Ginger Chicken

Double ginger gives this chicken stir-fry its punch. Ground ginger gets rubbed directly onto the chicken strips before marinating, while a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger goes into the hot oil alongside crushed garlic to infuse the cooking fat. The two forms deliver different things: ground ginger penetrates the meat, fresh ginger perfumes the oil.

The marinade is a classic combination of reduced-sodium soy sauce, dry sherry (or rice vinegar), and sugar that seasons the chicken while the cornstarch in the slurry later gives the sauce its silky, glossy coat. Thirty minutes of marinating is the minimum, but longer in the fridge intensifies the flavor.

The stir-fry technique here is textbook. Vegetables go first (onion rings, mushrooms, bamboo shoots), then get removed so the chicken can brown without steaming in vegetable moisture. Garlic and fresh ginger get browned in fresh oil, then discarded. They’ve given their flavor to the oil, and leaving them in would just burn and turn bitter. The chicken finishes cooking covered in broth, then the cornstarch slurry and reserved vegetables go back in for that final glossy toss.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the chicken into uniform ½-inch strips so every piece cooks at the same rate. Thicker pieces will be raw when thin ones are overdone.
• Get the wok screaming hot before adding oil. A hot wok sears instead of steams, which is the difference between crispy edges and rubbery chicken.
• Discard the browned garlic and ginger as directed. Leaving them in adds bitterness, not flavor.
• Whisk the cornstarch slurry right before adding. Cornstarch settles fast. If you don’t re-whisk, you’re pouring starchy water and leaving the thickener behind.

Variations

• Spicy ginger chicken: Add 1-2 dried red chiles to the oil along with the fresh ginger and garlic.
• Sesame finish: Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top just before serving.