Description
Enjoy delicious Chinese chicken balls with a homemade sweet and sour sauce. This recipe is perfect for beginners, making a fun and simple meal for everyone.
Ingredients
- Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Chicken Balls:
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar (or honey)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1½ cups cold water
- 3–4 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
- Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients.
- Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and set aside until serving.
- Sauce can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.
- Chicken Balls:
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in cold water until mostly smooth. The batter should be thick enough to coat chicken and drip off slowly. Adjust with more flour or water as needed.
- Dip chicken chunks in batter, let excess drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil.
- Fry about 8–10 at a time, cooking 3–4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
- Avoid overcooking to prevent dryness.
- Drain on a wire rack and serve immediately with the sweet and sour sauce.
Notes
- The sweet and sour sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two weeks.
- Ensure the batter is thick enough to coat the chicken properly.
- Do not overcrowd the frying pan to ensure even cooking.
- Drain the fried chicken balls on a wire rack to keep them crispy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Deep-fry
- Cuisine: Chinese