A Quicker Way to Velvet Chicken Breast

The Secret to Tender Chicken Breast

Say goodbye to dry, rubbery chicken breast.

You know how Chinese restaurants manage to make their chicken magically delicious? The stir fried chicken in a good Chinese takeout is silky, juicy, and tender. It’s all thanks to a technique called Velveting.

Traditional velveting requires deep frying, and it’s a hassle to do at home. This Quick Velveting method takes a shortcut by substituting a special ingredient. It’s a quick marinade that takes only 15 minutes.

It produces the best chicken for any stir fry recipe. Try it in our Black Pepper Chicken or Chinese Chicken Curry. Transform your weeknight stir fry dinners!

The Science Behind Velveting

Traditional Chinese Velveting consists of simple water and cornstarch slurry. Sometimes egg whites are added. The cornstarch mixture forms a silky protective coat over the meat, which is then deep-fried or poached in water. This is called zǒu yóu (走油) or “passing through oil.”

The pass through oil fully cooks the outer layer, but the meat inside is still slightly undercooked. Then you add it to your stir fry where it finishes cooking. The result is a silky outside and a tender and juicy inside that retains its moisture.

My Quick Velveting technique is adapted from the traditional method. But it’s modified for the home kitchen. After all, who has time to separately deep fry or poach chicken before stir frying it for a quick weeknight dinner?!

With my quick velvet process, you skip the pass through oil. Instead, we add baking soda to the cornstarch marinade mixture. Then pan-fry the velveted chicken directly in a wok or skillet with just a little bit of oil. Then add vegetables and the rest, so the stir fry is all done in one pan. It’s healthier and faster!

Why add baking soda? Baking soda is a meat tenderizer, and it’s a great way to keep chicken breast soft and juicy. But it’s important not to add too much baking soda or marinade the meat for too long. Otherwise, the chicken will get weird and mushy.

What’s Not in This Recipe

Some velveting recipes call for egg whites or vinegar. Neither of these are necessary!

Egg whites are traditionally used to lubricate the surface of the meat so that it feels moister. But in my blind taste test experiments, there was virtually no difference between chicken velveted with egg white and chicken that was not.

If you see vinegar in a velveting recipe, know that it’s not an authentic Chinese technique. Yes, vinegar does tenderize meat. But it’s not part of the Chinese velveting method. It adds a vinegary flavour to the meat and throws off the taste of many recipes.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Here’s the full ingredient list for my Quicker Velvet Chicken Breast Recipe:

Raw Chicken Breast: I prefer to velvet boneless skinless chicken breast. Chicken breasts are quite lean. So they benefit from velveting to keep them from getting tough and dry. Chicken thighs are already tender and juicy and they don’t need to be velveted.

Note: This velvet marinade also works for other meats, like beef, pork, and fish.

Water: Just a small amount. It adds moisture. When the chicken fully absorbs the water, you’ll know it’s ready to cook.

Shaoxing Wine: Gives the chicken that authentic Chinese restaurant flavour. If you’re avoiding alcohol, just substitute with more water.

Soy Sauce: Adds a bit more moisture and umami to the chicken. Can’t hurt! You can also use oyster sauce instead.

Garlic Powder: Optional. But it’s my secret ingredient for making delicious chicken stir fry. Almost every stir fry recipe is improved by adding extra garlic flavour!!

Cornstarch: Coats the chicken and protects it from overcooking. Also gives the outside a silky mouthfeel. Can substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch.

Baking Soda: Baking soda aka bicarbonate helps to tenderize chicken. It keeps the proteins from seizing up when cooked. It’s a great way to keep chicken breast soft and juicy.

What to Make with Velvet Chicken

• Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
• Chinese Takeaway Chicken Curry
• Dapanji (Xinjiang Chicken Stew)

Storage

Fridge: Refrigerate raw marinated chicken for up to three days.

Freezer: Freeze velvet chicken breast in its marinade for up to three months.

Make Ahead: I prep a big batch of velvet chicken once a month. I portion them out into 8-ounce zip-lock bags so they’re easy to stack in the freezer. If you cook a lot of stir fries, prepping your chicken this way is a lifesaver! You just need to thaw a bag in the fridge overnight. And it’s all ready to stir fry right away.

Note: For any chicken that you aren’t planning to cook the same day, don’t add the baking soda at the beginning. Mix it in during the final 15 minutes just before cooking.

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