Empress Chicken

This empress chicken is quick, easy, and next level delicious. The crisp and tender chicken is coated in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy stir-fry sauce that I adapted from my sticky chicken recipe. Plus, it's ready in about 20 minutes, and it makes for a tasty and satisfying meal that is sure to "empress" your family and friends.

THE BEST EMPRESS CHICKEN

Chinese empress chicken is one of my favorite things to order for takeout. 

It's got a great balance of sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavors. And I just love how the sauce fully coats each piece of flavorful chicken. 

Seriously, it is just so delicious.

And since everything tastes better homemade, I, of course, had to make my own version, and create this empress chicken recipe.

And, let me tell ya, the chicken is tender, juicy, and perfectly crispy - something you don't usually get from the takeout version. Plus, the sauce is insanely flavorful, with just the right amount of heat, sweetness, and tanginess that keep you coming back for more.

Plus, it only takes under 25 minutes to make from start to finish. That's less time than it takes for a takeout order to arrive! Oh, and they're delicious with a side of these Chinese green beans, so you'll want to make those, too.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for the chicken:

• 1 ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsps cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4–5 dried red chilies (or ½ tsp. chili flakes)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil for frying

And what you'll need for the sauce:

• 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon white vinegar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 sliced green onion and sesame seeds for serving

By the way, a quick note on the sesame oil – be sure to use regular, untoasted sesame oil for frying the chicken. The darker colored toasted sesame oil has a much lower smoke point and can turn bitter if cooked too long on high heat.

Oh, and any ingredients you have left over can be used to make some more takeout-inspired recipes we have on the blog! Recipes such as this general tso shrimp, firecracker shrimp, shrimp lo mein, and my all-time favorite, orange chicken.

How To Make Empress Chicken

STEP 1: PREPARING THE SAUCE

First, we'll prepare our stir-fry-style sauce. In a bowl, combine your cornstarch, white vinegar, soy sauce, chicken broth, and brown sugar. 

Then, whisk everything together until the cornstarch has dissolved and the ingredients are combined. Once that happens, you can set your sauce aside and start working on your chicken.

STEP 2: COOKING THE CHICKEN

First, crack your egg in a bowl, and if you haven't already, cut your chicken into cubes and add it to the bowl. 

Then, mix your chicken pieces and egg together with a fork until each piece of chicken is thoroughly coated in the egg.

Next, sprinkle your cornstarch over the chicken and egg mixture and mix again until all of your pieces of chicken are evenly coated. And you can add more cornstarch if needed to cover the chicken.

Now, add your sesame oil to a pan over high heat. Then cook the chicken in 2 or 3 batches for about 4-5 minutes each - until all the chicken is cooked through. And you want the coating on the outside of the chicken to be slightly golden and crispy.

Also, make sure you don't rush the cooking process by dumping all of your chicken in the pan at once! Overcrowding the pan will lower its temperature, and your chicken will cook unevenly and won't crisp up.

Anyway, once your chicken is cooked, transfer it to a plate and set it aside.

STEP 3: COMBINING AND SERVING

Now, in the same pan, add your minced garlic, ginger, and dried red chilis or chili flakes. Sautè everything for 30 seconds, keeping the pan on high heat.

Then, add your cooked chicken back into the pan and give your sauce a good whisk to remix the ingredients. 

After that, pour your sauce over the chicken and stir everything together until the sauce thickens.

Once the sauce has thickened and your chicken is covered in it, transfer it to a plate and sprinkle some chopped green onions and sesame seeds over the top.

Serve alone or alongside this instant pot sushi rice or some veggies, and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Use a light hand with cornstarch for the chicken coating. Coat is key—too much cornstarch can result in a gummy texture. Just dust enough to evenly coat each chicken cube so it crisps up beautifully without any heaviness.
• Choose the right sesame oil. For frying, opt for light (untoasted) sesame oil. It has a higher smoke point and ensures crisp, flavorful chicken. Avoid toasted sesame oil, which burns fast and can impart bitterness.
• Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Frying the chicken in a warm, lightly oiled pan ensures an evenly crisped exterior. Crowding the pan drops the temperature and results in soggy, steamed chicken instead of crunchy perfection.
• Rest the sauce while chicken fries. Whisk together the sauce ingredients early to let the cornstarch fully dissolve. Then, let it sit while the chicken cooks—this gives flavors a moment to meld, and prevents lumps when thickening.
• Stay on high heat when crisping and saucing. A high, steady flame ensures the chicken stays crisp while reheating. As soon as you add the sauce to the pan, keep stirring so the sauce thickens rapidly and coats evenly without overcooking the meat.
• Control spice with optional dried chili. The dried chilies add a pleasant level of heat, but you can easily dial back the spice by using 1–2 instead of a handful, or by discarding them before serving.
• Garnish thoughtfully for color and flavor contrast. A sprinkling of fresh green onions and sesame seeds at the end isn’t just pretty—it adds freshness, texture, and a flavour lift that sharpens the sweet-savory sauce.
• Store leftovers separately for crunch retention. For best texture, store extra chicken and sauce in separate containers. Reheat the chicken briefly in a hot skillet before tossing with warmed sauce. This way, your chicken stays crisp—avoiding the sogginess that can come from sitting sauced.

How To Store and Reheat Empress Chicken

So, if you're planning to store some of your empress chicken for leftovers or meal prep, then you'll want to keep your cooked chicken and the prepared sauce separate until it's time to eat. This way, your chicken will stay nice and crisp when you reheat it.

You can store the cooked chicken and sauce in separate containers or in a container with dividers. It will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

With that said, don't worry if you have leftovers that are mixed already. You can store the chicken covered in sauce, and your leftovers will still be delicious. 

As far as reheating your Chinese empress chicken, I recommend giving the chicken and sauce a quick toss in a skillet over high heat.

Start by sautéing the chicken until the outside is crisp, then add your sauce to the pan and stir until the chicken is covered in the sauce and warmed to your desired temperature.

Final Thoughts

That's how to make empress chicken that's better than takeout! This has time and time again been a recipe I go back to when I'm craving Chinese takeout but want something fresher and quicker. Give it a try and let me know what you think by leaving a comment and review below!

More Chicken Recipes

•  Tandoori chicken
•  Salt and pepper chicken wings 
• Chicken tocino
• Chicken salad croissants
• Honey sesame chicken