Directions

1. Toast all the spices on low heat to activate the aroma. Blend them into a fine powder. We only going to use 1 tsp of the spice mix in this recipe. You can save the rest. Use it in dumpling filling, Sprinkle it on bbq. Honestly, I am not trying to make this recipe difficult, if you don’t feel like making your own spice mix, you can use 1/2 tsp of five spice powder instead. The fragrance will be different but it is still delicious.

2. Prepare the chicken breast. Slice it into 2 pieces. The thickness is about 1/4 of an inch. I like to use the rough side of the meat tenderizer to hit it. We are not looking to flatten the chicken. We just want to slightly break down the meat fiber so the chicken will come out tender. Also, you will get a rough surface, which can catch more batter and bread crumbs.
3. Marinate the chicken with 1/2 tsp of salt, 1.5 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine, 1 tsp of the spice mix, 1/4 tsp of baking soda, a drizzle of olive oil. We add quite a lot of liquid to the marinade. Massage the chicken breast until all the goodness is absorbed. That way, the meat will come out flavorful and juicy. Cover it and let it sit for 20 minutes.
4. There are lots of recipes or videos tell you to take the chicken and coat it with cornstarch. I always end up with a lot of extra cornstarch. It touched the raw meat and I don’t want to save it anymore. So I came up with a better way. Use a sieve, only put about 3 tbsp of cornstarch. And it can make a nice thick, even coating. I know cornstarch is cheap but I don’t like to waste food. Shake off the excess cornstarch. Dip the chicken in the beaten egg. Then coat it with bread crumb. Give it a gentle press to reinforce the bread crumb. Shake off the excess bread crumbs and cover them. Let them sit in the fridge for 20 minutes so the bread crumbs have enough time to bond together.
5. While waiting, let’s quickly make a sauce. In a sauce pot, add in 2 cloves of grated garlic, 1 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of sriracha, 1 tbsp of hoisin sauce, 3 tbsp of sugar, and 1.5 tbsp of lime juice. Stir it on medium heat. Bring it to a boil. You are looking for a thin syrup texture. If you don’t feel like taking the time, just use whatever your favorite sauce instead. No big problem.
6. Add some oil to the pan, be generous with the amount. Place the breaded chicken in. Fry them on medium heat. It will take 3-5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown. The chicken meat is very thin so it should be fully cooked. Take it out. Use kitchen paper to get rid of the grease. Cut it into the size you like.
7. Serve on top of white rice. With some shredded carrot, shredded cabbage, and some blanched broccoli. Plus a perfectly cooked egg, slice it in half. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Enjoy!