Is Chinese Style Fried Chicken a well kept secret? What's in a secret that has to be hidden? I believe that there is no knowledge under the sun that's secretive. Someone knows about it, and so it's not really a secret it's just uncommon knowledge that's hidden by a select few. Some do it for business purposes, like our famous bitters…or like the most famous fried chicken restaurant. Others just find the information too sensitive for the masses….or too dangerous for the uninformed masses to use against them lol!!.
Chinese Style Fried Chicken Secret Revealed
But as I said before there is no secret……For years I thought that I would never ever be able to cook like some of those cooks in the fancy Chinese restaurants, but that is slowly changing. As I hone my skills and immerse myself in my culture, or should I say we culture, I'm learning more and more and discovering a bit as I go along this journey.
Chinese restaurants are all over the place in Trinidad and Tobago. And every Chinese restaurant would sell their variation of a “No. 1” (a code for, rice, chow mein and fried chicken). It was a favourite of mine, since it was cheap and very filling. The fried chicken was what enticed me the most. The chicken was well done, fried right down to the bone, and some how the seasonings permeated through the whole chicken. I was always in awe. How was it done?
Well, lately I found out and surprisingly was able to replicate the Chinese style fried chicken, but with less saltiness; since I used a Chinese seasoning without MSG. I got the thumbs up from my family, so I think I got it right.
So there's no mystery or secret behind Chinese style fried chicken. It is simple to make and very tasty….and of course you won't have to order a “No. 1” with chicken again, since you have all the recipes to make it at home (hahaha!!) …
Here's Chinese Style Fried Chicken.
Chinese Style Fried Chicken Recipe
CHINESE STYLE FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients:
1 chicken (about 2 1/2 lb)
oil for deep frying ( about 900 ml )
1 tbsp Chinese seasoning powder (I used the Sincere Brand)
1/2 tbsp five spice powder
For Sauce
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. ketchup
4 tbsp. water
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. minced ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 sprigs chive, chopped finely (for garnish)
Directions:
Clean chicken removing excess fat, wash with lime and cut into quarters.
Season with one tablespoon of Chinese Seasoning. Rub the season all over the chicken and leave to marinate for about 20 minutes
Note: I know some of you may be saying but that is all it take 1 tbsp of the seasoning.
As you would notice I used a Chinese Seasoning without MSG. Thinking about my readers lol!!
Heat the oil.
While the oil is heating up, sprinkle half tablespoon of 5 spice powder and rub it in.
Fry until golden and well cooked. Drain.
Note: I cooked my chicken over a low fire for about 25 minutes and it was cooked right down to the bone. Now it's time to make the sauce.
Mix the water, oyster sauce, ketchup and cornstarch. Ok! so here's where we can do a bit of variation on the sauce. Instead of the oyster sauce you can use garlic sauce, Hoisin Sauce, plum sauce, black bean sauce or any other sauce of your choice. There's a world of variations out there.
Heat one tablespoon oil in the wok. Sauté the ginger and garlic for 1 minute.
Then add the mixture and let cook for about 2 minutes over a low fire.
Chop the chicken into desired pieces. Arrange on a bed of lettuce, then place chicken on the lettuce. Pour some of the sauce over chicken and garnish with chopped chive.
Chinese Style Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 chicken about 2 1/2 lb
- Oil for deep frying about 900 ml
- 1 tbsp Complete Chinese seasoning powder
- 1/2 tbsp five spice powder
- For Sauce
- 3 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp. ketchup
- 4 tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 sprigs chive chopped finely (for garnish)
Instructions
- Clean chicken, removing excess fat, wash with lime and cut into quarters. Season with 1 tbsp of Chinese Seasoning. Rub the season all over the chicken and leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.
- Heat the oil. While the oil is heating up, sprinkle 1/2 tbsp of 5 spice powder and rub it in the chicken. Fry until golden and well cooked. Then drain. Note: I cooked my chicken over a low fire for about 25 minutes, and it was cooked right down to the bone.
- Make the sauce. Mix the water, oyster sauce, ketchup and cornstarch. (A variation is to substitute the oyster sauce for garlic sauce, hoisin sauce, plum sauce, black bean sauce or any other sauce of your choice.)
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in the wok. Saute the ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Then add the mixture and let cook for about 2 minutes over a low fire.
- Chop the chicken into desired pieces arrange on a bed of lettuce then place chicken. Pour some of the sauce over chicken and garnish with chopped chive.
Notes
So we have Rice, Chow Mein and Chicken (this recipe) and if you want, you can make a side order of Shrimp Wontons. A little more again someone will surely say you went by Fei Wong in Long Circular or Fai's in Tunapuna lol!!
More recipes to come.
Ah gone!
If you liked my Chinese style fried chicken, please leave your comments.
i love the receipe, my wait is finally over thanks a million!
Sincere Complete Chinese Seasoning I am trying to find in the US
I you can’t get that brand you can use another that has five spice powder and no msg.
You’re welcome Carlene 🙂
great,next up some pow
Thank you for the recipe felix, i luv it 🙂
Oh gosh how I love, love, love all Chinese food and the fried chicken! My brother, why do you torture me so?! Ok, this is definitely on the menu for this weekend and I am making Fried Rice to go along with it.
Felix, I don’t ever do deep frying but I want to make this for my Trini friend for her birthday( she has told me more times than I could count how much she likes Chinese style fried chicken). So, what is the best kind of oil to use? Thank you! Jenny
For my recipe I used sunflower oil.
But now I prefer to use coconut oil in all of my cooking
Thanks for showing me this, I’ll be trying this on the weekend!
P.S Your RSS feed is now on TriniNation.com since it provides quality stuff! Thank you!
Felix, can you tell me where you purchased the sincere brand of chinese seasoning?
Risharde R Thank you for adding my RSS Feeds, it is an honour. I do hope you enjoy the recipes 🙂
Abby I bought mine at a little chinese store at Long Circular Mall. They’re located on the ground floor in the corridor past the food court.
are you doing any recipes for wings, a friend is looked on your site and found none.
What kind of wings are you interested in learning? At this time as I mentioned on facebok I’m busy with coding pages for printables. And, that is a mammoth task since it is over 300 recipes so far on the site. If you tell me I’ll add the recipe on my list of recipes to do. btw I’m on the lookout for chennette to try that roast chennette seed 🙂
I tried this along with ur Chinese noodles recipe and it was great… Thanks for this.. My family enjoyed it.. I took a pic of the plate of food afterwards, I should probably post it on ur fb page.. Lol.. I also took a pic of when I made buss up shut and curry chicken and potatoes from ur recipe.. I’ll post both pics at some time.. Keep doing what you do.. U are teaching me a lot and making me enjoy trying new things.. When before in my household we were eating the same thing all the time.. Lol
Hi L’Shanda,
I like when I get long comments such as yours because I love to read them. They give me the impetus to continue doing my work. As for the pictures I have a bigger plan for them, just hold on to them and I’ll get back to you. Thanks again for your comment.:-)
Is there a substitute for the oyster sauce, I can’t eat shellfish. Thx!!
Of course, you can substitute any sauce 🙂
Do you have recipe for roast pork pow?
Tks!
Not as yet. The Christmas Season has me busy but it is on my long recipe list 🙂
Hi,
Do you know where I can find the Chinese Seasoning in New jersey?
Unfortunately no
I cannot thank you enough for this recipe. Really looking forward more.
Hi,
First of all, keep up the GREAT job that you are doing! I tried making Chinese Style Fried Chicken before, but it was always a bit salty. I tried your recipe and I have only two words. Simple! Delicious! I look forward to more of your recipes, especially Char Siu Pork ;). Again, keep up the good job!
I tried this recipe and it was so good I knew I could have given any Chinese food restaurant ah run fuh dey money. Thanks Felix!
Looks yum
Hi Felix,
Nice job with the chicken. I do want to mention though that I’ve worked in Chinese restaurants before and they don’t usually fry the chicken, they rub in the seasoning, just like you did, and roast it. They only fry it when the customer requests it. If you roast it instead of fry it, you’ll get the same results but without the excess oil, and it tastes just as good.
I’ll have to try it like that next time Sophia 🙂
Do… and as always, post it when you do! Keep up the good work with the recipes… keep ’em rolling in! 😉
I always wonder what the twists thks a lot Sophia
No problem
I love this chicken…
Hi, Looks delicious! I was wondering if you can use boneless chicken breast for this? Thanks!!
Sure, why not? You will have to check the cooking times since it’s the meat alone you’re using.
i made this today along with stir fry veg and fry rice! my brother and i gobbled it down! so good! thanks STC!
love the recipe………..going to make this soon,,, but one thing, if i do not have a wok, what can i use
A pot will do.
Your site is now my go 2 place for recipes. Thank you
If we do roast it oppose to fry it, what is the required time and temperature for this same recipe?
I will have to roast one and do the math. Good idea for an upcoming post. Thanks 🙂
Ano pong difference ng Chinese seasoning sa 5 spice? Di ko kasi makita sa stores ang Chinese seasoning. Salamat. :D.
I don’t understand tagalog so I had to rely on a translator. I believe you want to know the difference between chinese seasoning and 5 spice powder? In the case of the 5 spice powder it’s only the five spices that are ground and mixed together. The complete chinese seasoning has either salt or MSG added to it I think. hope this helps. 😀
Hi, I enjoy your posts a lot. I’d like to know where I can find the Sincere brand of seasoning. I’ve looked at a few supermarkets and I haven’t seen that brand. The no msg is a big must at my house. Thanks. Keep up the good work!
I usually buy mine either at xtra foods or a Chinese store obliquely opposite Farros Pharmacy at Long Circular Mall. thanks for commenting.
Thanks alot! I have been tryin to find the right way to make the chinese chicken for a long time now. It looks really delicious and i hope to see more recipes from you.
Yummy!! I would like to know what are some Christmas recipes that you have made.
I can’t find the Chinese seasoning in Florida. What else can I use? Or how can I make my own?