Ever notice how the chicken in stir fries at your favourite Chinese restaurant is incredibly tender? It’s because they tenderise chicken using a simple method called Velveting Chicken using baking soda.
It’s a quick and easy method that any home cook can do, and can also be used for beef. Use this for all your favourite Chinese chicken dishes, like Cashew Chicken, Chicken Stir Fry, Chow Mein and Kung Pao Chicken. This is a game changer!
This is a closely guarded Chinese restaurant secret that’s going to revolutionise your stir fries and stir fried noodles that you make with chicken breast.
It’s called “velveting chicken” and it’s the Chinese way to tenderise chicken breast so it’s unbelievably tender and juicy.
Velveting Chicken: Tenderise chicken the Chinese restaurant way!
Here’s how to velvet chicken:
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For every 250g/8oz chicken breast strips or pieces, toss with 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb)
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Marinate for 20 minutes
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Rinse well under running water, pat with paper towel to remove excess water
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Cook per chosen recipe and marvel at the most tender chicken breast you’ve ever had, just like at Chinese restaurants!!!
I only tenderise chicken breast because it’s so lean. I find chicken thigh tender and juicy enough to use without tenderising.
What does Velveted Chicken taste like?
Velveting chicken does not add any flavour so it tastes just like normal chicken. It is the texture that is affected. The chicken fibres are broken down so the chicken becomes much softer on the inside and surface. “Velvet” like – hence the name!
How do Chinese Restaurants tenderise chicken?
There are actually a few different ways to tenderise chicken the Chinese restaurant way:
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marinating in a cornstarch/cornflour sludge then deep frying or blanching in water before proceeding to cook in the stir fry
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egg whites – sometimes the above method is also done using egg whites
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chemical tenderiser
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simple baking soda / bi carbonate method
I use the baking soda method which is the technique I’m sharing today because it’s the most fuss free and just as effective as the cornstarch method which I’ve tried numerous times, using various combinations (egg whites, no egg whites, shoaxing wine, deep frying, water blanching).
How to cook velveted chicken
Once the chicken has been velveted, you can go ahead and marinate it in liquid or even dry flavourings. Then just cook it as the recipe directs.
Tenderised chicken can be:
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cooked in a skillet or wok – in stir fries and stir fried noodles;
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cooked in broth – it would be ideal to add into Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup, Just drop it in raw, it will cook in 2 minutes; or
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deep fried.
I personally do not bake chicken pieces for Chinese recipes, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work.
Recipes to make using tenderised chicken
I’m sharing this recipe today with Chinese stir fries and stir fried noodles in mind. But it can be used for any recipe – even non Asian ones – that is made with chicken strips or bite size pieces because the tenderising process doesn’t add any flavour to the chicken.
Build your own stir fry using my All Purpose Chinese Stir Fry Sauce or Peanut Sauce for stir fries!
A few Chinese takeout favourites that are ideal for making with velveted chicken include:
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Cashew Chicken (above)
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Kung Pao Chicken (below)
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Chop Suey Chicken Stir Fry (below)
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Add into Fried Rice
It can also be used in soups instead of poaching and shredded a whole chicken breast. Just drop the tenderised chicken strips into the broth and it will cook in 2 minutes:
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Laksa (I know this isn’t Chinese, but it’s terrific in Laksa)
I hope you find this useful! I’ve been jamming directions for how to tenderise chicken into every stir fry recipe I’ve shared since the beginning of time. And it’s way long overdue for me to write up a separate post for it! – Nagi x
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How to Tenderise Chicken for Stir Fries (Chinese secret!)
Ingredients
- 250 g / 8 oz chicken breast slices OR bite size pieces (note whole pieces, Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb/bi-carbonate)
Instructions
- Place chicken in a bowl and sprinkle baking soda all over the surface.
- Toss with fingers to coat as evenly as possible.
- Refrigerate 20 minutes for slices, 30 minutes for bite size pieces.
- Rinse well in colander to remove baking soda.
- Shake off then pat away excess water (doesn't need to be 100% dry).
- Use as directed in chosen recipe - stir fries and noodles (see in post for suggested recipes). Can be marinated, cooked on the stove, deep fried, simmered in broth.
Recipe Notes:
1. Only use slices and bite size pieces - This method of tenderising chicken is suitable for sliced or small bite size pieces of chicken, not a whole breast or thigh fillet. The baking soda is too strong and will over tenderise the outside before the inside is tenderised. To tenderise a whole breast fillet, either use a marinade (like this one) or dry brine (use method in this Chicken Parmigiana recipe. General notes:
- I've left chicken marinating for almost 1 hour and it's been fine. A bit more soft that I'd like, but it wasn't too soft.
- I only tenderise breast and tenderloin. I don't think chicken thigh needs it, it's juicy enough as it is.
- Storage: While I can't prove this definitely, I feel like the shelf life of the raw chicken is shortened slightly. I like to use it within 24 hours - or freeze it.
Velveting chicken – it works thank you :)-m
This is life changing. I always wondered why chicken at Chinese restaurants was so different. So, I tried this and was not optimistic. This is spot on. It’s amazing and shocking. It makes all the difference.
I just saw this. I have like 3 breasts marinating now. Is it too late to rinse and dry it and use the soda?
Hi, is it possible to velvet a large amount of meat then freeze it in meal size packets to save time?
Yes – I do this all the time. Make as per instructions then freeze in small, ready to use portions
Oh wow it worked way better than I thought it would, tenderised my chicken thoroughly, made it so juicy i couldn’t tell that it was chicken breast. Where has this been all my life!
what happens if you forgot to rinse ?
Amazing! Oh boy, this really made my chicken breast bite’s absolutely tender and juicy. Definite Game changer! Where have you been with this great cooking secret all my life?! Thank you SO much for sharing !!
I do this everytime and it makes a huge difference. I also do this on beef and pork
Game changer! This is the most useful technique. Love using it for my stir frys.
I now do this to just about every chicken dish I make. It make the chicken so tender yet it is such an easy thing to do.
Absolute gold tip
Hi Nagi!
My stir-fried chicken always turned out rubbery and I would pick out the chicken pieces for my husband to eat.
This is literally a magic trick!
Thank you so much!
Will this velveting method work on pork?
Great tip worked well, thanks🙂
I velvet my chicken thigh and it’s brilliant.
I Velveted my Chicken Thighs for a Red Thai Curry tonight and the Chicken is so Tender and Beautiful just like you would buy in a Restaurant. Thank you Nagi for Sharing your Amazing Recipes
Thank you, Nagi! We’ve had woody breasts here nearly since the advent of Covid, and using Velveting–which I first read about from you, some years back–has saved our bacon, so to speak! Now, I’ve nearly consumed my weight in velveted chicken, mind you, in one sitting, due to the umami of it all–but OMG, thank you for the simplicity of this and the mind-blowing effectiveness.
We make a “chicken fingers” sort of thing–longer slicers, not medallions–and we velvet them for 30 mins, then rinse and dry thoroughly–and then we use a blackening spice mix (like you would for Blackened Redfish) and OMG, it’s simply addiction. Sheer addiction–thank you so much.
Just some constructive criticism… and I totally understand that it was likely a simple mistake on your part, and you didn’t mean any malice. I strongly believe that this post’s use of the word “sludge” should be replaced with the word “slurry”. Using the word sludge perpetuates the (very wrong and discriminatory) stereotype that Chinese restaurants are unclean.
“marinating in a cornstarch/cornflour SLUDGE”. The word “sludge” carries a very negative connotation, almost always used to describe dirty contaminated things. For example, a toxic waste swamp is said to contain ‘sludge’, and an oil tanker spill in the ocean is described as ‘sludge’.
Aside from that, this post and the tips you included are great. I enjoy this blog very much.
Google the definition of sludge… it refers to a texture/thickness of liquid things. Just because it’s usually an appropriate word to describe toxic or dirty things like the examples you gave doesn’t mean the word itself automatically implies a particular level of filth. If you mix cornstarch with water, it’s a slurry. Let said slurry sit for 15 minutes and it becomes a poster child for sludge.
Also, I don’t think a food blog is the appropriate place to be digging for(nonexistent) things to wave the ethnic or racial discrimination battle flag over.
You obviously have never been in a Chinese restaurant kitchen! Take a peek in Chinatown someday.
I used this technique this evening for the first time. It worked! For me, that was amazing lol I usually manage to muck something up. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Hi there. I oven bake all of my meats, especially chicken breast. But it comes out dry even if I’ve marinated it for a while and basted it whilst cooking. Can I velvet the chicken breasts with your bicarb method and then rinse and season as I usually do and then oven cook it?? Will it work? Desperate to know. Many thanks 😊
I served dry chicken breast for years until I recently discovered the secret. Spread butter under the skin. Salt/pepper. Heat skillet very hot with a little oil, cook skin side down for 3 minutes,,,.don’t move them. Turn over, place in 425 oven for 35-40 min depending on size of breasts. Lightly cover with foil, rest 10 minutes. Drippings in pan make wonderful sauce. This chicken comes out moist and perfect every time.
This is the best! Chicken came out so tender in the chow mein and with so little effort! Sooooo good!