chicken coated in a wet batter and dressed in a flavorful sweet and sour sauce. The recipe demonstrates restaurant techniques for achieving the crispiest crust and balancing the perfect sweet-sour sauce.
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Adapted from a video by Made With Lau
🤤 How a Chinese chef cooks Sweet and Sour Chicken! (甜酸雞)
waterfor batter (adjusted as needed for proper consistency)7 tbsp
oilfor batter, adds gloss1 tsp
ketchup5 tbsp
red vinegar3 tbsp
white distilled vinegarif red vinegar is not available1 tbsp
rice vinegar1 tbsp
saltfor sweet and sour sauce½ tsp
sugar4 tbsp
potato starchfor thickening slurry2 tsp
waterfor thickening slurry2 tbsp
pineapplecut into small pieces5 oz
carrotsmall amount, sliced thin~1 mediumest.
red bell pepperabout one quarter, cut into angular chunks~1 largeest.
onioncut into angular chunks2 oz
oilfor deep frying8 oz
oilfinishing oil for gloss~1 tbspest.
Steps
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1
Prepare the vegetables by cutting the pineapple into half-inch thick slices, slicing the carrots thin, cutting the bell pepper into angular chunks, and cutting the onion into similar angular chunks.
2
Cut the chicken into half-inch cubes and place in a bowl.
3
Marinate the chicken by mixing in oyster sauce, light soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and salt until evenly coated.
4
Prepare the wet batter by combining flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Gradually add water while stirring until the batter reaches the right consistency where it falls in a narrow stream (rat's tail consistency). Add oil at the end for gloss.
5
Make the sweet and sour sauce by combining ketchup, red vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Taste and adjust the balance of sweetness and tartness as needed.
6
Prepare the thickening slurry by mixing potato starch with water.
7
Heat the oil in a hot wok to about 350°F for the first fry. Mix the marinated chicken with the wet batter, ensuring each piece is well coated.
8
First fry: carefully lower the chicken pieces into the oil one at a time using your hands, then gently separate them with chopsticks. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden, then remove and drain.
9
Repeat the first fry with the second batch of chicken using the same method.
10
Second fry: raise the oil temperature to 380-390°F. Fry the first batch again for about 30 seconds to expel remaining moisture and maximize crispiness, then repeat with the second batch.
11
Fry the vegetables by passing them lightly through the still-hot oil for about 30 seconds, then drain.
12
Dry out the oil by heating on high for 1.5-2 minutes until the water from the vegetables evaporates so the oil can be reused.
13
Prepare the sauce by pouring the sweet and sour sauce into a clean wok over heat, bringing it to a boil while stirring. Add half the starch slurry and mix well.
14
Add the fried vegetables to the sauce and adjust the thickness by adding more slurry if needed. Taste and adjust the flavors.
15
Turn off the heat, add the fried chicken and pineapple, and mix gently. For maximum crispiness, you may keep the sauce and chicken separate and dip as you eat. Drizzle with a finishing oil for gloss and toss together.
PrimedTableBETA
