THE EVERYTHING® STIR-FRY COOKBOOK
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Whisk all the ingredients together. The mixture will be quite thick at first but will become runny — add a small amount of water if needed. If not using immediately, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. (Use the sauce within 3 to 4 days.) Stir the sauce before using.
Chicken with a Strange Flavor The Chinese take on chicken salad, Strange Flavor Chicken, gets it name from the intriguing combination of sweet, sour, salty, nutty, and spicy flavors in the sauce. Strange Flavor Chicken is also called Bang Bang Chicken, due to the fact that the chicken was traditionally pounded to make it more tender and the meat easier to shred by hand.
Easy Teriyaki Marinade
This is a “quick and dirty” version of teriyaki marinade you can use whenever the real thing isn't available. For best results use a Japanese soy sauce, such as Kikkoman. Chinese light soy sauce will impart a salty flavor to the marinade.
Combine the soy sauce, honey, and chopped ginger in a small bowl. Use as called for in the recipe, with 1 pound of chicken, pork, or beef.
Teriyaki Secrets Flavorful teriyaki marinade is what gives Japanese dishes such as grilled teriyaki chicken their sweet flavor. (The word teriyaki comes from the Japanese words teri, meaning “luster,” and yaki, meaning “roast.”) Authentic teriyaki marinades use a combination of Japanese mirin rice wine, granulated sugar, and fresh ginger. Liquid honey makes a convenient substitute for the mirin in Easy Teriyaki Marinade (page 27).
Hot and Sour Sauce
Rice vermicelli noodles soak up this spicy sauce in Spicy Shredded Beef with Rice Noodles (page 216).
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Use as called for in the recipe. If not using immediately, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. (Use the sauce within 3 to 4 days.)
Yields ¼ cup
¼ cup Japanese soy sauce
4 teaspoons liquid honey
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
Yields ½ cup
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon chile paste
Yields 1 cup
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce
To turn this into a dipping sauce, simply bring the ingredients to boil in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Use the dipping sauce immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Combine the sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and water in a medium bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch. Use as called for in the stir-fry recipe. Stir the sauce before adding to the stir-fry to bring up any cornstarch that has settled on the bottom. If not using immediately, store the sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator. (Use the sauce within 3 to 4 days.)
Sweet and Sour Sauce Substitutions Adapt this basic recipe for Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce by using different combinations of flavorings. For example, try replacing the vinegar with rice vinegar or cider vinegar, or using brown or palm sugar instead of granulated white sugar. It's best to stick with ketchup though, as the seasonings from this popular condiment — including vinegar, sugar, allspice, and cinnamon — lend extra flavor to the sauce.
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Chicken and Other Poultry Dishes
Quick and Easy Chicken Stir-Fry
Easy Chicken with Almonds
Hoisin Glazed Chicken with Cashews
Easy Kung Pao Chicken
Broccoli Chicken
Mongolian Chicken
Easy Chicken with Snow Peas
Chicken Fajitas
Chicken with Bean Sprouts
Chicken with Peaches
Thai-Style Cashew Chicken
Chicken with Leeks
Strange Flavor Chicken Salad
Indian Curried Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings
Teriyaki “Wings”
Chicken Cacciatore
Simple Sweet and Sour Chicken
Asparagus Chicken
Plum Chicken Thighs
Thai-Spiced Hot and Sour Wings
Hot Chicken Salad
Coq au Vin
Italian-Inspired Garlic Chicken
Marengo-Style Chicken
Chicken with Artichokes
Chicken with Ground Peanuts for Guests
Easy Chicken and Pasta Lunch
Speedy Sesame Chicken
Asian Garlic Chicken
Chicken with Marsala Wine
Five-Spiced Chicken
Thai-Style Chicken with Basil
Walnut Chicken
Serves 4
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 slice ginger, minced
3 cups packaged fresh stir-fry vegetable mix
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
1–2 tablespoons additional rice wine, chicken broth, or water, optional
½ cup store-bought stir-fry sauce (such as Kikkoman)
Quick and Easy Chicken Stir-Fry
Stir-fry sauce and a prepackaged stir-fry vegetable mix make this recipe a great choice for busy weeknights. Cooking wine can be used in place of the rice wine or dry sherry.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and cornstarch. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry until it is aromatic, then add the chicken. Let brown briefly, then stir-fry, stirring and tossing the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns white and is nearly cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan. Drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry until aromatic, then add the vegetables. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Stir in salt and sugar while stir-frying the vegetables, if desired. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice wine, water, or chicken broth if the vegetables are drying out during stir-frying.
Add the stir-fry sauce and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back into the pan. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes to heat through and thoroughly cook the chicken. Serve hot.
Stir-Fry Sauce Stir-fry sauce is a great choice for those nights when you don't have ingredients on hand to prepare a sauce. Stir-fry sauce can be found in the international or ethnic cuisine section of most supermarkets. Kikkoman stir-fry sauce, flavored with wine, oyster sauce extract, sugar, and other seasonings, is a good brand.
Easy Chicken with Almonds
To make this stir-fry even easier, you can replace the vegetables with 3 cups of a packaged stir-fry vegetable mix.
Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes (it's easiest to do this if the chicken is partially frozen). Place the chicken in a bowl and add the Easy Chicken Marinade (page 16). Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the chicken cubes. Stir-fry the chicken until it turns white and is nearly cooked. Remove the chicken and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. Add the ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the zucchini and stir-fry for 1 minute, stirring in the soy sauce. Add the mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the red bell pepper. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if the vegetables begin to dry out during stir-frying.
Add the stir-fry sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in the almonds. Stir-fry for
2 more minutes to mix the ingredients together and make sure the chicken is cooked through. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
Serves 4
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Easy Chicken Marinade (page 16)
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 slices ginger, chopped
½ zucchini, cut on the diagonal into
½-inch slices
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1–2 tablespoons water, if needed
½ cup homemade Simple Stir-Fry Sauce (page 16)
½ cup almonds
Serves 3 to 4
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry white sherry
1½ teaspoons Asian sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt Pepper to taste
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 thin slice fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
Hoisin Glazed Chicken with Cashews
Cashews are a good source of healthy, monounsaturated fats. This dish would go nicely with Stir-Fried Baby Corn (page 266).
Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add the oyster sauce, Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, Asian sesame oil, salt, pepper, and cornstarch to the chicken cubes, adding the cornstarch last. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, roast the cashews in a wok or skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan continuously so that the nuts do not burn. Roast until the cashews are browned (about 5 minutes). Remove the cashews from the pan to cool.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok or skillet. When the oil is almost smoking, add the slice of ginger. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until browned, then remove it with a spatula. (This is to flavor the oil.)
Add the marinated chicken cubes to the wok or skillet. Let brown briefly, then stir-fry, stirring and tossing the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns white and is nearly cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan. Drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic. Stir in the hoisin sauce. Add the chicken. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until the chicken is nicely glazed with the hoisin sauce. Stir in the cashews. Remove and serve immediately.
Handling Raw Poultry Raw poultry can carry salmonella bacteria. To prevent cross-contamination between raw meat and food that isn't going to be cooked, always thoroughly wash the cutting board, knife, and other utensils in hot, soapy water after handling raw poultry. If possible, use a separate cutting board and knife for raw poultry.
Easy Kung Pao Chicken
While white rice vinegar works best in the marinade for this recipe, feel free to experiment with using other types of rice vinegar when preparing the sauce.
Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Place the chicken cubes in a bowl and add 3 teaspoons rice vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
Combine the dark soy sauce, water, sugar, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, and chile paste in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger slices. Let brown for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove. Add the chicken. Let brown briefly, then stir-fry, stirring and tossing the chicken until it turns white and is nearly cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan.
Add the garlic to the wok or skillet. Stir-fry until aromatic, then add the sauce. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken back into the pan. Stir-fry, stirring to mix the chicken with the sauce. Stir in the peanuts. Serve hot.
Serves 4
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 teaspoons rice vinegar, divided
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon chile paste, or to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
2 slices ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ cup unsalted peanuts
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg white
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 pound broccoli
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 cups vegetable or peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
Broccoli Chicken
In this recipe the chicken is “velveted” in egg white and cornstarch, giving it a velvety texture that contrasts nicely with the broccoli.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes. In a bowl, stir together the cornstarch, egg white, ½ teaspoon salt, and rice wine or sherry. Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli turns bright green. Plunge the broccoli into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly.
In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, water, and brown sugar. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken cubes until they turn white (about 30 seconds), using a spatula to separate the cubes. Remove from the wok and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Remove all but 1½ tablespoons oil from the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the broccoli and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken for 1 minute, then add the sauce. Cook for another minute, mixing everything together. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve hot.
Chicken Breasts Chicken breasts play a prominent role in Chinese stir-fry dishes. The firm flesh of breast meat holds up well under the tossing and stirring needed for stir-frying. Breast meat can be dry though, so Chinese cooks frequently “velvet” the chicken by coating it in an unbeaten egg white and cornstarch mixture before cooking. The egg white coats the chicken, protecting it from the heat of the stir-fry pan.
Mongolian Chicken
While the breast is the most popular part of the chicken for stir-frying, thighs can be used as well. This is a good recipe for people who enjoy the dark meat of the chicken.
Cut the chicken into thin strips, about 1½ to 2 inches long. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the soy sauce, dry sherry, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
Combine 2 tablespoons water, hoisin sauce, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl.
In a separate small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 2 teaspoons water.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the chicken. Let sit briefly, then stir-fry, stirring and moving the chicken around the pan until it turns white and is nearly cooked through. Remove from the pan and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, green onions, and chile paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms. Stir-fry the mushrooms for 1 minute, then add the bamboo shoots. Stir-fry for another minute, or until the mushrooms have darkened.
Push the vegetables to the side and add the sauce in the middle. Stir the cornstarch and water mixture and then add to the sauce, st
irring quickly to thicken. When the sauce has thickened, add the chicken back into the pan. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes to mix everything together, and make sure the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot.
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
3 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons plus
2 teaspoons water, divided
1½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3½ tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 green onions, cut on the diagonal into quarters
½ teaspoon chile paste, or to taste
¼ pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained