How Do Chinese Restaurants Make Chicken So Tender? The Velveting Technique Explained
Discover how Chinese restaurants use velveting—a marinade and par-cooking method—to achieve tender, silky chicken in stir-fries.
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Chinese restaurants achieve tender chicken by using velveting. This technique involves marinating the chicken in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch, and rice vinegar or another acid, then briefly blanching or par-cooking it in oil or water. The result is silky, tender chicken commonly found in stir-fries.
FAQs & Answers
- What is velveting in Chinese cooking? Velveting is a Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating meat in a mixture like egg white and cornstarch, then briefly blanching it in oil or water to create tender, silky texture.
- Why is chicken so tender in Chinese restaurants? Chinese restaurants use velveting, which tenderizes the chicken by coating it in a special marinade and par-cooking it, resulting in a soft, silky texture.
- Can I velvet chicken at home? Yes, you can velvet chicken at home by marinating in egg white, cornstarch, and rice vinegar, then briefly cooking it in hot oil or water prior to stir-frying.