Guy's Chinese Chicken
Submitted by Swanks
Guy’s Chinese Chicken stir-fry with marinated chicken strips, snow peas, mushrooms, celery, peppers, and toasted walnuts in a glossy soy-cornstarch sauce. A weeknight wok dinner served over sticky rice.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
35 minGuy’s Chinese Chicken is a Chinese-American stir-fry that earns its place in the weeknight rotation. Strips of chicken breast get a brief soy marinade and sear hot in oil first, then come back to the wok at the end so they don’t overcook. Five vegetables, snow peas, mushrooms, celery, onion wedges, and green bell pepper, stir-fry just long enough to soften while keeping their crunch.
The sauce is the kind of glossy, light coat that defines this style of cooking. Soy sauce, condensed chicken broth, and cornstarch get whisked cold and added to the hot pan, where the cornstarch swells into a clear, glossy glaze that hugs every piece. Walnuts or peanuts tossed in at the very end deliver crunch and toasty richness.
Pro Tips
- Get your wok screaming hot before adding chicken. A cool wok gives you boiled, gray chicken instead of seared, browned edges.
- Drain the chicken after marinating. Wet chicken steams in the pan instead of browning.
- Don’t overcook the vegetables. Four to five minutes is the maximum. You want them tender-crisp, not soft.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan first if you have a minute. Toasted nuts taste markedly better than raw.
Variations
- Try cashews or peanuts instead of walnuts for a different texture and flavor.
- Add a splash of rice wine or Shaoxing to the sauce for extra depth.
- Stir in a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger and a clove of minced garlic when the veg goes in.
- Serve over sticky rice (the recipe author insists) for a meal that holds together better the next day.
Ingredients
Directions
I usually make the whole thing up so I can enjoy it the next day for lunch or as a side dish when completely mixed into the rice.
It holds well in the fridge if covered tightly.
Cut chicken into strips. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and set aside.
Mix together remaining soy sauce, chicken broth and cornstarch.
Set aside.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in wok or large fry pan and quickly stir fry the drained chicken strips until browned.
Be sure wok is hot.
Remove from wok and keep warm.
Add remaining oil to wok and stir fry all veggies over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the broth mix, bring to a boil- -stirring constantly.
Return chicken to the wok, add the nuts and heat about one minute.
Serve immediately over white rice. Please try the sticky rice, folks. Once you d you will probably never go back to the minute again.
The oil can be cut back if you desire without affecting the final results.
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