Almond Boneless Chicken
This is my take on the popular Chinese takeout dish. I made it for some friends and they loved it!
Ingredients
Chicken gravy
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
Crispy chicken
- 4 chicken thighs (or breasts)
- 1 cup rice flour (plus more for dusting)
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 (12-ounce) can beer (or soda water)
For serving
- shredded lettuce
- toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
- Make the gravy first and let it sit on low heat while you fry the chicken. In a small saucepan, combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, salt, sugar, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil until it thickens, then stir in the butter. Reduce to the lowest heat setting to keep warm.
- Use a meat mallet to pound thin chicken thighs into ¼-inch thick pieces. If you're using breasts, butterfly them.
- Dry the chicken with a paper towel. Dust them with rice flour (this ensures the batter sticks to them) and shake off any excess.
- In a medium bowl, combine rice flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and baking powder. Slowly pour in the beer and whisk until combined.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350°F. Dip the chicken in the batter and slowly lower it into the hot oil. Cook both sides for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Scatter shredded lettuce on the plate. Cut the chicken into slices then place on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle almonds on top and ladle on the gravy. Enjoy!