War Su Gai is a Chinese-American dish consisting of deep-fried chicken that is coated with flavorful gravy and garnished with almonds. Although not widely available, it's a specialty in Detroit, Michigan, Columbus, Ohio, and no doubt a few other areas. In this version, I've used oyster sauce in the marinade to lend extra flavor to the cooked chicken.
Ingredients
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the Marinade:
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1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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2 teaspoons oyster sauce
For the Batter:
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour
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1/4 cup cornstarch
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3/4 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon finely chopped green onion
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1 large egg
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2 to 3 tablespoons water, or more as needed
For the Gravy:
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2 1/2 cups chicken broth, preferably reduced sodium
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2 ounces (1 to 1 1/4 cups) fresh mushrooms, sliced
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1 stalk celery, sliced
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1 tablespoon rice wine, or dry sherry
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3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
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Oil, as needed, for deep-frying
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2 leaves romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
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1/4 cup sliced almonds, for optional garnish
Steps to Make It
Prep the Chicken and Marinade:
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Gather the ingredients.
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Pat the chicken breast halves dry.
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Rub the salt, pepper and oyster sauce over the chicken. Place in the refrigerator to marinate while preparing the other ingredients.
Make the Batter:
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Gather the ingredients.
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Combine the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a bowl, stirring to make sure the baking powder is mixed in evenly.
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Stir in the chopped green onion.
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Add the egg, then enough water to make a smooth batter.
Deep-fry the Chicken:
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Heat the oil in a wok or electric wok to 375 F.
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Coat a chicken breast in the batter.
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Then carefully add to the deep-fry oil. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes on one side, then turn over and deep-fry on the other side until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through—10 to 15 minutes total. (You will probably need to cook the chicken in batches).
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Drain the deep-fried chicken on paper towels or on a tempura rack.
Make the Gravy:
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Gather the ingredients.
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Bring the chicken broth to a boil on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and chopped celery. Bring to a boil.
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Stir in the rice wine or sherry.
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Give the cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir, then pour it in and stir quickly until the sauce thickens.
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To serve, cut the chicken into thin slices and arrange on the lettuce. Pour the sauce over and garnish with the almonds.
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Enjoy!
Recipe Variation
- Feel free to vary the vegetables, for example replacing half the mushrooms with water chestnuts.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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487 | Calories |
24g | Fat |
22g | Carbs |
42g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 3 to 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 487 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 24g | 31% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 14% |
Cholesterol 149mg | 50% |
Sodium 770mg | 33% |
Total Carbohydrate 22g | 8% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 42g | |
Vitamin C 2mg | 10% |
Calcium 102mg | 8% |
Iron 3mg | 16% |
Potassium 571mg | 12% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |