Gingery Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutes marinating
Yield
Serves 4 as a main dish with rice
Ingredients
Chicken for Stir-Fry
¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup dry sherry 1 cup water 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, and prepared according to illustrations below2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flourStir-Fry
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon oyster sauce ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (from 1 ½-inch piece)1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)peanut oil or vegetable oil1 small head bok choy (about 1 pound), stalks and greens separated, stalks cut on bias into ¼-inch slices and greens cut into ½-inch strips1 small red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch stripsBefore You Begin
To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 20 minutes, until it is firm but not frozen. Prepare the stir-fry ingredients while the chicken marinates.
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce, sherry, and water in medium bowl; add chicken and stir to break up clumps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Mix sesame oil, cornstarch, and flour in medium bowl until smooth. Drain chicken in strainer; press out excess liquid. Toss chicken in cornstarch/flour mixture until evenly coated.
- Whisk broth, sherry, soy, oyster-flavored sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons ginger in small bowl; set aside. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil in small bowl; set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking; add half of chicken to skillet in flat, even layer. Cook, without stirring, but gently separating pieces, until golden brown on first side, about 1 minute; turn chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to clean bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons peanut oil and remaining chicken.
- Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add bok choy stalks and red bell pepper; stir-fry until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic/ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into stalks and continue to cook until stalks are tender-crisp, about 30 seconds longer. Stir in bok choy greens and cook until beginning to wilt, about 30 seconds; return chicken to skillet. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately.
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutes marinatingYield
Serves 4 as a main dish with riceIngredients
Chicken for Stir-Fry
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
1 cup water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, and prepared according to illustrations below
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
Stir-Fry
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (from 1 ½-inch piece)
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 small head bok choy (about 1 pound), stalks and greens separated, stalks cut on bias into ¼-inch slices and greens cut into ½-inch strips
1 small red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken for Stir-Fry
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
1 cup water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, and prepared according to illustrations below
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
Stir-Fry
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (from 1 ½-inch piece)
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 small head bok choy (about 1 pound), stalks and greens separated, stalks cut on bias into ¼-inch slices and greens cut into ½-inch strips
1 small red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken for Stir-Fry
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
1 cup water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, and prepared according to illustrations below
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
Stir-Fry
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (from 1 ½-inch piece)
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 small head bok choy (about 1 pound), stalks and greens separated, stalks cut on bias into ¼-inch slices and greens cut into ½-inch strips
1 small red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To avoid chicken that got dry and stringy when cooked on high heat, we came up with a solution: We soaked the chicken in a combination brine-marinade to add flavor and moisture. For extra insurance, we dipped the marinated pieces of chicken in a cornstarch-oil mixture (a technique known as velveting), giving them a coating that would keep the moisture inside.
Before You Begin
To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 20 minutes, until it is firm but not frozen. Prepare the stir-fry ingredients while the chicken marinates.
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce, sherry, and water in medium bowl; add chicken and stir to break up clumps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Mix sesame oil, cornstarch, and flour in medium bowl until smooth. Drain chicken in strainer; press out excess liquid. Toss chicken in cornstarch/flour mixture until evenly coated.
- Whisk broth, sherry, soy, oyster-flavored sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons ginger in small bowl; set aside. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil in small bowl; set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking; add half of chicken to skillet in flat, even layer. Cook, without stirring, but gently separating pieces, until golden brown on first side, about 1 minute; turn chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to clean bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons peanut oil and remaining chicken.
- Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add bok choy stalks and red bell pepper; stir-fry until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic/ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into stalks and continue to cook until stalks are tender-crisp, about 30 seconds longer. Stir in bok choy greens and cook until beginning to wilt, about 30 seconds; return chicken to skillet. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately.
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