Do you ever notice how tender the chicken is in your favorite Chinese restaurant’s stir fries? That’s because they use a simple technique called “Velveting Chicken” with baking soda to make the chicken tender.
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!.
Chinese restaurants keep this secret from customers, but it will change the way you make stir fries and stir fried noodles with chicken breast.
This is how Chinese people make chicken breast so incredibly soft and juicy. It’s called “velveting chicken.”
Chicken can be tricky to cook just right. It’s easy to end up with dry, chewy pieces if you don’t know how to properly tenderize it. Fortunately, there are several methods you can use at home to get your chicken perfectly tender and juicy every time.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll go over 7 simple techniques to tenderize chicken so it turns out moist and delicious From marinades to mechanical tools, read on to discover the best ways to guarantee tender results
Why Tenderize Chicken?
Before jumping into the tenderizing techniques let’s briefly go over why it’s important in the first place.
When compared to chicken thighs and wings, chicken breast is usually very lean and tends to dry out while cooking. It has less fat and connective tissue.
If you don’t tenderize chicken breast the right way, it can go from juicy to dry and chewy very quickly. As the meat cooks, the fibers get tighter and squeeze out water.
Tenderizing helps break down some of these tough muscle fibers. This allows the chicken to better absorb flavors and retain moisture during cooking.
The result is chicken that practically melts in your mouth with every bite!
7 Simple Ways to Tenderize Chicken
Here are 7 easy methods to ensure your chicken comes out perfectly tender:
1. Use a Meat Mallet
A meat mallet is ideal for mechanically breaking down the chicken’s tough muscle fibers. Simply place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it with the mallet.
Start gently and increase force if needed. Be careful not to overdo it, as too much pounding can turn the meat mushy. Flattening the chicken also helps it cook more evenly.
2. Marinate in Acidic Ingredients
An acidic marinade helps tenderize chicken. Things like lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk, yogurt, and wine can all be used to break down tough proteins.
Simply combine your choice of acid with oil, herbs, and spices to create a flavorful marinade. Soak the raw chicken in it for 30 minutes up to overnight in the fridge.
3. Use Enzyme-Rich Fruits
Fruits like pineapple, papaya, figs, kiwi, and ginger have enzymes that naturally break down proteins. To make chicken more tender, mix the juice or purees from these fruits into a marinade.
The proteins are partially digested by the fruit enzymes, resulting in super tender poultry after cooking.
4. Coat with Baking Soda
Baking soda raises the pH on chicken’s surface, altering protein structures so they don’t bunch up as tightly during cooking.
Make a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda per 1 cup water. Soak the chicken for 15-30 minutes depending on size, then rinse thoroughly.
5. Brine the Chicken
A saltwater brine helps loosen proteins and allows seasonings to deeply penetrate. Dissolve 1/2 cup salt in 4 cups water with aromatics like garlic, peppercorns and herbs.
Submerge the chicken and refrigerate 1-2 hours. Rinse and pat dry before cooking.
6. Use a Marinade with Oil
While acidic marinades work quickly, oil-based ones also effectively tenderize chicken over time. Olive, avocado or coconut oil help break down fibers.
Let the chicken soak in the flavorful oil marinade overnight in the fridge for maximum tenderizing effects.
7. Cook with Moist Heat
Braising, stewing or cooking in a slow cooker are great ways to make chicken tender. The long, slow cooking times combined with moisture gently breaks down proteins.
Simply brown the chicken first, then cook until fork tender in flavorful liquid. The meat shreds easily.
Tips for Maximizing Tenderness
To get the most tender chicken possible, follow these useful tips:
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Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly.
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Don’t over-marinate. Acidic marinades quickly turn meat mushy.
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Brine large cuts like a whole chicken or turkey. It really makes a difference.
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When baking soda soaking, use exact measurements and rinse thoroughly after.
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Combine methods like marinating then braising for super tender results.
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Don’t overcook. Chicken can go from juicy to dry quickly, so watch closely.
The Takeaway
With the right technique, you can enjoy perfectly moist and tender chicken every time. An acidic marinade, enzymatic fruit puree or brine are all simple ways to infuse flavor while breaking down tough fibers.
Mechanical pounding helps too. Low, slow cooking methods after tenderizing really seals the deal.
So next time you cook up chicken, try one of these proven tenderizing tricks. Your taste buds will thank you with each succulent, mouthwatering bite!
How do Chinese Restaurants tenderise chicken?
There are actually a few different ways to tenderise chicken the Chinese restaurant way:
- the meat first marinates in a sludge of cornstarch and cornflour, then it is deep-fried or blanched in water before being cooked in a stir-fry.
- egg whites—egg whites are sometimes used with the above method as well.
- chemical tenderiser
- simple baking soda / bi carbonate method
I use the baking soda method, which is what I’m going to talk about today, because it’s the easiest and works just as well as the cornstarch method, which I’ve tried many times with different combinations (egg whites, no egg whites, shoaxing wine, deep frying, water blanching, etc.).
Velveting Chicken: Tenderise chicken the Chinese restaurant way!
Here’s how to velvet chicken:
- Add 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda (bi-carb) to each 250g/8oz piece or strip of chicken breast.
- Marinate for 20 minutes
- To get rid of extra water, rinse well under running water and pat with a paper towel.
- Follow the directions on the recipe and be amazed at the juiciest chicken breast you’ve ever had, just like at a Chinese restaurant!!!
I only tenderise chicken breast because it’s so lean. I find chicken thigh tender and juicy enough to use without tenderising.
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 To Tenderize Chicken Breasts
FAQ
What is a good tenderizer for chicken?
We recommend marinating your chicken in buttermilk or yogurt overnight, but if it’s urgent, then an hour will do. However, the texture of the chicken won’t be as even as chicken marinated overnight. The process is simple: you only have to immerse the chicken in a container with enough yogurt or buttermilk and seal it.
Does baking soda really tenderize chicken?
You velvet chicken with baking soda, not baking powder. Baking soda works as a meat tenderizer on chicken because it changes the pH of the meat. This prevents the proteins from bonding tightly and gives it a soft and silky texture when stir-fried.