Empress Chicken

All hail my empress chicken recipe! One of my favorite  dishes to order when I eat at a good Chinese restaurant. Making it home tastes shockingly better! If you’re looking for Asian chicken recipes that’ll impress, look no further than these crispy chicken nuggets dripping with a sweet, tangy glaze that packs a spicy punch.

In the family tree of Chinese chicken recipes, empress chicken is the spicy cousin of sweet and sour chicken recipe. The breading creates the perfect coating and the sauce brings a tang of vinegar with a touch of sweetness. You top it all off with as much heat as you can stand!

For more wonderful Asian dishes, I hope you’ll try our Hunan beef, easy beef chow mein,  honey garlic chicken, or Mongolian chicken!

Skip the Chinese takeout! Let’s make this chicken!

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE

I love all Asian recipes! That flavor palette always knows how to perfectly combine sweet, savory, and spicy into delectable ways. And this recipe is a celebration of all that makes Asian recipes great!

• Spice adjustable
• Less than an hour to make
• Crowd-pleasing Asian flare!
• Fresh ingredients, fresh taste

WHAT’S EMPRESS CHICKEN?

A lovely Chinese American dish that lightly coated in a dry coating, stir fried, and coated in a fabulous light homemade sweet and sour sauce. It uses chicken breast and keeps the meat tender with a simple technique called “velveting”. It’s easy to do and the results are striking.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMPRESS CHICKEN AND GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN?

Empress chicken has quite a bit less “tang” in the sauce than General Tso’s chicken. They both have a delicious sauce with sweet and sour elements, but General Tso’s is heavier on the vinegar, likely uses a strong type, and a spicier kick. 

Another simple difference in the two dishes is Empress chicken typically uses chicken breast meat while General Tso’s use chicken thighs.

HOW TO MAKE EMPRESS CHICKEN RECIPE

1. Make the marinade: In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy. Stir in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and vodka. Set aside the half of the marinade. Add baking soda and cornstarch in the remaining marinade.
2. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
3. Make the dry coating: In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Stir the reserved egg marinade mix.
4. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
5. Make the sauce: add all the sauce ingredients and whisk. Set aside.
6. Fry the chicken pieces. Set aside.
7. Saute the green onions, jalapeno, and red chili flakes. Add the chicken back to the wok with the sauce and bring to a boil.
8. Cook until the sauce has thickened.
9. Garnish and serve.

***See the full instructions below.

EMPRESS CHICKEN INGREDIENTS

• Egg: We only use an egg white.
• Soy Sauce: I prefer low-sodium soy sauce.
• Seasoned Rice Vinegar: This is an Asian product that is, as the name says, a vinegar that has been seasoned with salt and sweetened with sugar. It’s a lovely condiment. It’s far more mild than white vinegar. For another use, I love it sprinkled on a salad with a little olive or avocado oil.
• Vodka: Well, vodka isn’t a traditionally used ingredient in Chinese food, however, it’s used in our recipe to help the coating stick and enhance the flavors of the dish. It helps to keep the gluten in the batter from getting overly thick and doughy. It also evaporates more quickly than non-alcoholic liquids, which means more (and bigger!) air bubbles that create lacy edges around the chicken and tons of great texture. It’s a game-changer in this batter, but it’s a secret ingredient you can try in other fried dishes too.
• Cornstarch: Gives the wet batter a nice gentle fluff.
• Chicken: This recipe uses big chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rather than the sliced chicken breasts you often find in other stir-fries. You may be tempted to go for cheaper chicken thighs, but trust me, you want the meaty, chicken breasts for this dish.
• Flour: This is the base of the coating.
• Chicken Broth: This is the base of the rich sauce.
• Sugar: Balances the flavor of the sauce and gives this dish its signature mild sweetness.
• Garlic + Ginger: These two ingredients are mandatory for the base flavor of any Chinese dish.
• Oil: We like to use peanut oil for its high smoke point.
• Green Onions: Adds the perfect charred, mild onion flavor.
• Jalapeño: Most of the heat in the pepper is contained in the ribs and seeds. Add or omit, as you like, to control the overall spice and heat in this recipe.
• Red Chili Flakes: The amount in the ingredients list is a suggestion. If you’re making this for kids, feel free to omit completely or add more if you want it spicy!

NOTES + TIPS

• What makes the chicken in this empress chicken recipe stand out is a process called “velveting.” To velvet chicken, you marinate the meat in a combination of egg whites, cornstarch, and rice wine. This tenderizes the meat, which is then often blanched to protect the meat from overcooking during the stir-fry.
• Too Complicated? If this recipe seems too overwhelming, just think of it as any other chicken stir fry! Seasoned chicken fried and served over rice. Easy peasy!
• Breading/Frying: To make sure you fry your chicken as well (and safely!) as you can, here are some of the best tips:
  • Don’t skip the resting step. Not only does it let the chicken tenderize, but it also helps the coating ingredients stick.
  • You do not need a deep-fryer. You can safely and effectively fry chicken with just a home skillet or wok. Invest in a good cooking thermometer that can clip onto the side of your pot, and monitor the temperature of the oil as you fry. Consistent temperature is critical to cooking the chicken without burning the breading.
• Keep it warm. If you need to keep some of the chicken warm while you’re batch-frying, put the cooked pieces on a cookie sheet and place it in a 250-degree oven.
• Wok vs. Skillet: If you don’t have a wok, simply use a large skillet with high, slanted sides. Since there’s less surface area, you’ll just need to avoid overcrowding the pan and cook in batches if necessary. Overcrowding will reduce the temperature of the oil significantly, and you’ll have soggy, greasy chicken instead of the delicate, crispy morsels we’re after.
• Skip the Chicken: Substitute a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp for the chicken in this dish, and you’ll shave off a few of the Empress Chicken calories.
• Carrots: You can add a small handful of commercially grated carrots to the dish for more visual appeal and increased nutrition. I like the coarse texture of the all ready bagged shredded carrots.
• Optional Garnish: This is also lovely with a light sprinkle of sesame seeds.

STORING + FREEZING + MAKE-AHEAD TIPS

How do you keep this recipe just as yummy for tomorrow’s leftovers as it is for tonight’s dinner? Read on for the best storing tips!

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? All the same storage rules apply for the fridge as they did for the freezer. If you want to retain the integrity of your chicken’s crunchy exterior, store it separately from the sauce. You’ll be safe to store your chicken in the fridge for up to 3-4 days that way!
• Can You Freeze This? Yes! Treat your empress chicken recipe like you would chicken nuggets. Though, be warned — since your fried chicken nuggets are covered in that delicious sauce, you will lose that signature crunch over time.
  • If you know you’ll want to freeze your empress chicken recipe leftovers, I suggest not tossing your chicken nuggets in the sauce until you eat them. That way, you can freeze your chicken nuggets and sauce separately, and then when you go to reheat your chicken, you can use a toaster oven to get some of that crunch back.
  • Whatever you decide, you’ll be able to store your chicken nuggets for up to three months in the freezer.
• Make Ahead Tips: There are a lot of delicious elements at work in this recipe, but the best way to speed the process without sacrificing flavor is to whip up the marinade ahead of time. You can safely marinate your chicken in the fridge for up to 48 hours ahead of time (you can actually go as far as two days in advance, but it isn’t necessary).

SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS

This recipe is best to serve on top of a bowl of steaming hot rice, or my favorite, incredible loaded coconut rice! Add Asian coleslaw, roasted broccoli, or a bag of frozen Asian-style veggies to complete your meal! More vegetables are always a good idea.

BETTER THAN TAKE-OUT RECIPES

• Honey Walnut Shrimp
• Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken
• Thai Beef Salad
• Dragon Noodles
• Air Fryer Egg Rolls
• Shrimp Lo Mein
• Szechuan Beef
• Mongolian Chicken
• PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
• Shoyu Chicken
• Crockpot Cashew Chicken
• Spring Roll In A Bowl

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Empress Chicken

Empress chicken is here to satisfy all your sweet, savory, and spicy cravings at once! With crispy chicken and a delicate sauce! A perfect weeknight meal!

Prep Time40 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade:

• ▢ 1 large egg white
• ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vodka
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ 1 pound chicken breast boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes

Dry Coating:

• ▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup cornstarch
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauce:

• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 1/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• ▢ 3-4 cloves fresh garlic minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh ginger peeled and grated
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir Fry:

• ▢ 1 3/4 cups peanut oil
• ▢ 1 bunch green onions thinly sliced on the diagonal
• ▢ 1 fresh jalapeno seeded and chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon

  dried red chili flakes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Make the Marinade: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg white (1) until foamy. Stir in soy sauce (2 tablespoons), rice wine vinegar (2 tablespoons), and vodka (2 tablespoons). Pour half of this mixture into a small bowl and set aside. Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 3 tablespoons cornstarch to the half of the marinade remaining in the large bowl. Add chicken pieces (1 pound) and using your hands, toss to coat evenly.  Set aside.
• Make the Dry Coating: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in reserved egg marinade and mix, breaking up large clumps, until the mixture has coarse, smaller, or granular clumps. Add chicken pieces and using your hands, toss to coat evenly. Press to help the coating adhere. Remove well-coated chicken pieces, shaking off excess coating, and spread out on a wire baking rack. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, Make the Sauce: Add all sauce ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a wok, heat peanut oil to about 350ºF (177ºC). Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, carefully lower pieces of dry coated chicken into hot oil, and cook, stirring frequently, so pieces don't stick together, monitoring the temperature of the oil and maintaining a temperature of 325-370ºF (163-188ºC). Cook until chicken is cooked about 3-4 minutes. Remove cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate and drain well.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok. With the heat on high until just smoking, add half the green onions, jalapeno, and red chili flakes (1 teaspoon) and cook just until fragrant, about 20-30 seconds. Add the chicken back to the wok along with the sauce and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce has thickened. Garnish with the remaining half of the green onions and a few red pepper flakes and serve.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Hibachi Chicken
• 
  Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

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Notes

1. What makes the chicken in this empress chicken recipe stand out is a process called “velveting.” To velvet chicken, you marinate the meat in a combination of egg whites, cornstarch, and rice wine. This tenderizes the meat, which is then often blanched to protect the meat from overcooking during the stir-fry.
2. Too Complicated? If this recipe seems too overwhelming, just think of it as any other chicken stir fry! Seasoned chicken fried and served over rice. Easy peasy!
3. Breading/Frying: To make sure you fry your chicken as well (and safely!) as you can, here are some of the best tips:
   • Don’t skip the resting step. Not only does it let the chicken tenderize, but it also helps the coating ingredients stick.
   • You do not need a deep-fryer. You can safely and effectively fry chicken with just a home skillet or wok. Invest in a good cooking thermometer that can clip onto the side of your pot, and monitor the temperature of the oil as you fry. Consistent temperature is critical to cooking the chicken without burning the breading.
4. Keep it warm. If you need to keep some of the chicken warm while you’re batch-frying, put the cooked pieces on a cookie a sheet and place it in a 250-degree oven.
5. Wok vs. Skillet: If you don’t have a wok, simply use a large skillet with high, slanted sides. Since there’s less surface area, you’ll just need to avoid overcrowding the pan and cook in batches if necessary. Overcrowding will reduce the temperature of the oil significantly, and you’ll have soggy, greasy chicken instead of the delicate, crispy morsels we’re after.
6. Skip the Chicken: Substitute a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp for the chicken in this dish, and you’ll shave off a few of the Empress Chicken calories.
7. Carrots: You can add a small handful of commercially grated carrots to the dish for more visual appeal and increased nutrition. I like the coarse texture of the all ready bagged shredded carrots.
8. Optional Garnish: This is also lovely with a light sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the recipe | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 2043mg | Potassium: 625mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 11.8mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

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