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    Home » Recipes » Gluten Free Main Course

    Gluten Free Chinese Chicken Balls

    Published: Feb 12, 2024 by Cinde LittleThis post may contain affiliate links2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    To make the best gluten free batter you do not want to use a gluten free flour blend. These gluten free Chinese Chicken Balls are made with brown rice flour and cornstarch to have a less starch than most blends. Club soda helps make the batter light, airy and irresistible.

    A small plate of Chinese Chicken Balls with plum sauce on top of a plate with an Oriental pattern. this gluten free recipe

    Once you've made this recipe you can use it to make delicious battered fish for fish and chips or yummy fish tacos. When I've got oil out for deep frying (no air-fryer yet) I want to use it twice so I also think of making these vegetable fritters (pakora) or a treat like cinnamon churros.

    Jump to:
    • 🥢 Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Equipment
    • Cooking with a Seasonal Strategy
    • Gluten Free Chinese Chicken Balls

    🥢 Ingredients

    I served these with store bought plum sauce and it reminded me of the kind of chicken balls we used to get when our family ordered Chinese food. Finding a brand that had no gluten containing ingredients was easy.

    • brown rice flour
    • cornstarch
    • baking powder
    • baking soda
    • club soda
    • chicken
    • oil for frying
    • plum sauce

    See recipe card for exact amounts.

    Instructions

    Over the years I’ve learned a few tricks for cooking with gluten free flour. Here's what you need to know for making battered recipes.

    A wire rack with gluten free Chinese Chicken Balls just out of the frying oil.
    • Let the batter rest for 30 minutes to allow the gluten free flour and starch to fully absorb the liquid.
    • The high starch content of most gluten free flour blends creates a tough batter. The combination of brown rice flour and cornstarch creates a crunchiness with a smooth texture.
    • Club soda and baking powder help lighten up the batter.
    • Dredging the pieces in cornstarch first helps the batter adhere to the meat.
    • Double frying creates a sturdy, crunchy, golden crust.

    Substitutions

    Vegetarian - Canned young jackfruit in brine (from Trader Joe's in the US) is the mystery ingredient not enough people know about. Drain, rinse, remove the seeds and cut off the tough points. Season with salt and pepper and follow the instructions to coat and cook the chicken. If you've never tried it you'll be surprised how similar the texture is to chicken. I see Dragon Fly Brand young jackfruit at Asian stores in Calgary.

    Equipment

    Lots of you have an air-fryer but for those of you who don't, I've shared my step-by-step instructions in this post for battered fish. If you're looking for options to deep fry at home here are some tools to consider.

    • Electric deep fryer
    • Air fryer
    • 13-inch flat bottom wok with long handled mesh strainer.
    • Long clip-on thermometer.

    Cooking with a Seasonal Strategy

    Cooking with a seasonal strategy is the best way I know to automatically build lots of variety into your diet. Holidays go along with season's so they're included in my strategy. They're associated with traditional and non-traditional dishes so there's no end to ideas of what to make.

    Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 21 and just reminds me of all my favourite Chinese dishes. It is a great reason to celebrate with friends and try some new dishes. Check out my post for Lion's Head Meatballs for a menu suggestion that is fun to make anytime.

    I’d love to hear in the comments below if you made this batter or the Chinese Chicken Balls.

    A small plate of Chinese Chicken Balls with plum sauce on top of a plate with an Oriental pattern.

    Gluten Free Chinese Chicken Balls

    Cornstarch and brown rice flour create a crispy batter for these Chinese Chicken Balls that taste just like you remember from any Chinese restaurant.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine: Canadian
    Keyword: chinese chicken balls
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Rest batter: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 36 balls
    Calories: 255kcal
    Author: Cinde Little

    Ingredients

    BATTER

    • 1 cup brown rice flour*
    • ½ cup cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ pepper
    • 1 cup club soda use more if needed

    COATING CHICKEN BALLS

    • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces (I got 36 pieces)
    • ¼ cup cornstarch for coating
    • salt and pepper

    DEEP-FRYING

    • 4-6 cups vegetable oil

    SERVING

    • store bought gluten free plum sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    BATTER

    • Combine brown rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
    • Add club soda stirring until no lumps remain.
    • Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

    CHICKEN

    • Put cornstarch in shallow bowl.
    • Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Dredge in cornstarch shaking off excess. Set onto clean plate.

    DEEP-FRYING

    • Pour oil in wok and heat to 375°F. Prepare paper towel lined plate to set chicken on when removed from oil.
    • Prepare a baking sheet with metal rack and preheat oven to 200°F to keep chicken warm before serving.
    • Dip chicken into batter letting excess drip back into the bowl. Place into hot oil and fry for 1 minute. Work with 6-8 pieces at a time allowing the oil to come back to 375°F between batches. Repeat until all chicken is cooked once.
    • Repeat the whole process. Dip chicken into the batter again, cooking until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate.
    • Serve immediately with gluten free plum sauce or keep warm in 200°F oven until serving.

    Notes

    *Substitute half brown rice flour and half corn flour if you like.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Gluten Free Chinese Chicken Balls
    Amount Per Serving (200 g)
    Calories 255 Calories from Fat 225
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 25g38%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Trans Fat 0.2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 14g
    Monounsaturated Fat 6g
    Cholesterol 8mg3%
    Sodium 140mg6%
    Potassium 59mg2%
    Carbohydrates 6g2%
    Fiber 0.2g1%
    Sugar 0.04g0%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 4IU0%
    Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
    Calcium 8mg1%
    Iron 0.2mg1%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    __________________________________________________________________________

    New here? I've got help to get you from overwhelmed and frustrated to confidently cooking gluten free food the whole family wants to eat. Subscribe and get your free resource, 29 Tips for GF flour.

    Send me those 29 Tips!

    🎉 I made it into the Top 100 Gluten Free Blogs for 2025 and the Top 40 Gourmet Food Blogs. To learn all the ways I can help you click here, Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet.

    _________________________________________________________________________

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    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

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      Recipe Rating




    1. steshni

      February 11, 2024 at 8:28 pm

      5 stars
      made these with jackfruit! they were delicious 10/10 can be made vegetarian

      Reply
      • Cinde Little

        February 12, 2024 at 6:47 am

        Excellent Steshni! Canned young jackfruit is the mystery ingredient not enough people know about. I'll add that info to the recipe description. Thanks!

        Reply

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