The Everything Chinese Cookbook (42 page)

1 pound chicken meat

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 garlic clove, minced

2 thin slices ginger

½ cup chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1. Wash the chicken meat, pat dry, and cut into cubes or thin slices.
   
2. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it changes color.
   
3. Add the chicken stock, rice wine, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked.
   

The Base of Many Chicken Recipes

Basic Chicken Stir-fry is a skeleton recipe that you can adapt according to your tastes and the ingredients you have on hand. Add a marinade and experiment with different seasonings such as chili paste. To make a one-dish meal that includes vegetables, stir-fry the chicken first and remove it from the wok. Stir-fry the vegetables and add the sauce. Add the chicken back and simmer until the meat is cooked. For longer-cooking pieces of meat such as chicken legs, increase the amount of broth and simmer the chicken for 20–30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 tablespoons oyster sauce, divided

2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

½ cup chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon sugar

teaspoon white pepper

½ cup fresh mushrooms

4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 clove garlic, minced

½ 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, rinsed

1. Wash the chicken and cut into thin slices. Mix in 2 tablespoons oyster sauce and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
   
2. Mix together the chicken stock, sugar, white pepper, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Set aside. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and thinly slice.
   
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside.
   
4. Wipe the wok clean and add 2 more tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the bamboo shoots.
   
5. Give the sauce a quick stir. Make a well in the middle of the wok by pushing the vegetables up to the sides. Add the sauce in the middle, stirring vigorously to thicken. Add the chicken and mix through.
   

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12–14 ounces)

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2½ green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

½ cup chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon bean sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

1. Wash the chicken breasts, pat dry, and dice.
   
2. Mix together the rice wine, soy sauce, and half of a green onion. Marinate the chicken for 1 hour.
   
3. In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, dark soy sauce, bean sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. Set aside.
   
4. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until it is nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok and set aside.
   
5. Add the sauce into the wok. Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture in the middle, stirring vigorously to thicken. Add the chicken, mixing in and letting the sauce reduce until it is a glaze. Stir in the 2 sliced green onions.
   

1½ pounds chicken thighs

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1½ teaspoons sugar

4 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1. Wash the chicken thighs and pat dry. Remove the skin and make 2 diagonal cuts on each side of the thigh.
   
2. Mix together the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, sugar, water, and sesame oil. Place the sauce in a plastic bag. Add the chicken, shaking the bag lightly to make sure the sauce coats all the chicken.
   
3. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator. Marinate the chicken for 2–3 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
   
5. Remove the chicken thighs from the bag, reserving the sauce. Place the chicken thighs on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Pour half of the sauce over, making sure both sides of the thighs are covered. Add the minced garlic and ginger. Bake the thighs for 15 minutes. Add the remaining half of the sauce and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked.
   

Bagging It

Don't have a large enough bag to hold the chicken thighs? Place them on a plate and rub the marinade over, making sure to coat all the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2–3 hours. Reserve any leftover marinade to pour over the chicken while baking.