This dish is inspired by a dish my mom used to make. My mom worked full days as a florist so she needed quick and easy meals to cook at the end of her work day. She used to make it with mushrooms but I’m omitting them this time.
One of things I appreciate about Chinese cooking is that a common practice is to marinate the meat. That’s where you get all the flavours infused into the protein. However, the marinating time is short. Marinate the meat first, then make your rice, start a pot of boiling water for simple Chinese greens and prepare your remaining ingredients. By the time you stir fry the chicken, it will be perfectly seasoned. Delicious chicken smothered in a Chinese homestyle gravy, easy enough for any day of the week!
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound chicken thighs, boneless, cut into 1½ inch pieces
1 onion, cut into chunks
½ ounce (1 inch knob) fresh ginger, sliced, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons avocado or neutral cooking oil, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cool water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 stalks green onion, 2 inch pieces
For the Marinade
1 tablespoon ShaoHsing wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 slices of fresh ginger (from the same knob)
For the Sauce
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken and marinade ingredients. Let marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a wok or large frying pan on medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil, add the chicken and let it sear on one side before flipping over. Sear for another 2 minutes then stir fry until chicken is cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken into a clean bowl and set aside.
- Add remaining tablespoon cooking oil and onion to the wok and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ginger and garlic, stir fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add sauce and let cook for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cool water to make a slurry.
- Stir the slurry into the sauce. Add the cooked chicken along with the drippings and cook until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken, and chicken is heated through, about another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add green onion and sesame oil.
Homestyle Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs boneless, cut into 1½ inch pieces
- 1 onion cut into chunks
- ½ ounce (1 inch) knob fresh ginger, sliced, divided
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons avocado or neutral cooking oil divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cool water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 stalks green onion 2 inch pieces
For the Marinade
- 1 tablespoon ShaoHsing wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 slices of fresh ginger (from the same knob)
For the Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken and marinade ingredients. Let marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a wok or large frying pan on medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil, add the chicken and let it sear on one side before flipping over. Sear for another 2 minutes then stir fry until chicken is cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken into a clean bowl and set aside.
- Add remaining tablespoon cooking oil and onion to the wok and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ginger and garlic, stir fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add sauce and let cook for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cool water to make a slurry.
- Stir the slurry into the sauce. Add the cooked chicken along with the drippings and cook until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken, and chicken is heated through, about another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add green onion and sesame oil.