Velveting Chicken Breast Chinese Restaurant Style Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk egg white, vinegar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl until marinade is smooth. Add chicken; cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• Bring water and oil to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium.
• Pour excess marinade off the chicken. Add chicken to the pot; boil until white on the outside but still raw in the middle, about 1 minute. Strain off excess liquid.
• Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container until ready to use, up to a few hours. Heat until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Steps:

• Trim chicken breasts to a uniform size, shape and thickness; they should be about 1/2 inch thick. (If using larger breasts, slice them into 1/2-inch-thick cutlets.) Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Velvet the chicken: In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy, then whisk in cornstarch until lump-free. Add chicken breasts and coat well with cornstarch mixture, then cover and marinate for 30 minutes. (Chicken may also be marinated several hours ahead and refrigerated.)
• Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl, stir together Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dried mustard, horseradish and crème fraîche. Set aside.
• Put butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Lay chicken breasts in the pan and sauté very lightly for 30 seconds a side without browning. Remove breasts and blot on paper towels. Discard remaining oil and wipe pan.
• Return skillet to stove and add mustard and crème fraîche mixture and chicken broth. Whisk together to make a thin sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Add breasts and simmer for 1 minute, then turn breasts over, cover pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 1 or 2 minutes more, until meat is firm to the touch.
• Transfer breasts to a warm platter. Bring sauce to a boil, add chopped thyme and reduce until slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over breasts, sprinkle with chives and serve.