Sweet Fire chicken is probably one of the easiest Asian recipes your will ever make. Frying the chicken is probably the most difficult. The Sauce is simple because it is already made for you. The sauce is Pantai Spring Roll Sauce from Thailand. You should be able to find it in most Asian markets. Make sure you get the right one, because they have few that look similar. I have this in both the Chinese and Thai sections. The reason I added it to the Thai is the sauce is from Thailand. Otherwise, it is pretty much an American/Chinese recipe.

There are a few different ways to bread chicken for sweet fire chicken or general Tso’s chicken. My recipe will use a traditional way using an egg white. You can also coat the chicken in a mixture with fifty percent flour, and fifty percent cornstarch, or make a batter with the same flour and cornstarch mixture. You can see my process down below. All methods will result in amazing chicken. The trick is to fry the sweet fire chicken twice.

Corn starch, a white powder derived from corn kernels, thickens sauces, soups, and stews and serves as a binder in processed foods and baked goods. Beyond food, industries like paper and textiles also use corn starch, and it coats food products to prevent sticking. Its versatility comes from its ability to create a smooth, creamy texture and its neutral flavor, making it a popular ingredient in many recipes. Potato starch can replace corn starch in most recipes.

In many countries, including China, people widely use corn starch as a thickening agent. However, Chinese cooking often substitutes it with potato starch, tapioca starch, arrowroot starch, or rice flour. These alternatives thicken sauces, soups, and stews and help make dishes like dumplings and noodles. Each starch offers a unique texture and flavor, so substitutions may affect the dish, but these options are readily available in Chinese grocery stores and work well as corn starch substitutes.

1. Texture and Crispiness: Tapioca and potato starch tend to create a smoother, silkier texture in sauces and a crispier coating when used for frying. These starches absorb more moisture and result in a crunchier finish compared to cornstarch, which can sometimes feel softer after cooking.
2. Clearer Sauces: Tapioca and potato starches give sauces a more translucent and glossy appearance, which is often preferred in Chinese cooking, especially for dishes like stir-fries and soups. Cornstarch, on the other hand, can produce a more opaque and thicker sauce.
3. Temperature Tolerance: Tapioca and potato starches perform better under varying temperatures, including high heat and freezing. Cornstarch can break down and lose its thickening power at high heat or after freezing, while tapioca and potato starch hold up better.
4. Regional Preference: Tapioca and potato starches are more commonly available and traditionally used in certain parts of China and Southeast Asia, making them the go-to options for many dishes. Cornstarch is more commonly used in Western cooking.

These starches offer subtle differences in taste and texture, helping achieve the desired result depending on the dish.