Puffy, golden-battered chicken balls served with a bright red sweet and sour sauce on the side, so every piece stays crunchy right down to the last one. A Golden Hill favourite for family dinners and kids across Castleridge and Martindale.
Chicken balls are the friendliest thing on a Chinese takeout menu - no heat, no bones, nothing to negotiate with picky eaters. We use white and dark meat chicken, hand-dipped in a light, airy batter and fried until the shell puffs up golden and hollow-crisp.
The sweet and sour sauce comes on the side rather than poured over, which is a small thing that changes the whole order. Dip as you go and the batter stays crunchy through the drive home to Taradale, Saddle Ridge or Monterey Park. Want a little more character on the plate? Add General Tso's Chicken or a rack of BBQ Spareribs.
The batter is mixed fresh through service and rested so it fries light instead of heavy. Each ball is dropped to order and drained properly before it is boxed, and the sweet and sour sauce - tomato, vinegar, sugar and pineapple notes - is portioned into its own container.
Crisp shell, tender inside
Rested batter and clean frying oil give the shell that hollow crunch instead of a heavy, greasy coating.
Crunch that survives the drive
Dipping instead of drenching is why these still snap when they reach Taradale or Skyview Ranch.
Zero heat, zero fuss
When the table cannot agree on spice level, chicken balls are the dish that settles it.