Hong Kong chicken is a beloved dish that holds a special place in the hearts and tastebuds of those who hail from Hong Kong With its tantalizing blend of flavors and textures, this iconic Cantonese preparation has become a worldwide sensation But what exactly is Hong Kong chicken, and what makes it so special? Let’s find out.
An Overview of Hong Kong Chicken
At its core, Hong Kong chicken consists of succulent chicken pieces that have been marinated in a mix of aromatic seasonings, then stir-fried or baked to tender perfection. The marinade commonly contains ingredients like soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch This imparts the chicken with a sweet, savory, and glistening glaze
The chicken is cooked relatively briefly ensuring it remains exceptionally moist and tender. And the crowning touch is a light sprinkling of crunchy toasted sesame seeds over the finished dish.
What Sets Hong Kong Chicken Apart
While the preparation may sound simple, Hong Kong chicken stands out for its complex and well-balanced flavors. The marinade strikes a harmonious medley of salty, sweet, savory, and umami notes that penetrate the chicken. When paired with the soft and succulent meat, it creates a truly craveable taste and texture combination.
The sesame seeds add nutty aroma and pleasant crunch. And aromatics like ginger and garlic provide a subtle zing. Altogether, these components give Hong Kong chicken its distinctive personality that sets it apart from other chicken dishes.
Key Aspects that Make Hong Kong Chicken Special
There are a few vital aspects that make Hong Kong chicken special:
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The Marinade – The marinade is key, infusing the chicken with lots of flavor. Soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil are essential ingredients.
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Velvety Texture – Thanks to the cornstarch and gentle cooking, the chicken achieves an unbelievably smooth, velvety texture.
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Moist and Tender – Short cooking time keeps the chicken remarkably moist and tender. It should be juicy and never dry.
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Glossy Appearance – Properly made, the chicken will have an appealing glossy sheen from the sauce coating each piece.
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Toasted Sesame Seeds – A defining feature is the toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top. They provide crunch and nutty sesame flavor.
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Umami-Rich – Between the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger, Hong Kong chicken is packed with umami depth.
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Well-Balanced Flavor – No single flavor dominates. Instead, they combine in perfect balance.
Common Cooking Methods for Hong Kong Chicken
While stir-frying is the traditional cooking method, Hong Kong chicken can also be prepared by:
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Baking – Baking gives it a lightly charred exterior while keeping the interior moist. Parmesan is sometimes sprinkled on top.
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Grilling – Grilling over high heat creates nice char while imparting smoky notes. Take care not to overcook.
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Pan-Frying – Pan-frying in a bit of oil cooks the chicken quickly with browning. Be sure not to crowd the pan.
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Deep-Frying – Deep-frying yields very crispy, crunchy chicken but requires more oil. Drain well on paper towels.
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Steaming – Steaming keeps the chicken exceptionally tender and silky but won’t have browning.
Variations on Traditional Hong Kong Chicken
While the basic version is beloved, there are many riffs on the classic:
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Some recipes use chicken thighs or drumsticks rather than breast meat. The dark chicken meat can be especially juicy.
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For extra flavor, aromatic vegetables like garlic, shallots, or scallions can be stir-fried with the chicken.
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To make the dish more saucy, coconut milk, chicken stock, wine, or cream are sometimes mixed into the marinade.
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Spices like five-spice powder, red chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorn, or curry powder may be added to the marinade to give it a kick.
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For crunch, veggies like snap peas, bell pepper, water chestnuts, or cashews are sometimes stir-fried with the chicken.
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Instead of sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, almonds, or fried shallots are used to garnish the dish with texture.
Is Hong Kong Chicken Difficult to Prepare?
Despite its complex flavors, Hong Kong chicken is surprisingly easy to make at home. With the right technique, even amateur cooks can produce restaurant-quality results:
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Marinate Ahead – Letting the chicken marinate for 30 mins up to overnight allows the flavors to deeply penetrate.
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Get the Wok Hot – Use high heat and wait until the wok is very hot before adding the oil and chicken to sear properly.
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Don’t Overcrowd – Cook the chicken in batches to avoid steaming. Overcrowding reduces browning.
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Keep Stirring – Constant gentle stirring prevents burning and allows the sauce to coat the chicken.
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Rest Afterwards – Letting the chicken rest briefly after cooking allows juices to redistribute evenly.
The Role of Hong Kong Chicken in Cantonese Cuisine
While not exclusive to Hong Kong, this dish has become closely tied to the local Cantonese cuisine. It likely originated in nearby Guangdong province before becoming popularized in Hong Kong. The city’s bustling diners and street stalls then elevated it into a cult favorite.
For many, Hong Kong chicken evokes fond memories of the city’s dining culture. Its gingery, sesame-scented aromas are intrinsically linked with the culinary soul of Hong Kong. And versions can be found on menus at Cantonese restaurants worldwide.
So next time you spot Hong Kong chicken, prepare your tastebuds for a flavorful bite of Hong Kong cuisine history! With a balance of sweet, salty, savory and tender textures, this glistening chicken wok-fried to perfection will surely satisfy.
) Battering Process (2 Steps)
Step 1 – First Coat (Sticky Batter)
Coat the marinated chicken in ½ the starch and let it sit for a few minutes until the starch absorbs the marinade. This will make the batter more flavorful. The starch will start to become thick and gummy.
Step 2 – Second Coat (Sealing the Flavourful Batter)
Put the other ½ of the starch on a plate. Once the first coat of starch has absorbed all the marinade, dunk each piece of chicken in the starch on the plate to create a white starch coating. This coating makes the chicken crispier.
Double frying is a Korean cooking technique that is used to get anything super crunchy. Its an easy step and definitely shouldnt be skipped if you want to get your chicken batter to have a super crunchy hard shell.
To double fry, you need to first deep fry your chicken until it is fully cooked (which is about 3 minutes). Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the chicken from the oil and let it sit out for about 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, dunk the chicken back in the oil to fry again for another 30 seconds or until golden brown.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious sweet and sour chicken recipe at home.
Heres an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Chicken: This is definitely the star of our dish! For this sweet and sour chicken recipe, I like to use dark meat. That being said, chicken breast also works really well for this recipe because its only deep fried for about 3 minutes; there will be no risk of it becoming dry.
- Onion, Garlic, and Ginger: I use these three trio aromatics to give the batter extra flavor. Highly recommend you dont skip them.
- Starch: Using any type of starch is what will make the batter extra crispy. Although potato starch does make the batter crunchier, which means the sauce wont make the chicken soggy, I highly recommend using corn starch instead because its easier to find and work with. If you plan to use potato starch, you must deep fry in small batches and make sure the chicken does not touch each other during the initial deep frying stage (first minute or so), or else they will stick to each other and become a big ball of meat, and when you try to separate it at that point, you will rip off the batter.
- Bell Pepper: You can use any type of sweet peppers for this recipe (Green, yellow, red, orange, etc), but I find the green ones give a nice contrast in color and has a bit more flavor.
- Pineapple: This is where the sweetness in the dish primarily comes from. I like to use fresh pineapple for this recipe because I find its a lot juicier and flavorful, but it is a lot of work to cut it for just one dish. If youre pressed for time, canned pineapple will also work as well. Just make sure you drain the juice and buy the rings so you can control how large the chunks are. Alternatively, you can also use pineapple chunks as well just make sure to defrost them before you use them.
- Shaoxing Cooking Wine: I add a bit of Shaoxing cooking wine for flavor, but if you dont have this, you can substitute it with dry sherry or omit it.
Hong Kong Chicken
FAQ
What does Hong Kong style taste like?
Hong Kong Harmonizes Savory, Sour, Salty, Sweet, and More
Its bold and complex flavors, emphasis on fresh seafood and noodles, and focus on savory sauces and spices make it a must-try for anyone interested in Cantonese cuisine.
What is the difference between sweet and sour and Hong Kong style?
Hong Kong Style sweet and sour chicken sauce is usually less sweet and has more of a balance of sweet and sour flavors, whereas the American Chinese version is a touch on the sweeter side.
What does Hong Kong style mean in Chinese takeaway?
HK style food generally has roots in Cantonese food and it often overlaps. However, HK style food may involve fusion between different cuisines (e.g. marinating steak, a Western dish, with soy sauce, a traditionally East Asian condiment).
What is Hong Kong Chicken?
Hong Kong Chicken is a popular chinese dish across the globe and each cuisine has its own contribution in this recipe. However, when you follow this recipe you get to relish the taste of authentic Hong Kong Chicken and that too without taking much effort. Try Try this delicious Chinese dish today and give a surprise treat to your family and kids!
What is Hong Kong Chicken recipe in English?
Hong Kong Chicken Recipe in English is an easy and traditional cooking recipe to prepare at home. It provides you an awesome taste of Chinese Recipes. 1. Mix 2, 1/2 tbsp corn flour with salt, white pepper, soaked ground Kashmir chilli and egg in a bowl. 2. Marinate chicken in this mixture for 30 minutes.
Is Hong Kong chicken healthy?
Hong Kong Chicken is one of the most delicious chicken recipes cooked as per the techniques of Hong Kong cuisine. This recipe has a perfect blend of mouthwatering flavors as ingredients like ginger garlic paste, cashew nuts, coriander leaves, etc. are used in it. If we look at the nutrition part, chicken is healthy for our body.
What ingredients are in Hong Kong Chicken?
The ingredients for a traditional Hong Kong chicken recipe typically include chicken (preferably chicken thighs or drumsticks), soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Additional ingredients such as green onions and chili peppers can also be added for extra flavor. Can I use boneless chicken for this recipe?
Is Hong Kong Chicken still popular?
An era had come to a close, but their recipe lives on in the lives of the Chinese community who take pride in the fact that PE is home to Hong Kong chicken. We all have our own version of this chicken dish today and it remains a firm favourite as an anytime, anywhere meal.
Who makes the best Hong Kong Chicken?
Each family has their own formula. Everyone believes that their mother makes the best Hong Kong chicken. Most recipes have certain standard features. They almost all include sugar and/or syrup, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chilli, spices, sesame oil and some sort of fortified wine.