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Starch-coating chicken

上浆shàng jiāng

Prepare a thin coating before cooking chicken for a stir-fry.

Core cooking technique

Raw chicken slices with a thin, even starch coating, lifted with chopsticks.
Raw chicken slices with a thin, even starch coating, lifted with chopsticks.
On this page

Before you start

For 12 oz (340 g) chicken: 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp cornstarch, 2 tsp neutral oil, and 2–3 tbsp water; reduce water if the meat is already moist.

For this method

An example for sliced chicken, not a universal formula for every protein.

Step by step

  1. Slice evenly

    Cut across the grain, about ¼ inch thick.

    Look for: Pieces of similar thickness.

  2. Let the liquid absorb

    Mix chicken with water and soy sauce. Allow 5–10 minutes for absorption.

    Look for: No standing liquid.

  3. Coat the slices

    Mix in cornstarch and oil, separating the pieces.

    Look for: A thin, even coating, without dry starch pockets.

  4. Continue with your recipe

    Cook the coated chicken using the recipe's searing or water-cooking method, then finish the dish. This page ends at the coating stage; cooking happens in your recipe.

    Look for: Evenly coated slices, ready for the recipe's next step; nothing has been cooked yet.

Signs of success

The coating is evenly distributed. The chicken is still raw at this stage; it must later reach 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. Turning opaque during a preliminary cook does not prove that it is safe to eat.

Troubleshooting

Liquid remains in the bowl
The added water exceeded what this chicken absorbed.
Pause before adding more; reduce the initial water next time.
Coating is patchy
Slices stuck together while mixing.
Separate them and redistribute the coating.

About this method

English-language 'velveting' often includes marinating and pre-cooking. This page isolates the starch-coating preparation stage; the original URL is retained.

Sources & method notes

  1. How to Velvet Chicken for Stir-fry (opens in a new tab)

    Bill Leung / The Woks of Life · Updated June 20, 2025; The Marinade; Instructions

    Chicken quantities, liquid absorption, coating and later cooking. This author's method omits egg white; other methods differ. Troubleshooting is editorial interpretation of the coating instructions.

    Accessed 2026-09-05

  2. Safe minimum internal temperatures (opens in a new tab)

    FoodSafety.gov · Poultry

    Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C), measured with a food thermometer. Appearance alone is not a safety test.

    Accessed 2026-09-05