Cooking Chinese Chicken 

I believe cooking Chinese chicken recipes are as popular here in the United States as it is in any country of the world, including all the Asian countries. Everyone I know loves the flavor of good Asian food. This is so true that some of the “Chinese” recipes are attributed to this country; like chow mean, chop suey and General Tso chicken recipe. I love all of these and for years ordered them when eating out and not really knowing the history behind the recipes.


I have been cooking Chinese chicken recipes for many years and the story behind the General Tso chicken recipe is one that I find truly amazing. This dish is very delicious; one that I love. This recipe has a slightly sweet and spicy sauce with deep fried dark meat chicken. Although it is named after General Tso the roots to this recipe is to New York; the general’s family claim they never heard of this dish.

Like most cuisines, when cooking Chinese recipes, there are many regional influences.  The Chinese cuisine is divided into four different areas. The Peking style is from the Northern part of the country. This type of cooking is characterized by sweet and sour sauces, wine based stocks, hoisin sauce, garlic, sesame oil, green onions and lots of soy sauce. These seasonings can be mild or strong.

Cooking Chinese chicken recipes from the eastern region, the Shanghai style of cooking can be simple or more complex. This area is called the “heartland of China” with many dishes of soups, vegetables, seafood, meat and poultry. The chicken recipes are rich and savory with a plentiful use of sugar, soy and wine.


Most of the nineteenth century immigrants arrived in the United States from the Canton region or the southern region. This region shows the greatest variety of any of the regional cooking utilizing all their local ingredients; fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats. This area is famous for their stir fry recipes and sauces like oyster, lobster and black bean.

My favorite when cooking Chinese chicken recipes is the southwest region; the Szechwan & Hunan cuisine; Hunan is considered the spiciest. The spicy hot seasoning of this area won me over! The semitropical climate of this region is favorable for growing peppers and other spices; it is also influenced by the cuisines of Burma, Pakistan and India.

HOW TO MAKE GENERAL TSO CHICKEN RECIPE

When cooking Chinese chicken recipe, you will find many originated right here in the United States.

  • 1 Pound boneless chicken thigh meat cut in cubes                   
  • 1 Beaten egg
  • 1 Teaspoon soy sauce
  • Dash black pepper
  • Cornstarch
  • Oil for deep frying
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 Teaspoons rice wine
  • 1 Clove minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • ¼ Teaspoon red hot pepper flakes
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 2 Teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 Cup hot steamed and drained broccoli pieces

Combine beaten egg, soy sauce and pepper in small bowl; toss chicken pieces in mixture to coat.
Roll chicken pieces in cornstarch and coat all sides; drop in hot oil and cook until crisp and drain.
In sauce pan combine broth, vinegar, wine, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes.
In small bowl combine until smooth water and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
Bring broth mixture to boil; stir in cornstarch mixture stirring until thickened.
Toss chicken pieces, hot steamed broccoli and sauce together.
Serve with hot rice.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CHOW MEIN RECIPE

how to make chicken chow mein recipeHow to Make Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

Cooking Chinese chicken includes a lot of stir fry recipes; even ones latter covered with sauces start out as stir fry.

  • 3 Tablespoons oil
  • 3 Cups diced cooked chicken
  • 1 Medium onion cut thin
  • 1 Cup sliced celery
  • ½ Cup sliced carrot
  • 1 Cup green peas
  • 3 Cups cooked noodles
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • Salt/pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet or pan over medium high heat; add chicken pieces and cook until done.
Add onion, celery, carrot and peas; cook until vegetables are tender crisp.
Add cooked noodles and toss until hot; add soy sauce and toss to blend; add salt and pepper if desired.
Serve immediately.

CHICKEN CHOP SUEY RECIPE

  • 3 Pounds boneless chicken cut in 1 to 2 inch strips
  • 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1 Cup water
  • 1 Cup diagonally sliced celery
  • 2 Cups coarsely chopped onion
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ Cup water
  • ¼ Cup soy sauce
  • ¼ Cup bead molasses (or blackstrap molasses)
  • 1 Can (16 ounces) bean sprouts rinsed and drained
  • 2 Cans (5 ounces each) water chestnuts drain and slice

Heat oil in large wok; stir fry chicken 1/3 at a time until brown on all sides and remove to platter.
When all chicken has been browed, return to wok.
Mix in 1 cup water, celery and onions; bring to boil and simmer about 20 minutes.
Blend cornstarch with ¼ cup water, soy sauce and molasses; stir into meat mixture.
Cook and stir about 2 minutes; stir in bean sprouts and water chestnuts.
Serve over fluffy hot rice.

ORANGE CHICKEN RECIPE (A Szechuan chicken recipe) I have been cooking Chinese chicken for years with this recipe; I love this flavor with chicken or beef.

  • 1 Large orange
  • 2 Large whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon dry sherry
  • 4 Green onions cut in 2 inch pieces
  • ¼ Teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon minced peeled ginger root
  • 2 ½ Teaspoons cornstarch
  • ½ Teaspoon sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Cup orange juice
  • ¼ Cup vegetable oil

With vegetable peeler cut peel from orange into 1 ½ inch wide pieces ‘do not cut into white membrane.
Cut pieces into 1 ½ inch long strips.
Place peels on cookie sheet and place in oven at 200 F degrees for 30 minutes.
Cut chicken into 1 ½ inch pieces.
In medium bowl combine and mix chicken, soy sauce, sherry, green onions, red pepper and ginger.
In a small bowl combine and mix cornstarch, sugar, salt and orange juice, cover both and refrigerate.
Fifteen minutes before serving heat oil in large skillet stir fry orange peels until crisp and edges are slightly brown.
With slotted spoon move peels to paper towels to drain.
In remaining oil in skillet over high heat stir fry chicken mixture until no longer pink and chicken is tender about 4 minutes.
Stir orange juice mixture and then add it to chicken and stir fry until mixture is slightly thickened.
Spoon onto warm platter; sprinkle with the peels.

SESAME CHICKEN RECIPE

All who are cooking Chinese chicken recipes make sesame chicken at some time; it is easy to make and so good.

  • ½ Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons dark sesame oil
  • 4 Boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds toasted

Preheat oven broiler.
Mix mayonnaise and oil; place chicken on rack of broiler pan.
Brush chicken with half of mayonnaise mixture.
Broil 5 to 7 inches from heat source about 8 minutes.
Turn chicken over and brush with remaining mayonnaise mixture.
Continue broiling for 8 to 10 minutes longer until tender.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN RECIPE

This is not exactly cooking Chinese chicken but I included it because it has some of the same ingredients with similar taste.

  • 2 ½ Pounds cooked chicken pieces
  • 1 Medium onion sliced
  • ½ Small head of white cabbage shredded
  • ½ Cup finely diced celery
  • 4 Tablespoons water
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • ½ Cup shelled Brazil nuts in pieces
  • 8 Ounces unsweetened pineapple chunks (Drain and reserve 2 tablespoons of juice)
  • Salt/pepper

Combine cabbage, onion and celery in large shallow skillet with the water.
Cook on high until vegetables are tender crisp; drain off liquid.
Add the chicken, soy sauce, nuts and drained pineapple chunks with reserved juice.
Cook until boiling and flavors blend; adjust salt and pepper.
Serve with rice.

GRILLED TERIYAKI CHICKEN RECIPE

Cooking Chinese chicken can also get the same flavors if grilling outside; use this teriyaki seasoning outside or in.

  • 1 Fryer (3 pounds) chicken cut in pieces
  • Garlic salt
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Teriyaki Marinade:

  • 2/3 cup soy sauce
  • 2/3 Cup bourbon
  • 2/3 Cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Teaspoon ground ginger

Season chicken with garlic salt and freshly ground pepper.
Combine soy sauce, bourbon, oil and ginger in a large bowl.
Place chicken in marinade for several hours.
Grill over medium heat about 45 minutes basting every 15 minutes.
To bake in oven place chicken in shallow pan; bake at 325F degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn frequently basting with marinade.

COCONUT CHICKEN RECIPE

I love the flavor of coconut, even when cooking Chinese chicken recipes.

  • 4 TO 6 Leg quarters
  • 1 Can sliced pineapple
  • 1 Package pina colada mix
  • 1/3 Cup rum
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 Teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 Clove minced garlic
  • Shredded coconut

Remove skin from chicken; rinse chicken and pat dry.
Drain pineapple reserving juice; set pineapple aside.
Combine pineapple juice pina colada mix, rum. Soy sauce, ginger and garlic in bowl.
Place chicken in shallow pan; cover with marinade mixture.
Cover and place in refrigerator for a couple of hours turning the chicken frequently.
Remove from refrigerator and set at room temperature while oven is heating.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Place pineapple sliced on the chicken and place in oven; bake for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle coconut over top of chicken and bake additional 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender.

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE

Cooking Chinese chicken recipes from the Peking region includes many sweet and sour recipes.

  • 1 ½ Pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ Cup cornstarch
  • ¼ Cup teriyaki sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 3 Cups cooking oil

Sauce:

  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • ¼ Cup vinegar
  • ¼ Cup catsup
  • ¼ Cup water
  • 1 Tablespoon teriyaki sauce
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons cornstarch

Cut chicken in 1 inch cubes; set aside.
Thoroughly combine ½ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds in medium bowl.
Stir chicken cubes into mixture (mixture will be thick) and let stand 30 minutes.
Prepare sweet and sour sauce; combine all sauce ingredients in saucepan.
Cook sauce over high heat stirring constantly until thickened.
Heat oil over medium high heat; add 1/3 of chicken cubes at a time cooking and stirring until golden brown; drain on paper towels.
Serve chicken over cooked rice topped with sweet and sour sauce recipe.

CHINESE CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE

Cooking Chinese chicken is easy simply by marinating chicken in this recipe.

  • ½ Cup soy sauce
  • ½ Cup chopped onion
  • 3 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons shredded fresh ginger
  • ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ Teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ Teaspoon cloves

Combine all ingredients; add chicken.
Cover and chill for 1 hour; drain from marinade.
Cook as desired; great for grilling.

EASY CHINESE CHICKEN RECIPE

Cooking Chinese chicken can be easy with many recipes.

  • ½ Cup flour
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon pepper
  • 4 Chicken thigh and leg sections
  • ¼ cup shortening
  • 1 Can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
  • ¼ Cup white wine
  • ¼ Cup milk
  • 1 Can (4 Ounces) water chestnuts (Drain and slice)
  • ¼ Teaspoon ginger

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Combine flour, salt and pepper; coat chicken with mixture.
Heat shortening in a large heavy skillet; brown chicken on all sides.
Place chicken in a large casserole baking dish.
Combine soup, wine, milk, water chestnuts and ginger.
Pour mixture over the chicken.
Bake chicken for 1 hour or until thoroughly cooked.
Makes 4 large servings.