Name: Marinated Velveted Chicken for Stir-Fry
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: ChineseAsia
Ingredients: 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup dry sherry; 1 cup water; 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed of excess fat and prepared according to illustrations 1 through 3; 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

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. Use immediately in one of the related recipes.