Quick and Easy Chinese Chicken With Oyster Sauce
A fast Chinese chicken stir-fry with mushrooms and bamboo shoots in a savory oyster sauce.
⏱️ Prep: 20 min🍳 Cook: 15 min
Ingredients
| 1 pound | 455 g | boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | soy sauce (marinade) |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | rice wine (marinade) |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | sesame oil (marinade) |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | cornstarch (marinade) |
| 1 1/2 tablespoons | 23 ml | cornstarch (sauce) |
| 1/3 cup | 80 ml | water (sauce) |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | dark soy sauce (sauce) |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | oyster sauce (sauce) |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | dry sherry (sauce) |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | granulated sugar (sauce) |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | sesame oil (sauce) |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | canola oil, divided |
| 1 clove | garlic, minced | |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | minced ginger |
| 2 | medium green onions, sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces | |
| 3 to 4 | dried Chinese mushrooms, softened in warm water and sliced | |
| 1 | can bamboo shoots (or baby corn), drained |
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients.
- Combine the soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cornstarch evenly across the meat and toss again.
- Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, dissolve 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch in the water, then mix with the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sherry, sugar and sesame oil.
- Heat a wok or deep heavy skillet on high and add 1 tablespoon canola oil. When it shimmers, add the garlic, ginger and green onions and stir-fry about 1 minute, until fragrant and just starting to brown.
- Transfer the ginger, garlic and onions with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge, transfer to the wok with a slotted spoon, and stir-fry frequently until it changes color, about 3 to 4 minutes. Discard the unused marinade.
- Remove the chicken from the wok.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return the garlic, ginger and green onions to the wok. Add the mushrooms and bamboo shoots (or baby corn) and stir-fry 1 minute.
- Return the chicken to the wok.
- Make a well in the middle and add the sauce, giving it a quick stir before combining with the chicken and vegetables.
- Stir-fry an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats everything. Serve and enjoy.
Tips: Good prep is key to a stir-fry because everything cooks quickly over high heat. Don't add too many things to the wok at once, or it will cool down and the food will steam rather than fry; cook ingredients in batches. Leftovers keep 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge; reheat over low heat or in the microwave. Variations: add crushed red pepper flakes for spice, red bell pepper for color, or 1/2 cup snow peas with the mushrooms.