Chinese Almond Boneless Chicken Recipe
Chinese Almond Boneless Chicken is one of the classics on most restaurant menus. It’s called something different in each place but it always tastes good.
A recipe for it appeared in the Rural New Yorker, September 10, 1904. It was described as a boneless dish with mushroom gravy. The recipe was reprinted in many newspapers.
Ingredients of Chinese Almond Boneless Chicken
Chinese Almond Boneless Chicken is a sweet and savory stir fry that has almonds and chicken. It’s a delicious take out inspired recipe that is easy to make at home.
For this recipe, I used boneless skinless chicken thighs, but you can also use chicken breasts or chicken tenders. The sliced almonds add a nice crunch, but you can substitute them with any kind of nuts that you like. I also added a little bit of water chestnuts for a sweeter flavor and a nice texture. The vegetables I used were onions, zucchini, and mushrooms. You can also add other vegetables like bamboo shoots and baby corn if you’d like.
I used a high smoke point neutral oil such as vegetable, canola or peanut oil for frying. You will need enough oil to cover the chicken completely. The oil temperature should be 350°F – use a candy/frying thermometer for best results. Fry the chicken in 2 batches until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (residual heat will continue to cook the meat). Drain and transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack to cool.
In the meantime, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and whisk until smooth. To thicken the sauce, make a slurry using two tablespoons of corn starch and add it to the simmering sauce.
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Preparation Steps of Almond Boneless Chicken Recipe
To make Chinese Almond Boneless Chicken, you’ll need chicken breasts – boneless and skinless if possible. You’ll also need some iceberg lettuce, brown gravy and almonds. This is a delicious quick dinner that can be served with rice. The chicken is breaded and fried, but it is not as thick as the traditional egg foo young or chop suey. A combination of baking powder, baking soda and beer creates a light batter that is crisp and savory, courtesy of the hoisin, soy sauce and dry sherry used in the recipe. Folding toasted almonds into the batter adds another layer of flavor and texture.
The dish is a popular choice at many Chinese restaurants in the Detroit area, and some claim it to be a local tradition. It’s a bit different from the almond cashew chicken often found in other parts of the country, which is a stir fry of chicken, snow or water chestnuts and peanuts in a sauce.
The first reference I’ve seen for the dish was in a New York periodical in 1904. The menu of a Chinese restaurant described “Wor Sue Gai (Almond Chicken)–Boneless chicken dipped in batter and fried, sprinkled with caraway seeds and served with special gravy.” The name remained unchanged until the 1960s, when it was introduced to Louisville by a beloved Chinese-American restaurant called Hoe Kow. It was a hit with customers, who referred to the dish as ABC chicken.
Cooking Process
While there is some debate over the origin of the dish, most agree that Chinese Almond Boneless Chicken arose from Chinese American restaurant menus. This particular dish features crunchy tempura battered white meat chicken set on a bed of iceberg lettuce and drizzled with brown mushroom gravy and topped with almonds. The dish is a variation on other popular Chinese dishes like egg foo young and chop suey.
This is a quick and easy dinner to prepare, especially if you have a deep fryer or a large skillet. It is a great choice for weeknight dinners or a family gathering.
To begin making this recipe, preheat a high smoke point neutral oil, about 1 inch in depth, to 350°F. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in one bowl and beat the egg, milk and water together in another bowl. If the flour mixture is too thick, add a bit more milk or water to thin it out.
Dip the chicken pieces in the batter, coating each well. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees using a meat thermometer. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.
In the meantime, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk the cornstarch with the hot water until smooth. Gradually stir in the broth, soy sauce and bouillon granules. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly.
Serving Tips
Known by various names at Chinese restaurants across the country, Almond Boneless Chicken is a dish that many people adore. Crunchy, tempura battered fried chicken sets on a bed of iceberg lettuce that is topped with gravy and almonds. It’s a tasty meal that can be made at home, although you might need to adjust the ingredients depending on your preferences.
Some claim that this dish originated in Detroit or Ohio, while others argue it is a popular Chinese-American dish. It is believed to be a variation of a dish that was served at the Far East Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. The restaurant was owned by the Yee family, which claimed to have invented the dish when it opened in 1935.
This recipe is very easy to make and is a good way to serve chicken at home. It is best served immediately because the gravy will infiltrate the batter, causing it to lose its crunch. The almonds are also very crunchy and the dish is quite filling.
You can use different vegetables as well, depending on what is available. Try adding mushrooms, bamboo shoots, snow or sugar snap peas and/or green onions. This is a versatile recipe that can be used with most any meat. It is especially tasty with sliced chicken and rice. The gravy can be poured over the chicken and garnished with a sprinkle of chopped green onion.
