Juicy chicken thighs braised in a garlicky, umami, sweet and savory sauce with a bit of heat from ginger and sriracha. This garlic ginger soy braised chicken is a fast, easy main for weeknight dinners and freezer-friendly. The cooking is almost totally hands-off, the soy marinade can be started the night before, then the oven does all the work. No need to stand over the stove searing meat or fiddling with a sauce. Top with fresh scallions and nutty sesame seeds and serve with rice and Asian greens or mashed potatoes and stovetop carrots.
Ginger chicken is a classic Chinese takeout dish that is simple to recreate at home. With just a few pantry staples, you can make restaurant-quality ginger chicken packed with flavor. This easy chicken stir-fry comes together in about 30-45 minutes.
What is Ginger Chicken?
Ginger chicken features chicken pieces coated in a crispy starch coating that have been fried and then tossed in a sweet, savory ginger sauce. The sauce usually contains fresh ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, and other aromatic ingredients. Ginger chicken offers a delicious balance of flavors – the chicken is crispy and salty, while the sauce is sticky, gingery, and a touch spicy. It’s an addicting combination!
The dish ginger chicken is served at many Chinese restaurants in North America. People often order it as a main dish or an appetizer. Other dishes that are similar are general tso’s chicken and sesame chicken. Takeout ginger chicken is tasty, but making it at home tastes even better and costs much less.
How to Make Ginger Chicken
Making ginger chicken at home is easy to do Here are step-by-step instructions
Ingredients Needed
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Cornstarch or potato starch for dredging
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Fresh ginger, grated
- Garlic, minced
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar or honey
- Rice wine or dry sherry
- Chicken stock or water
Prepare the Sauce
First, prepare your aromatic ginger sauce. In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, sesame oil, chili flakes, grated fresh ginger, and chicken stock. Set aside.
Coat the Chicken
Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Add some soy sauce, grated ginger, and white pepper to a bowl with the chicken. Dredge chicken in cornstarch, coating each piece evenly.
Fry the Chicken
Heat 1⁄4 inch vegetable oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches until crispy and golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per batch. Drain fried chicken on a paper towel-lined plate.
Finish the Dish
Pour the prepared sauce into the pan with the oil Let simmer until thickened, 1-2 minutes Add chicken back to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds if desired.
Serve Ginger Chicken
Serve the ginger chicken right away while it’s still hot, with steamed rice or noodles on the side. Enjoy this better-than-takeout meal!.
Tips for Making the Best Ginger Chicken
Follow these tips for crispy, saucy ginger chicken every time:
-
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the best texture. The dark meat stays juicy when fried. Cut into 1 inch cubes.
-
Make sure your oil is hot before frying. Use a thermometer to maintain the temperature at 325-350°F.
-
Fry the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding. This helps it get super crispy.
-
Use a heavy bottomed pan like a dutch oven or cast iron skillet to regulate oil temperature.
-
Drain fried chicken on a wire rack or paper towels. Letting it sit removes excess oil.
-
Grate the ginger finely so it incorporates smoothly into the sauce.
-
Use young, fresh ginger for the strongest flavor. Mature ginger can taste bitter.
-
Add chili flakes to taste if you like a little kick of heat.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
You can prepare the sauce and coated chicken a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge until ready to fry and finish the dish.
Leftovers will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of water to loosen up the sauce.
The fried chicken also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Ginger chicken is commonly served with:
- Steamed jasmine rice or fried rice
- Rice noodles, ramen noodles, lo mein
- Stir fry veggies like broccoli, peppers, snap peas
- An Asian soup like egg drop soup, hot and sour soup or wonton soup
It also makes a great filling for:
- Lettuce wraps
- Tacos
- Stir fry with extra veggies
- Rice bowls
This saucy chicken works well in many dishes beyond the classic Chinese takeout style. Try tossing it in pasta, sandwiches, salads and more for a burst of gingery flavor.
Variations
There are lots of ways to customize this recipe:
-
For a less spicy version, omit the chili flakes and use less ginger.
-
For extra flavor, add minced shallots or onion.
-
Use chicken broth instead of water for a richer tasting sauce.
-
Mix up the protein with shrimp, beef or tofu.
-
Swap the brown sugar for honey, maple syrup or agave.
-
For a gluten free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
-
Add citrus like orange zest or juice.
-
Use sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds for nutty sesame chicken.
Ginger Chicken vs. General Tso’s Chicken
Ginger chicken and general tso’s chicken are two of the most popular Chinese chicken dishes. While they seem similar, there are some key differences:
-
Ginger chicken features a translucent ginger sauce, while general tso’s sauce is thick and rich.
-
General tso’s chicken uses more sugar in the sauce for an intense sweetness.
-
The general’s sauce also contains chili peppers and is much spicier.
-
Ginger chicken is crispy from the cornstarch dredge, but general tso’s chicken has a fluffy, velvety batter coating.
-
Ginger chicken is lighter tasting overall, while general tso’s is very bold.
FAQs
What cut of chicken is best?
Chicken thighs are ideal because they stay so moist and tender, but you can also use chicken breasts. Just be careful not to overcook them.
Can I use frozen chicken?
Yes, just thaw it first and pat dry. The cornstarch dredge will help hide any ice crystals.
Do I have to deep fry the chicken?
Nope! You can pan fry or shallow fry it in just 1/4 inch oil with great results.
What if I don’t have rice wine?
Dry sherry makes a great substitute. Or you can use broth or water.
Can I make it spicy?
Absolutely. Add extra minced chili peppers, chili oil, or chili crisp sauce.
Can I add veggies?
Sure! Onions, carrots, bell peppers all work well. Just cook them with the aromatics first before adding sauce.
Enjoy Restaurant Worthy Ginger Chicken at Home
Whipping up ginger chicken is easy and fun. In less than an hour, you can have crispy fried chicken drenched in a sweet, gingery sauce that rivals your favorite takeout. This versatile recipe also makes great leftovers and freezes nicely. Experiment with different sauce ingredients and chicken coating options until you create your perfect ginger chicken.
Tips for Serving, Storing and Freezing
- These chicken breasts taste great with creamy mashed potatoes and a simple side of sautéed kale or collard greens. It would also go well with rice and a salad. In either case, you need something green and fresh, as well as something starchy to soak up the extra garlic ginger sauce.
- Any extra chicken can be kept in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Â .
- This recipe works beautifully as a freezer meal. Just make the marinade and put it in a plastic or silicone bag that can go in the freezer. Place the chicken in the bag and coat each piece with the marinade. Seal the bag, making sure to get rid of as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To cook from frozen, put the bag in the fridge overnight to thaw. Place the bag on the counter about 30 to 45 minutes before cooking the next day to let it warm up. Then follow the recipe exactly as written below.
- For dinner, you can still have the chicken even if you forgot to take it out the night before. Just don’t leave the bag on the counter to thaw. To be safe, put the frozen bag inside a slightly bigger dish, add very cold water on top of it, and put something heavy on top to keep the meat submerged. Leave it for a few hours until it thaws. Every half hour, change the water so the chicken is always sitting in very cold water. Â .
Preparing Chicken in a Soy Sauce Marinade
This recipe uses a soy sauce marinade, which adds flavor and umami to the chicken but differs somewhat from marinades that rely on acidic ingredients to do the work of tenderizing the meat. Under most circumstances, salt draws moisture out of meat, which you donât want. But with a soy sauce marinade, the sodium-rich soy sauce actually functions like a brine. Â.
Wet brining allows the flavor from the seasonings to absorb into the meat all the way through and works to tenderize it first by increasing its moisture-holding capacity, and then by allowing it to take up some of the moisture from the brine. Since the meat is then more moist than it otherwise would be before cooking, meat that has been brined will be juicier even after it inevitably loses some moisture during the cooking process. Â.
Chicken is a relatively tender meat, so the brining process requires less time than, say, it does for pork. Ideally, you want to give the chicken at least 30 minutes in the soy sauce mixture, but 2-4 hours is even better. If itâs easiest for you to prepare the chicken in advance the night before, the chicken can also be left in the soy-marinade-brine overnight in the refrigerator. However, you donât want to leave the chicken in the brine for much longer than that, or the texture of the chicken will deteriorate. Â.