Chinese Almond Chicken

Chinese Almond Chicken is a local dish served at every Chinese food restaurant in Detroit, Michigan. It comes as several names including Detroit Almond Chicken, ABC Chicken (which is redundant because the C stands for “chicken” and Almond Boneless Chicken.

What is Almond Chicken?

Chinese Almond Chicken, aka Detroit Almond Chicken, ABC and Almond Boneless Chicken, is a dish with fried chicken and mushroom gravy served over iceberg lettuce.

The request for Detroit Almond Chicken was from my dear friend Nathalie. Born and raised in a suburb of Detroit, she raves about Detroit Style Almond Chicken. Although served year round, this dish is also a Christmas Eve tradition in the region. 

Nathalie has been trying to get our two friends, who also hail from the Detroit area and happen to own a Chinese food restaurant, to fess up the coveted recipe for Detroit Style Almond Chicken.

ABC Chicken and apparently there is a secret recipe for Egg Rolls that includes peanut butter, but that is another story for another time.

What You’ll Need

Brace yourself, the chinese almond chicken ingredient list looks long, but it really just uses many pantry staples. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast- I generally use 2-4 pieces, depending on size. Large ones can be cut into smaller, more manageable pieces. Or skip a step by purchasing thin chicken cutlets at the store.
• Salt and pepper- for seasoning.
• Sherry– A Spanish fortified wine, it is thought of as sweet, but often very dry. Because of this unique flavor profile, it is amazing in savory dishes. A little can go a long way and add immense flavor. Omit this ingredient if you aren’t planning to use it.
• Slurry- Made from water and cornstarch, it thickens the sauce while making it silky, shiny and preventing a grainy texture.
• Low-sodium chicken broth– Always use low sodium so you can stay in control of the saltiness.
• Shiitake mushrooms – Or any other mushroom blend.
• Dark soy sauce- Yes, this is different from lite soy, regular soy and the green capped stuff. This is an intense sauce that is thicker and more robust, but also less salty than traditional soy sauces.
• Unsalted Butter– There are a lot of ingredients with the potential to over salt this dish, so anytime you can reduce and control, please do so!
• All-Purpose Flour- We have not tested this recipe with any GF flours. If you do, please let us know how it went!
• Baking powder– Usually seen in baking, this powder gives the chicken batter a fluff.
• Eggs– The binding agent of the chicken batter.
• High smoke point neutral oil– Enough for 1-2 inches to pan fry. I tend to use vegetable oil, canola oil or a blended oil. Peanut oil can also be used.
• Iceberg Lettuce- This is the most traditional, but feel free to use a bed of any type of leafy greens.
• Sliced Almonds– The nut that is the namesake, it is pretty important to use. Otherwise, it is just chicken in a mushroom gravy.
• Scallions (Green Onions)– Adds a fresh crunch.
• Chinese Rice Noodles– Crunchy little fried noodles that are just as fun to eat as a snack as they are to top this Chinese fried chicken.

Let’s Make It

Making this chinese almond chicken involves a lot of steps, but I’ll walk you through each one!

1. Pound chicken. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound breasts to approximately 1/2 inch uniform thickness.
2. Marinate chicken. Place in a baking dish large enough for them to fit in a single layer. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cover with cooking sherry. Set aside until ready to cook.
3. Make cornstarch slurry. In bowl, whisk together cornstarch with water until smooth.
4. Make gravy. In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat the chicken broth, mushrooms, dark soy sauce, butter and cornstarch mixture over low heat. Whisk until smooth. Sauce should start to thicken and mushrooms will cook down. When it reaches a gravy consistency, remove from heat or place on a “warm” setting.
5. Make batter. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk flour, baking powder and eggs. This mixture will be very thick. If it’s too thick, add a small amount of milk or water, but make sure it isn’t too watery, you want it to stick to the chicken.
6. Make seasoned flour mixture. In a shallow dish or bowl place the remaining flour and lightly season with salt and pepper.
7. Prepare oven and oil. Preheat the oven and heat vegetable oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Cook chicken. Remove the chicken from the sherry marinade and lightly coat each chicken breast in the flour and then dredge in the egg batter. Carefully lower into hot oil. Remove to a wire rack suspended over baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
9. Slice chicken and assemble. Place the chicken onto a cutting board and cut using hard strokes and a cleaver. Create a bed of iceberg lettuce, top with a piece of chicken, mushroom gravy, scallions, almonds and Chinese rice noodles.

Perfect Pairings

Why iceberg lettuce? I’m told it started as a way to soak up extra oil from the fried chicken when plated, but since customers have started to devour it along with the chicken, it has become a staple. Topped with crunchy goodies, the textures are well balanced and palate pleasing.

However, you can totally use rice instead if you’d like! You can serve this chinese almond chicken with my restaurant style fried rice, tomato rice or cauliflower fried rice to cut back on carbs.

Storage Freezing

How to Store

There might be leftovers and in this case, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It can be reheated in the oven at a warm temperature or in the microwave.

Can I Freeze Chinese Almond Chicken?

I do not recommend freezing this recipe once cooked, but feel free to freeze just the gravy. Thaw in a saucepan on low heat or defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

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Chinese Almond Chicken Recipe

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Chinese Almond Chicken, aka Detroit Almond Chicken, ABC Chicken or Almond Boneless Chicken, is a dish with fried chicken and mushroom gravy served over iceberg lettuce.

Prep Time: 35 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 55 minutes mins

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Servings: 4 people

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Equipment

• Meat Tenderizer
• 9×13 Baking Dish
• Skillet
• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Cleaver Knife
• Interlinking Dredging Bowls
• Wire Cooling Rack
• Rimmed Baking Sheets
• Deep Frying Thermometer
• Deep 9-inch Pie Plate
• Whisk
• Heavy Bottom Saucepan

Ingredients

• 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts , depends on size
• coarse kosher salt & pepper
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons water
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms , sliced
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 tablespoons all purpose flour , divided
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• Vegetable oil enough to fill 1 inch of a Dutch oven
• 1 head iceberg lettuce shredded
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 4 scallions ,sliced diagonally for garnish
• Chinese Rice Noodles

Instructions

• Place the 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound breasts to approximately 1/2 inch uniform thickness. Pieces may be very large, in this case, cut in half.
• Place in a baking dish large enough for them to fit in a single layer. Season to taste with coarse kosher salt & pepperand cover with 1 cup dry sherry. Set aside until ready to cook, a minimum of 30 minutes.
• In bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons cornstarch with 4 tablespoons wateruntil smooth.
• In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat the 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, sliced 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and cornstarch mixture over low heat. Whisk until smooth. Sauce should start to thicken and mushrooms will cook down. Do not bring to a boil, whisk every 2-3 minutes while making the chicken. When it reaches a gravy consistency, remove from heat or place on a "warm" setting.
• In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk 6 tablespoons of the flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 2 eggs. This mixture will be very thick. If it is so think you won't be able to dredge chicken through it, add a small amount of milk or water, but make sure it isn't too watery, you want it to stick to the chicken.
• In a shallow dish or bowl place the remaining 6 tablespoons all purpose flour and lightly season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 1-2 inches of Vegetable oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat or 325°F using a deep fry thermometer.
• Remove the chicken from the sherry marinade and lightly coat each chicken breast in the flour and then dredge in the egg batter. Carefully lower into hot oil. Depending on size, chicken will take from 5-7 minutes per side. Remove to a wire rack suspended over baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Continue with remaining chicken breasts. The cooking time can vary considerably depending on the heat of the oil and size of the chicken. Chicken needs to be an internal temperture of 165°F.
• Place the chicken onto a cutting board and cut using hard strokes and a cleaver. Create a bed of 1 head iceberg lettuce, top with a piece of chicken, mushroom gravy, sliced 4 scallions, 1/3 cup sliced almonds, and Chinese Rice Noodles.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 435 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Protein: 33 g, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 176 mg, Sodium: 1315 mg, Potassium: 800 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 535 IU, Vitamin C: 15.9 mg, Calcium: 96 mg, Iron: 3 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Formicola

Calories: 435

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Keyword: ABC chicken, chinese almond chicken, detroit almond chicken

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