In need of help sweet BBQ chicken stir fry

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

storm4mozza

Assistant Cook
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Messages
2
Location
Birmingham
Hello guys.
I have made thie recepie yesterday and for some reason i can still taste the corn starch, i was wondering if anyone knows how i can fix this so dinner isn't wrecked tonight?
Thanx in advance for any replies
Nicola x

Introduction

Easy and flavorful

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce (or other sweet BBQ sauce)
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water
3 Tbls soy sauce
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut up
1 Bag stir fry vegetables (whatever combo you like best)
1 Tbls cornstarch mixed with 1/8-1/4 cup water


Directions

Cook chicken breast with your preferred method (I use a microwave) and cut up. Heat skillet to med high/high and add stir fry veggies. Cook for about 5 min, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile stir together BBQ sauce, water, garlic, pepper, and soy sauce. Add chicken and sauce to vegetables and continue cooking approximately 5 min. Mix together cornstarch with 1/8-1/4 cup water and pour into skillet, stiring until thickened. Can be served over rice.

Number of Servings: 4
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Are you sure it is cornstarch that you are tasting? I'm trying to figure out how you could pick it up with all of the strong tasting ingredients in the sauce, unless the cornstarch wasn't dissolved in the water before adding it to the sauce. I use cornstarch as a thickener for sauces on a regular basis.
 
That's a lot of cornstarch compared to the other ingredients.
Could have been a typo in the recipe.
I would think 1/2 T of cornstarch would have been called for.

Anyway. Try reducing the liquid to half the volume now. Then add in some boiling water.
Taste season.
 
Are you sure it is cornstarch that you are tasting? I'm trying to figure out how you could pick it up with all of the strong tasting ingredients in the sauce, unless the cornstarch wasn't dissolved in the water before adding it to the sauce. I use cornstarch as a thickener for sauces on a regular basis.


I agree with both tenspeed and puffin.

First off, that's a lot of cornstarch. Unlike Nikki*, I have never found cornstarch to have much of a taste at all and the BBQ sauce and soy sauce would pretty much mask it completely.


* https://search.yahoo.com/search?p=woman+eats+cornstarch&fr=yfp-t-685&fr2=p:fp,m:sb
 
Thankyou guys so much for your help i will edit my recipe since you all think the original poster of the recipe seems to have made an error, definitely tasting the corn starch will attempt to reduce it now xx
 
Last edited by a moderator:
IMO, one tablespoon of cornstarch isn't THAT much. After re-reading the instructions, I'm wondering if the cornstarch wasn't mixed in with the sauce very well. If I was making it, I would mix the cornstarch (dissolved in water) in with the sauce before adding it to the chicken and veggies. Just make sure they are done to your liking before adding the sauce. Once you add the sauce, it just needs to be heated through and will thicken in the process.
 
IMO, one tablespoon of cornstarch isn't THAT much. After re-reading the instructions, I'm wondering if the cornstarch wasn't mixed in with the sauce very well. If I was making it, I would mix the cornstarch (dissolved in water) in with the sauce before adding it to the chicken and veggies. Just make sure they are done to your liking before adding the sauce. Once you add the sauce, it just needs to be heated through and will thicken in the process.

I looked up the proper ratios and it is 1T to 1 cup of water/wine/stock. Dissolved in cold liquid and whisked in to the hot liquid.

Because the BBQ sauce is going to be pretty thick to start with, I think less CS could be used here.

But I am starting to think that you are right about the cornstarch being improperly incorporated. That's the only way I can see that the CS could be tasted.

And I agree that the CS should be fully incorporated into the liquid before adding it to the chicken and veggies. The chix/veg may make it hard to fully dissolve it.
 
DW prefers cornstarch as a thickener, and so I use it often. I too use 1 tbs. to a cup of liquid. I stir it in about an eighth cup of water until is forms a uniform slurry, then slowly whisk it into the broth. I do this before I add the veggies as it's easier to stir smoothly into the sauce. The cornstarch loses its powdery texture as it absorbs water to thicken. In a stir fry, the sauce should not be too thick, but should just coat a spoon, and just enough to adhere to the food. You don't have to add all of the cornstarch slurry. Add enough to get the amount, and thickness of sauce that you desire.

Another way to make your dish is to slice the chicken breast into strips, or half-inch chunks. Mix together 1 tbs. cornstarch, 1/4 sup water, a tsp. of soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and granulated onion, 2 tbs. rice-wine vinegar, and a heaping tbs. of dark brown sugar. Stir until well mixed. Place the chicken in this marinade and let sit in the fridge for a half hour. Heat just enough oil to cover the chicken chunks to about 250 degrees. Place the chicken strips in the hot oil just until the coating turns opaque. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. make the stir-fry, with sauce, then when it is done, add the chicken into it.

This is called velveting the meat and produces an amazingly tender, and flavorful protein to your stir fry. The velveting process also works with beef, pork, turkey, goat, pretty much any protein you want to use.

Hope this helps.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom