Hong Kong Style Sweet and Sour Chicken
Hong Kong Style Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1/4 cup custard powder, original, not instant
- 2 pinches salt
- 2 pinches MSG
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 egg white
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying, or as needed
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange squash cordial
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 pinches salt
- 2 pinches MSG
- 3 drops bright red food coloring
- 2 drops dark soy sauce, for color only
- 1/2 onion, medium, chopped
- 1/4 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup canned pineapples, drained
- 2 tablespoons potato starch, for slurry
- 1/4 cup water, for slurry
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken coating: In a baking tray, combine 1 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup custard powder, 2 pinches of salt, 2 pinches of MSG, and 1 pinch of white pepper. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly.
⏱️ 3 min
- 2
First pass chicken coating: Place the chicken breast chunks into the dry coating mixture and ensure they are well coated. Shake off any excess coating and transfer the coated chicken to a clean bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Velvet the chicken: Add the egg white from 1 egg to the chicken pieces in the bowl. Mix well to coat the chicken with the egg white.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Second pass chicken coating: Return the egg-white-coated chicken to the dry starch mixture in the baking tray. Coat the chicken pieces thoroughly again.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
First fry the chicken: Pour vegetable oil into a deep pan or wok, enough for deep frying. Heat the oil on high heat to approximately 180°C (350°F). Carefully place the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil and fry until they are crispy and cooked through. This should take about 4-5 minutes per batch.
⏱️ 8 min•🌡️ 180
- 6
Rest the chicken: Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place it on kitchen paper or a wire rack to drain for about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Second fry the chicken: Return the partially fried chicken to the hot oil for a second fry. This will make the chicken extra crispy. Fry for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown and very crispy.
⏱️ 3 min•🌡️ 180
- 8
Prepare the sweet and sour sauce: In a clean pan, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup orange squash cordial, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 pinches of salt, 2 pinches of MSG, and 3 drops of bright red food coloring. Stir all ingredients together and bring the mixture to a boil, allowing it to simmer for a few minutes to cook off the raw taste of the ketchup.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Add color and vegetables to sauce: Add 2 drops of dark soy sauce for color. Then, add the chopped onions, carrots, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and drained canned pineapples to the simmering sauce. Cook for about 30 seconds.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of potato starch with 1/4 cup of water to create a slurry. Gradually stir the potato starch slurry into the simmering sauce until it thickens to your desired consistency.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Combine and serve: Add the double-fried chicken pieces into the sweet and sour sauce with vegetables. Toss gently to coat the chicken well with the sauce. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Hong Kong Style Sweet and Sour Chicken
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1/4 cup custard powder, original, not instant
- 2 pinches salt
- 2 pinches MSG
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 egg white
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying, or as needed
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange squash cordial
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 pinches salt
- 2 pinches MSG
- 3 drops bright red food coloring
- 2 drops dark soy sauce, for color only
- 1/2 onion, medium, chopped
- 1/4 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup canned pineapples, drained
- 2 tablespoons potato starch, for slurry
- 1/4 cup water, for slurry
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken coating: In a baking tray, combine 1 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup custard powder, 2 pinches of salt, 2 pinches of MSG, and 1 pinch of white pepper. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly.
⏱️ 3 min - 2
First pass chicken coating: Place the chicken breast chunks into the dry coating mixture and ensure they are well coated. Shake off any excess coating and transfer the coated chicken to a clean bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Velvet the chicken: Add the egg white from 1 egg to the chicken pieces in the bowl. Mix well to coat the chicken with the egg white.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Second pass chicken coating: Return the egg-white-coated chicken to the dry starch mixture in the baking tray. Coat the chicken pieces thoroughly again.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
First fry the chicken: Pour vegetable oil into a deep pan or wok, enough for deep frying. Heat the oil on high heat to approximately 180°C (350°F). Carefully place the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil and fry until they are crispy and cooked through. This should take about 4-5 minutes per batch.
⏱️ 8 min•🌡️ 180 - 6
Rest the chicken: Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place it on kitchen paper or a wire rack to drain for about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Second fry the chicken: Return the partially fried chicken to the hot oil for a second fry. This will make the chicken extra crispy. Fry for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown and very crispy.
⏱️ 3 min•🌡️ 180 - 8
Prepare the sweet and sour sauce: In a clean pan, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup orange squash cordial, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 pinches of salt, 2 pinches of MSG, and 3 drops of bright red food coloring. Stir all ingredients together and bring the mixture to a boil, allowing it to simmer for a few minutes to cook off the raw taste of the ketchup.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Add color and vegetables to sauce: Add 2 drops of dark soy sauce for color. Then, add the chopped onions, carrots, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and drained canned pineapples to the simmering sauce. Cook for about 30 seconds.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of potato starch with 1/4 cup of water to create a slurry. Gradually stir the potato starch slurry into the simmering sauce until it thickens to your desired consistency.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Combine and serve: Add the double-fried chicken pieces into the sweet and sour sauce with vegetables. Toss gently to coat the chicken well with the sauce. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 3 min