Spicy Stir-Fried Sesame Chicken with Green Beans and Shiitake Mushrooms
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 flour 1 tablespoon white sesame seedsStir-Fry
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted in small dry skillet until golden, about 4 minutes2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger peanut oil or vegetable oil1 pound green beans, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced ⅛ inch thickBefore 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, flour, and sesame seeds in medium bowl until smooth. Drain chicken in strainer; press out excess liquid. Toss chicken in cornstarch/flour mixture until evenly coated.
- Whisk chicken broth, soy, sherry, chili sauce, sugar, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon garlic in small bowl to combine; set aside. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons garlic, ginger, 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 green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute; add mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic and ginger to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds; stir mixture into beans and mushrooms. Continue to stir-fry until beans are tender-crisp, about 30 seconds longer; 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, drizzle with remaining teaspoon sesame oil, and sprinkle with remaining teaspoon sesame seeds. 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
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Stir-Fry
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted in small dry skillet until golden, about 4 minutes
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced ⅛ inch thick
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
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Stir-Fry
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted in small dry skillet until golden, about 4 minutes
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced ⅛ inch thick
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
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Stir-Fry
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted in small dry skillet until golden, about 4 minutes
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced ⅛ inch thick
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, flour, and sesame seeds in medium bowl until smooth. Drain chicken in strainer; press out excess liquid. Toss chicken in cornstarch/flour mixture until evenly coated.
- Whisk chicken broth, soy, sherry, chili sauce, sugar, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon garlic in small bowl to combine; set aside. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons garlic, ginger, 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 green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute; add mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic and ginger to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds; stir mixture into beans and mushrooms. Continue to stir-fry until beans are tender-crisp, about 30 seconds longer; 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, drizzle with remaining teaspoon sesame oil, and sprinkle with remaining teaspoon sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
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