If you've ever wondered how to get those super tender, soft chicken pieces you find at Chinese restaurants, this recipe is for you! Velveting chicken is a Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating meat in an alkaline solution to tenderize it. Learn how to make velvet chicken breasts the easy way and have it ready in under 25 minutes! Use it for stir-fries, chicken rice bowls, a topping for chickpea pasta salad, or even in lettuce wraps.
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Velveting chicken is a perfect way to get delicious, juicy chicken. Try adding it to your favortite stir fry dishes or toss it in a quick chicken and rice bowl or sushi bowl for an easy weeknight dinner. It also pairs beautifully with homemade sauces. Try our homemade honey garlic sauce, simple teriyaki sauce, or Japanese roasted sesame dressing for inspiration and turn this into a true takeout-style experience at home.
Why This Recipe Works
- Baking soda tenderizes quickly, giving the chicken that soft, takeaway-style texture without the need for long marinating.
- Cornstarch forms a light coating that locks in moisture, keeping the chicken incredibly juicy as it cooks.
- Thinly slicing the chicken allows the marinade to absorb faster and ensures it cooks evenly in just minutes.
- This easy velveting method is quick, making it perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute meals.
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What is Velveting Chicken?
Velveting chicken is a Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating sliced meat in a mixture of cornstarch, liquid (like soy sauce or water), and sometimes baking soda to tenderize it and lock in moisture before cooking. This process creates a light protective coating around the chicken, helping it stay perfectly juicy while giving it that signature silky, soft texture you find in Chinese restaurant-style dishes.
Some more traditional methods use egg whites instead of baking soda. While it is effective, it is definitely more time-consuming and requires a few extra steps. For home cooks, the baking soda method is much faster and produces very similar results.
| Mehold | Time | Texture | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking Soda | 10-15 minutes | Very Tender | Easy |
| Egg Whites | 30+ minutes | Silky | Medium |
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken Breast - This velveting method can be used on a variety of meat proteins, try it with sliced turkey breast, steak strips, or pork.
- Pepper - You can use any spices to season this chicken. Try my homemade Cajun spice or taco seasoning blend.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Ways To Use Velveted Chicken
- Salads - Add velvet chicken to any salad recipe, it is especially delicious used on my honey hot chicken salad or my strawberry goat cheese salad.
- Sandwiches, Tacos, and Enchiladas - Velveting chicken to use in sandwiches, tacos and enchiladas is an excellent way to ensure juicy chicken. Try it in my Chipotle pineapple tacos, apricot brie chicken sandwiches or my easy chicken enchiladas!
- As A Topping - Use it as a topping for these delicious loaded French fries, or on these copycat Chipotle chicken bowls.
If you want to cook a whole chicken instead, try my recipe for easy spatchcocked roast chicken!
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How To Velvet Chicken
Step 1
Velveting chicken requires thinly slicing the chicken breast against the grain into small strips or bite-sized pieces. Add to a mixing bowl, tossing with cornstarch, baking soda and soy sauce. Cover and pop it into the fridge for 10-15 minutes to marinate.
Step 2
Add neutral-tasting oil to a frying pan and fry the chicken for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked.
Step 3
Serve immediately or let cool before packing up for meal prep.
Pair velveted chicken with brown rice, crispy broccoli and any sauce you like for a delicious bowl!
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Adding more baking soda will not make the chicken softer, it will give it a metallic taste.
- Velveted chicken is tough to overcook, but you will want to avoid majorly overcooking it too much, as it will become stringy and chewy.
- Avoid crowding the frying pan. Make sure the chicken is laid out in a single layer and cook it in multiple batches if you have to. An overcrowded pan will steam instead of fry.
- Don't skip the cornstarch. Skipping the cornstarch means the chicken won't have that signature silky coating, so it's more likely to cook up drier and slightly tougher.
How To Store Leftovers
Velvet chicken is perfect for meal prep and stores well. Store fully cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Velveting creates a protective coating that locks in moisture while tenderizing the meat, resulting in soft, juicy chicken.
For best results, slice the chicken into thin strips or bite-sized pieces before velveting so the marinade can coat and absorb easily. Cutting against the grain helps the chicken become extra tender, giving it that signature soft, takeout-style texture.
It's optional, but we do not. For short marinades like this one, rinsing isn't necessary, but you can if you prefer.
10-15 minutes is enough time when using baking soda.
Absolutely! Chicken thighs become even juicier with this method.
Yes, some methods use egg white and cornstarch, but baking soda is the fastest and easiest way for home cooks.
More Kitchen Tips & Tricks
Looking for more kitchen tips and tricks like this? Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Velveting Chicken The Easy Way! (Just Like Chinese Takeaway)
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Frying Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula/Turner
Ingredients
- 2 large Chicken Breasts
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- Avocado Oil (or other neutral-tasting oil)
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breast into thin strips against the grain, and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch, soy sauce, and baking soda, tossing until the chicken is fully coated. Let the chicken marinate for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until fully cooked and golden brown. Remove the pan and use as desired.
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Notes
- Soy Sauce: Can be substituted for ½ teaspoon of salt. The reason I like to use soy sauce is that it gives the chicken an umami flavor.
- Chicken is fully cooked once it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F and is no longer pink. Cooking times may vary.
- This technique can be used on a variety of meat proteins, not just chicken. Try it with chicken thighs, strips of steak or pork (cooking times will vary)!
- Adding extra baking soda will not make the chicken softer. Instead, it will make it taste metallic.
- Avoid overcooking and crowding the pan. If the pan is overcrowded, the chicken will steam instead of frying. Cook the chicken in a single layer and in batches if necessary.
- Store leftover, fully cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Rinsing off the marinade is optional, but not necessary for short marindaes like this one.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Eddie says
This chicken tastes unreal delicious!
Jessica says
We agree!
Jessica says
Learning how to velvet chicken is an incredibly handy kitchen hack. It only takes 10 minutes to marinate, and you'll be on your way to perfectly tender and juicy chicken every time, just like the chicken you are used to getting at your favorite Chinese restaurant!
Maureen says
I tried this velveting chicken recipe last night to use with sautéed veggies & noodles. The recipe is very easy make and the chicken cooks quickly when thinly sliced. OH MY GOODNESS - we loved the taste and the texture of the chicken and will definitely use this velveting method on chicken or beef again and again. I highly recommend!
Jessica says
Yay! So glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing your experience! ❤️