Ingredients :

• Chicken — Take chicken breasts, cut into strips about one centimeter thick. Boneless thighs also work — the meat is fattier and therefore more tender, but it holds up less well during quick cooking. Always slice against the grain so it’s tender to the bite.
• Cornstarch — This is the game-changer ingredient. It creates a protective layer around the chicken during frying — the technique is called velveting in Chinese cooking. Don’t use white flour instead: it absorbs too much oil and gives a pasty texture, not a crispy one.
• Dark brown sugar — Not white sugar, not light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar has a hint of molasses that gives this deep caramel color to the sauce and a richness you can’t get with anything else. If you don’t have it, light brown sugar will do, but the sauce will be lighter and less complex.
• Low-sodium soy sauce — The regular version makes the sauce too salty once reduced. With the low-sodium version, you stay in control. Any brand will do — Kikkoman, Wan Ja Shan, whatever you find.