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After receiving a comment on my You tube series on Chinese cooking, I realized that I don't have the most basic Chinese chicken stir fry video posted. This is usually the go-to recipe that I teach during my cooking classes, because it is very easy, BUT you have to know the secrets behind getting tender, tasty white chicken breast slices that aren't rubbery and vegetables that aren't tasteless and soggy.
Like any good Chinese stir-fry, understanding the basics of stir frying is important. For this chicken with vegetable stir fry recipe, I used chicken breast. When using chicken breast, it is imperative that you don't overcook it. It will be tough since it is a leaner meat. If you are new to Chinese cooking and stir frying, you may want to start off with using chicken thighs. Thigh meat is considered dark meat, and since it has more fat, it is a little more juicy and forgiving. Overcooking it will not be as noticeable. There will be a little taste difference. It may also be helpful to read these blogs:
Chinese cooking essential ingredients reveals the 12 essentials ingredients for Chinese stir fry. You can cook the majority of Chinese dishes with these basic ingredients in your pantry.
Chinese stir frying basics reveals some tips and tricks to successful stir frying in the home kitchen.
Basics Chinese stir fry sauce reveals the foundational sauces on which other flavors are added to make the dish unique and different.
As you can tell by my blogs, I always like color and "crunch" in my dishes. Use the vegetable guide in Chinese stir frying basics to come up with your own chicken and vegetable stir fry.
Tips for making Chinese chicken with vegetables stir fry
What makes stir fry so appealing is the appearance with a multitude of different colored vegetables, different textures especially the "crunch" from veggies like carrots, water chestnuts, jicama, etc. and how quickly it can be made.
Chicken
Chicken breast and thigh for stir fry.
Vegetables
A variety of vegetables with different colors makes a stir fry appealling to the eye. In addition, texture is also important. Cut your vegetables somewhat uniform in size to make it easier to cook as well as easier to eat! See selecting and cutting vegetables for stir fry
Basic meat marinade
This basic meat marinade is the foundation for all meat marinades! It contains ingredients that not only enhance the taste of the protein but also tenderizes it. The combination of sugar and salt and soy sauce provides umami. The alcohol is the tenderizer. See Basic Chinese meat marinade
Basic stir fry sauce
Certain ingredients do form a foundation to a stir fry sauce. However, when time is limited, a combination of water, oyster sauce and cornstarch will work, as seen in the video. See Basic Chinese Stir Fry Sauce
CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLE STIR FRY
Sliced chicken breast with Chinese broccoli, water chestnuts, baby corn, carrots.
Ingredients
- 454 grams thinly sliced and marinated chicken breast See basic meat marinade recipe
- 5 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 can sliced water chestnuts 8 oz. or 226 grams
- ½ can baby corn Use about 100g
- 2 medium carrots for color
- 350 grams Chinese broccoli
Marinade
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛-¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp corn starch
Aromatics
- 10 grams minced fresh garlic about 3 cloves
- 5 grams fresh sliced ginger optional
Easy Sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
Marinate Meat
- 454 grams thinly sliced and marinated chicken breast, ½ tsp salt, ⅛-¼ tsp white pepper, ¼ tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp light soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine, 2 tsp corn starch, 1 tsp sesame oil
Prep Vegetables
- Each group of vegetables should be cut to uniform sizes.
- Arrange your vegetables on a platter in order from that which will take the most time to the least time to cook.
- Mince your ingredients for the Chinese aromatics.10 grams minced fresh garlic
Prep Sauce
- Combine ingredients for your sauce.¼ cup water, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp cornstarch
Stir frying
- Heat wok / pan until it starts to smoke.
- Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil and heat.3 Tbsp cooking oil.
- Add aromatics and quickly stir.
- Quickly add meat and stir fry until 80% cooked. Remove from wok / pan.
- Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil and heat.2 Tbsp cooking oil.
- Add the vegetable requiring the longest cooking time. Stir fry until 50% cooked. If the vegetable requires more intense heat, cover the pan / work with a lid for a few seconds. (You can also add a little water /chicken stock to quickly steam the vegetable.)
- Add the next vegetable. Stir fry. If your pan is tool small, remove the vegetable and place it on a platter. If not, continue to add vegetables until all the vegetables are 90% cooked.
- Stir your sauce as the cornstarch will settle to the bottom of the container.
- Drizzle sauce along the side of the wok to catch the heat as it descends into the wok.
- Allow the sauce to thicken. Stir the vegetables to coat all the ingredients with sauce.
- Add all your meat into the pan. Stir the vegetables and meat quickly to coat all the ingredients with sauce.
- Serve immediately with rice
Nutrition
Serving: 4peopleCalories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 30gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 184mgPotassium: 710mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 6813IUVitamin C: 88mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was or if you have any questions or suggestions!
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This was soooo delicious, but I think I made a mistake measuring somewhere because it was a bit too salty. I’m going to try it again and follow more carefully.
All the recipes should have the US Customary option button for non-metric measurements. Hope that helps with your measurements!