How can I make Chinese chicken fingers like in the northeast USA?

I have not been to a Chinese restaurant in the Boston area, but it sounds like your chicken strips may be dipped in Tempura. When I prepare chicken in this way, I use very thin, tenderized breast pieces. After dipping and frying, they are about double the size of the chicken inside.

Use self rising flour. I moved from Mass. to Arizona, and no one ever knows what I'm talking about when I say chicken fingers at a Chinese restaurant.

I have found a pretty close recipe for 'em, now if I could just get the sweet 'n' sour sauce they give ya.

You can use pancake batter with good results.

Aunt jemima pancake mix and oil at 360 degrees nailed it. I eat at Tiki Island in Everett MA and they taste great and the same.

From personal experience:

• 1 cup flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/3 tsp pepper
• 2 small eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1.3 tbsp Virgin oil (Preferably)
• 2 level tsp of sugar for taste and color

Blend well, then take a small strip of chicken and place it on top of batter. If it just sinks in a little bit and no more, then it's ready. If not, add more flour a little bit at a time to get this result. Oil should be about 300°F to start. If you want them double fried like the Chinese do, then get them very light brown and remove them for about 1/2 hour or longer, then up the oil to 360°F and finish them to a nice golden brown.

I know what he is talking about; being from Boston and Living in Phoenix myself for the last 10 years. West coast people just don't get what your trying to ask for, because its a different type of chinese food out here. They are similiar to the Sweet and sour pieces as someone suggested, but yet different and larger. This recipe is the closest i could find. Good luck

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp. salad oil

Steps:

1. Slice chicken in long thin strips.
2. Dip in batter.
3. Deep fry in vegetable oil.

It took me forever to find the recipe, I finally did years ago.

Self rising flour, cornstarch, salt, water and a little sugar. Dip in batter and fry for a few seconds then re dip in the batter. It's not so much the batter but the technique - that is how they become so puffy.

The duck sauce is from the east coast (I lived in Boston 35 years and knew a woman who ran a Chinese restaurant.)

Applesauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. I don't have the exact measurements written down; you can experiment with the ingredients. It must sit in fridge over night.

I just made a batch having found the recipe for east coast chicken fingers. Now I just need to find out how to get the fried rice dark like east coast.

Kenyon's clam fritter is the batter you need.I buy it online now because I can't find it anywhere else.Its just like the ones in Massachusetts.My mom makes chicken finger every Xmas with 1 pint of duck sauce bought from a Chinese food restaurant.Now I live out of state and need to make my own duck sauce:-(

For chicken fingers as found in either sweet & sour or pupu platters, make sure the chicken is room temperature and dry (pat with paper towels). Then toss the dry chicken in sifted flour and shake off all the extra. Then and only then, dip in batter and shake off excess batter; otherwise its gets too chewy. Use half self-rising flour and half corn starch in batter recipes. Fry at 350F for 4-5 min and place on a heated rack.

How do I know this you ask? I asked my favorite local Southie Chinese restaurant to show me how. I've made them and they were spot on, except for the times I hurried and used cold chicken, and didn't pat dry - then it was awful and gooey.

According to Zaings, the secret is the special self-raising flour used, Green Dragon. As you can see from the video, it does puff up really well in comparison to regular SRF.

https://youtu.be/5azRj_8iogg