Jake Harper
Chinese chicken in white sauce is a popular dish that is both healthy and easy to make at home. The chicken is typically marinated in a mixture of water, salt, pepper, and cornstarch, before being stir-fried with vegetables such as broccoli and mushrooms. The white sauce is made from chicken stock, garlic, ginger, and green onions, thickened with cornstarch, and flavored with sesame oil and rice wine. This versatile sauce can be used in various stir-fry dishes and is known for its mild yet flavorful taste. One of the most famous dishes featuring chicken in white sauce is Moo Goo Gai Pan, a Cantonese stir-fry with vegetables and chicken.
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What You'll Learn
Chicken and broccoli in white sauce
To make the chicken, start by cutting the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then cut them again at a slight angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl and add kosher salt, ground white pepper, and cold water. Massage the seasonings into the chicken for about 1 minute, until most of it is absorbed. Next, add cornstarch and mix until it is moistened, then add neutral oil and massage until combined. Set the chicken aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, make the sauce mixture. Combine sugar, salt, sesame oil, white pepper, and chicken stock, and set aside. Blanch the broccoli by bringing 6 cups of water to a boil, adding the broccoli for 1-2 minutes, then draining and setting aside. You can adjust the blanching time depending on how crunchy or soft you like your broccoli.
Next, add the chicken to the boiling water and stir to separate the pieces. Cook just until the chicken turns opaque, then remove it from the water and set aside. Discard the water, clean the wok, and heat it over medium-high heat until it is completely dry. Add vegetable oil, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 20 seconds. Then, add rice wine around the perimeter of the wok, followed by the warmed chicken stock and seasonings. Slowly drizzle the cornstarch slurry into the wok and continue to cook until the sauce thickens and coats the broccoli.
Finally, add the chicken and broccoli back to the wok and stir for 30 seconds. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, with steamed rice if desired.
This dish is perfect for a healthy, tasty, and easy Chinese meal, and it's even better than takeout!
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Marinating chicken with cornstarch
One Chinese dish with chicken in a white sauce is moo goo gai pan, a mushroom chicken stir fry with vegetables.
To marinate chicken with cornstarch, you can use a simple mixture of water, oil, cornstarch, and a flavour agent like soy sauce or oyster sauce. The chicken should be uniformly coated and then left to sit for 15-20 minutes. Shaoxing wine or sesame oil may also be added. This technique is called velveting and is used to tenderise the chicken. It is a common practice in Chinese restaurants as a first cooking step. The chicken is then seared in a hot wok, which brings out the flavour and creates a light crust. This eventually melts when the chicken is added back to the sauce, creating extra flavour.
Velveting can also be done by marinating chicken in a cornstarch/cornflour mixture and then deep-frying or blanching in water before stir-frying. This technique can be used on chicken breast, as the chicken fibres are broken down, resulting in softer meat.
Another method involves coating the chicken in baking soda and refrigerating for 20 minutes for slices and 30 minutes for bite-size pieces. The chicken is then rinsed and patted dry before being used as directed in the recipe. This method is only suitable for sliced or bite-size chicken pieces, not whole breasts or thigh fillets.
A basic Chinese marinade for 453 grams of meat includes 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of whiskey, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. The chicken should be left to marinate for at least half an hour.
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White sauce ingredients
Chinese white sauce is a light-coloured, clear sauce commonly used in stir-fries. It is often used in dishes with seafood, vegetables, or chicken, such as moo goo gai pan, a mushroom chicken stir fry with vegetables.
The sauce is made with a base of chicken stock or water, thickened with cornstarch. To make the sauce, you can whisk the cornstarch into the stock and stir the mixture into the stir fry. The sauce can be added at the very end, once the protein and vegetables are fully cooked.
Other ingredients include:
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Green onions (scallions)
- Toasted sesame oil
- Salt
- Rice cooking wine (optional)
The sauce can be adjusted to your desired thickness by adding more cornstarch. It is best served immediately, but it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
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White sauce consistency
The consistency of Chinese white sauce is light and clear. It is thickened with cornstarch, which gives the sauce a light and delicate flavour. The cornstarch will make the sauce mixture look opaque, but it will soon turn translucent and thicken as it boils. The sauce is made with chicken stock or water, and thickened with a cornstarch slurry.
The consistency of the sauce can be adjusted to your preference. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to the mixture. The sauce will set into a gel-like consistency when stored in the fridge, but this is normal and it will melt when added to a hot pan.
The sauce is typically added to a stir fry at the very end, once the protein and vegetables are fully cooked. It only takes 30 seconds to a minute for the sauce to warm up and coat the ingredients.
The white sauce is often used in dishes such as moo goo gai pan, a mushroom chicken stir fry with vegetables, or chicken and broccoli. It is a versatile sauce that can be used with any combination of vegetables and protein.
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White sauce stir-fry tips
Chinese white sauce is a light, clear, delicate sauce that is perfect for stir-fries. It is commonly used in moo goo gai pan, a chicken and mushroom stir fry with vegetables. Here are some tips for making and using this versatile sauce:
Ingredients
The sauce is typically made with chicken powder or chicken stock, garlic, ginger, green onions (scallions), and toasted sesame oil. Some recipes also call for Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce and create a light, clear, and delicious coating.
Preparation
To make the sauce, combine the chicken stock or powder with the garlic, ginger, green onions, and other ingredients (if using). Adjust the amount of cornstarch to achieve your desired thickness—add more cornstarch for a thicker sauce. Make sure to add the sesame oil after turning off the heat to retain its flavour.
Stir-Fry Tips
When using Chinese white sauce in a stir-fry, add it at the very end once your protein and vegetables are fully cooked. It only takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute for the sauce to warm up and coat your ingredients. You can also use this sauce as a base for other stir-fry sauces by adding soy sauce, oyster sauce, or chili hot sauce.
Storage
The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It may set into a gel consistency due to the cornstarch, but it will melt and turn back into a sauce when added to a hot pan.
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Frequently asked questions
The Chinese dish with chicken in white sauce is called Chicken and Broccoli.
The white sauce is made by combining cornstarch, chicken stock, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.
Velveting is a traditional Chinese technique of marinating proteins to tenderize, lock in juices, and promote browning.
Moo Goo Gai Pan, a chicken and mushroom stir fry with vegetables, also uses white sauce.
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