Peking Style Chicken

Diana #2's Note:

This is a dish we were served one night on one of the Princess Cruise ships. Tender, with a wonderful flavour. Of course when they served it, it was "dressed to the nines". When I make it at home, I serve it with rice and a vegetable. ;) This is also great served in a wrap. NOTE: For those thinking of substituting Splenda for the sugar, please read the review posted by Oolala on Feb 11/09. Thanks Oolala for the heads up.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 boneless chicken breasts , thinly sliced
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 3 egg whites , beaten
• ½ cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili peppers (if using) and vinegar. Blend thoroughly and set aside.
2. Coat chicken pieces in cornstarch. Dip into beaten egg whites.
3. Saute the chicken in hot oil until crispy and brown.
4. Drain oil from the pan and add sauce.
5. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat.

Reviews

[Susie D]

This not only tasted good, it was fairly easy to make. The sauce is the scene stealer. The boldly flavored sauce has a slight mustardey note that provides an afterbite. It's not overpowering in the other elements at all. I doubled the sauce (except for the chili flakes) and used rice vinegar. I garnished with green onion tops & sesame seeds & thought it made a pretty presentation. Served with my favorite fried rice. I'll definitely be making this again!

[Catnip46]

When I first tasted the chicken strips they were tasteless, missing salt I thought. I used ground red pepper but not the tsp. full. just a few good shakes for the sauce. It was way too hot for me, I broke out in a sweat immediately. LOL For me the sauce was too hot to eat on the rice but just the right consistency for dipping the chicken. Now I know why nothing more was needed in the chicken coating it blended well when eating it dipped in the sauce. I am rating this a 4 not because it was not for me but for the taste (which was good if you like heat). This would make a good dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or strips when you have friends over. I'm the odd one, I just don't like spicy but I know my friends would love it.

[I'mPat]

This was nice but to suit us we would require some changes. I wasn't sure if this chicken was to be returned to the sauce or just poured over separately but went with the second and therefore just heated the sauce in a separate pot rather than emptying hot oil out of the wok. We felt that the sauce was overly sweet and the sesame oil came through a little too strongly and with serving with rice more sauce was definately needed (actually preferred the sauce on the rice rather than chicken, think the rice soaked up the sweetness a bit). I only used 1/2 teaspoon of hot chilli flakes but would up that and the DH thought that some toasted sesame seeds would be a good addition and halve the sesame oil. Overall I recipe I would like to try again but with changes. Thank you Diana #2, made for ZAAR Cookbook Tag.