Tipakay (Sweet & Sour Fried Chicken — Chifa Style)

Traditional Chifa tipakay taught by Chef Pati Chong — crispy battered chicken tossed in a sweet-and-sour sauce made from ketchup, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil, served over shredded lettuce with fried bread croutons. The video covers two versions: the classic original with lettuce and croutons, and a modern chifa version with stir-fried vegetables.

30m Prep

25m Cook

55m Total

4 Servings

chifa tipakay sweet-and-sour agridulce fried-chicken peruvian-chinese cantonese pati-chong wok deep-fry

Ingredients

Chicken

400 g Chicken breast (Cut in thin slices (kaiping cut))

Chicken marinade

1 pinch Salt
1 pinch Black pepper
1 pinch MSG seasoning optional
1.5 tbsp Water
2 tsp Cornstarch (For marinade (1 tsp per 200g chicken))
1 tsp Baking powder
1 unit Egg (Beaten)

Coating

100 g All-purpose flour (Mixed with cornstarch for coating)
50 g Cornstarch (Mixed with flour for coating)

Frying

500 ml Vegetable oil (For deep frying chicken and croutons)

Garnish

1 head Curly lettuce (Chiffonade (thin strips))
4 slices White sandwich bread (Cut into small cubes for croutons)

Sauce

12 g Vegetable oil (For sauce)
180 g Ketchup
50 g White vinegar
80 g White sugar
300 g Chicken stock (Unsalted)
18 g Soy sauce
10 g Sesame oil (For aroma)
20 g Cornstarch slurry (Dissolved in water for thickening)
12 g MSG seasoning optional

Steps

1

Cut the chicken breast into thin slices using the kaiping cut technique. Season with salt, pepper, and optional MSG.

Tip: The kaiping cut produces thin, even slices that cook quickly and coat well.

~5 min
2

Add water (about 1.5 tablespoons) and cornstarch (1 teaspoon per 200g of chicken) to the chicken. Mix well. Add a beaten egg and baking powder. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes so the meat absorbs the extra moisture.

Tip: The cornstarch and water technique (velveting) keeps the chicken tender and moist inside. The baking powder improves color and crunch.

~15 min
3

Mix flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Toss the marinated chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes so the coating adheres better.

Tip: After refrigerating, pass the chicken through the flour mixture a second time for a crunchier coating — the moisture will have softened the first coat.

~20 min
4

Cut sandwich bread into small cubes. Deep fry at low temperature (120-140°C) until golden. Drain on paper towels. Optionally finish in a low oven to remove excess oil.

Tip: Sandwich bread has more sugar than regular bread, so it browns faster — use low heat. Remove them slightly lighter than desired; they continue browning outside the oil.

~8 min
5

For the sauce: heat vegetable oil over moderate heat. Add ketchup and cook until it releases aroma. Add chicken stock, sugar, vinegar, a pinch of salt, and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and let flavors integrate.

Tip: Toasting the ketchup first is key — it deepens the flavor significantly.

~5 min
6

Season the sauce with optional MSG, add sesame oil for aroma, then thicken with cornstarch slurry (chuño dissolved in water). Mix well. Reserve half the sauce for the modern version if desired.

Tip: Cornstarch (chuño) has stronger thickening power than maicena — use more if substituting.

~3 min
7

Deep fry the coated chicken at 180-185°C. Add pieces by sliding them along the side of the wok to prevent splashing. Let them sit undisturbed for 30 seconds to 1 minute before moving, so the coating sets properly.

Tip: Do not move the chicken immediately after adding — the coating needs time to set in the hot oil.

~8 min
8

For the traditional version: place a bed of chiffonade lettuce on the plate, toss the fried chicken with the sweet-and-sour sauce, place on top of lettuce, and finish with fried bread croutons on top.

Tip: The cold lettuce against the hot chicken creates a deliberate temperature contrast — a signature of the authentic dish. For the modern chifa version, stir-fry vegetables and toss with sauce and chicken instead.

~3 min

Nutrition (per serving)

350

Calories

20g

Protein

35g

Carbs

15g

Fat

Fiber

Cultural Context

Tipakay is a Chifa dish with roots in Cantonese and Hong Kong cuisine, carrying British colonial influence from the mid-20th century. Chef Pati Chong learned the traditional version from her father, a chifa master. The classic presentation features a bed of shredded crisp lettuce, hot sweet-and-sour chicken on top, and fried bread croutons — creating a deliberate interplay of temperatures (cold lettuce, hot chicken) and textures (crispy coating, crunchy croutons, fresh greens). Most modern chifas have deviated from this original, adding stir-fried vegetables instead.

Giacomo Bocchio

LES ENSEÑO A PREPARAR EL MEJOR TIPAKAY | ELEVA TU JUEGO CULINARIO CON PATI CHONG

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Tipakay (Sweet & Sour Fried Chicken — Chifa Style) ☆

Ingredients

Steps

Nutrition (per serving)

Tipakay (Sweet & Sour Fried Chicken — Chifa Style)