Pan-Fried Chicken Cutlet (香煎鸡排)

香煎鸡排

Pan-Fried Chicken Cutlet (香煎鸡排) — Home-styleNationwide favorite home cooking.

Ingredients

• boneless chicken breast (or thigh), butterflied
• ginger, grated
• garlic, minced
• light soy sauce
• Shaoxing wine
• sugar
• white pepper
• all-purpose flour (for dusting)
• neutral oil

Instructions

1. Butterfly each breast: slice almost through the middle, open like a book, and pound to an even 1 cm thickness. (Cutlets are even thickness, no thick bumps in the middle)
2. Marinate: mix soy, Shaoxing, ginger, garlic, sugar, and white pepper. Coat the chicken and marinate 15 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge). (Chicken is fully coated in marinade, no dry spots)
3. Dust each cutlet lightly with flour, shaking off the excess. The flour should be a thin, dry film. (Thin, even flour coat — no thick clumps)
4. Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium-high. Place the cutlets in — you should hear a steady sizzle. Cook 3-4 minutes without moving. (Crust turns golden around the edges; steady sizzle)
5. Flip and cook 3 minutes on the second side. If the crust browns too fast, lower the heat — the inside needs time to cook through. (Both sides golden-brown; no burnt spots)
6. Rest 3 minutes on a plate (juices redistribute), then slice against the grain. Serve with rice and a lemon wedge or a drizzle of soy. (Juices pool slightly on the plate; meat is white and moist inside)