Do they serve real chicken in chinese restaurants or is it something else?

Answer 1

It's funny that many ask this question. Chinese restaurants often due to things several things that can change the texture of a meat such as chicken.

1. High cooking temperatures - Chinese kitchens have mega burners that pump out lots of heat (BTU). The result is a wok that has no temperature drop when the meat heats it. The ability to cook the meat very very rapidly keeps the meat extremely tender. If one watches a restaurant wok kitchen in action, one will see that a two cups of water come to a boil in seconds because the wok can supply so much heat.

2. Cornstarch - Cornstarch or even better, tapioca starch is often added to the meat. The cornstarch gives the meat a smooth texture when cooked and prevents the meat from drying out. Cornstarch is gelatinous when cooked and gives the meat a glossy and slippery texture, simulating tenderness. A pretty standard technique either in the restaurant or at home. this is one difference not done in western style cooking (except in frying, but then flour is preferred).

3. Baking soda - baking soda is often added to meat. Sometimes too much.. but this helps to tenderize the meat.

4. Lots of Oil - Restaurant cooking uses a lot of oil.. lots of very hot oil along with the high heat transfer rate of restaurant woks allows for the meat to cook very quickly. the oil conducts heat to the meat very rapidly. When cooking a home, one would only use a fraction of the oil used in restaurants.

Answer 2

I am Canadian, but I have had as authentic as can be had outside of China. I dated a Chinese women once, and she took me for lunch to a place in Ottawa which did things the traditional way. I had no idea what many of the dishes were (she ordered in Chinese; she spoke several dialects, and could speak to the different wait staff), but I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch! I do like some of the North American adaptations to what is mostly Cantonese style cooking. The sweet and sour chicken balls for example. But, the real thing was SO much more interesting.

Answer 3

I think the chicken is real. Vegetarian restaurants may serve fake chicken.

Answer 4

As far as I know they serve real chicken in the ones I go to.

Answer 5

The Chinese restaurant near my house serves both.

If you order from the "regular" menu, chicken is chicken

If you order from the "vegan" menu, chicken is tofu

Answer 6

I must say I had Chinese food the other night, and I had never seen chicken look the way this did, and the rice with the pork, it was very strange looking.
I won't be eating Chinese food again.

Answer 7

I'm not going to read any answers....I just know the last time I had chicken, it really DID NOT look like the chicken I had previously....I couldn't eat it, and have not been able to order from them since....I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE NEVER SEEN CHICKEN THAT LOOKED,OR TASTED LIKE THAT BEFORE...AND I WILL NEVER EAT CHINESE AGAIN....

Answer 8

asian girl talking here, and yes it is real chicken. well it might not taste like chicken because they put some soy sause or chinese flavoring to it, but it's still chicken. by the way i'm not chinese, i;m cambodian.

Answer 9

It should be real chicken. But they never say what part of the chicken it comes from....

Answer 10

Depends on the integrity of the restaurant. They are supposed to use chicken. Usually they use parts of it that finicky eaters wouldn't normally use. The whole chicken!