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Coq Au Vin for Two

Coq Au Vin for Two

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with Steamed Parsley Potatoes and Roasted Carrots

Yield: 2

adapted from ATK

Crisp, browned chicken leg quarters with sautéed mushrooms and shallots. Braised in a rich sauce and finished with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and crispy bacon on top. Served with steamed parsley potatoes and oven roasted carrots.
Prep: 20 Cook: 30 Rest: 10

  • 2(10-oz) chicken leg quarters, trimmed and separated or 6 drum sticks
  • 1tsp table salt, divided
  • ½tsp pepper, divided
  • 2slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8oz cremini mushrooms
  • 2shallots, halved through root end
  • 2tsp tomato paste
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • 2tsp AP flour
  • 1tsp minced fresh thyme
  • 1cup chicken broth
  • ¼cup dry red wine
  • 12oz baby potatoes
  • 12oz carrots
  • 4TBS butter
  • ¼cup chopped fresh parsley, divided


Prep:
Peel the shallots. Quarter lengthwise if they’re bigger than golf balls, keep the root ends intact to hold them together.
Peel and trim the carrots. Cut on the diagonal 1/2 inch thick.
Trim and quarter the mushrooms.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.

Brown Chicken:
Place chicken skin side down in 10-inch nonstick skillet. Cook chicken over medium-high heat, without moving it, until skin is well browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate, skin side up.

Set a rack on the top shelf of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

Cook Bacon:
Add bacon to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to small paper towel–lined plate, set aside.

Cook Shallots and Mushrooms:
Pour off all but 2 TBS fat from skillet (add enough oil to equal 2 TBS if needed). Heat fat left in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, shallots, remaining ½ tsp salt, and remaining ¼ tsp pepper and cook until vegetables are softened and browned, 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Create Sauce:
Stir in tomato paste, garlic, flour, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in broth and wine and bring to simmer.

Cook Carrots and Potatoes:

Add carrots to a quarter sheet pan and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on top rack of oven and roast for 20-25 minutes.

Add potatoes to medium sauce pan, cover with water by 1 inch and add a tsp of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12-18 minutes until fork tender.

Braise Chicken:
Nestle chicken, skin side up, into sauce and pour in any accumulated juices from plate. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until chicken registers 200°F, about 20 minutes. Off heat, let chicken rest in skillet, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish and serve:
Drain potatoes when done and add 4 TBS butter, cover until melted. Add remaining parsley and mix.
Place a spoonful of sauce on each plate and top with chicken quarter. Sprinkle with 1 TBS parsley and bacon. Add potatoes and roast carrots to plate. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

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with Broccoli and Peas

Yield: 2 Servings

Chicken & mushrooms with a creamy Marsala sauce mixed with broccoli and peas served with pasta.

Needed more sauce, so all of the sauce ingredients below are now doubled.

  • 6oz noodles
  • 6oz cremini mushrooms
  • 1shallot
  • 6oz broccoli florets
  • 12oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1TBS flour
  • 6oz dry Marsala wine
  • 8oz light cream
  • 2tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
  • 2oz peas
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Prepare the Ingredients:

Cut mushrooms into ¼-inch slices.

Peel and halve shallot. Slice thinly.

Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.

Pat chicken breasts dry and, on a separate cutting board, cut into 1″ dice. Season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Place diced chicken and flour in a mixing bowl and toss to coat.

Noodles:

Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Add 1 TBS salt, stir and add noodles. Cook as directed on box.

Sear the Chicken:

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add chicken to hot pan and stir occasionally until seared on two sides, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Chicken will finish cooking in a later step. Keep pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the Vegetables

Add 2 tsp olive oil, mushrooms, and shallot to hot pan and stir occasionally until lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

Add Marsala and stir occasionally until mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in cream, broccoli, 2 oz water, demi-glace, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Finish the Skillet

Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 6-7 minutes.

Add peas and stir until warmed through, 1 minute.

Serve:

You can mix the pasta into the skillet and get it all coated or serve over the pasta. Divide between plates.

Pork Penne with Oranges & Walnuts

Pork Penne with Oranges & Walnuts

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Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home

Pork and orange might sound like an unlikely combination in a pasta dish, but the savory flavor and bursts of fresh orange really intrigue the taste buds in this easy weeknight dinner recipe.

Pasta:

  • 8oz penne

Pork & mushrooms:

  • 6TBS olive oil, divided
  • 12oz pork tenderloin, trimmed, cubed, and seasoned with salt and black pepper
  • 8oz sliced cremini mushrooms
  • ¾cup sliced red onion
  • 1TBS minced fresh garlic

Dressing:

  • ¼cup each fresh lemon and orange juice
  • 1tsp minced orange zest
  • 1orange 
  • ½cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ½cup chopped walnuts, toasted
  • shaved Parmesan (optional)

Prep:

Trim peel from orange and cut into suprêmes (segments).

Pasta:

Cook penne in a pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.

Pork:

Heat 1 TBS oil in a sauté pan over medium-high.

Add pork and sauté until browned and reaches 140°F, 5–6 minutes, transfer to a plate.

Mushrooms:

Heat 1 TBS oil in the same pan.

Add mushrooms and onion and sauté until mushrooms release their moisture and onion softens, 7–9 minutes.

Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Finish:

Return and stir in pork and penne to heat through.

Whisk together remaining 4 TBS oil, lemon juice, orange juice, and zest; season with salt and pepper.

Toss dressing with penne mixture; stir in orange segments, parsley, and walnuts.

Top servings with Parmesan.

Silky Sicilian Penne with Chicken

Silky Sicilian Penne with Chicken

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Mushrooms, Zucchini & Tomatoes

Yield: 2

Silky Penne with a rich mushroom stock, a lemony, chive-flecked crème fraîche sauce, zucchini, chicken and tomatoes, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 1zucchini
  • ¼oz chives or scallions
  • 10oz chicken breast
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 3TBS Parmesan cheese
  • 4oz button mushrooms
  • 4oz grape tomatoes
  • 1lemon
  • 6oz penne pasta (or Cavatappi)
  • 1oz mushroom stock concentrate
  • 4TBS crème fraîche (or sour cream)
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1½TBS butter


Prep:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice mushrooms. Halve tomatoes. Mince chives or scallions. Quarter lemon. Cut chicken into ¼-inch-thick bite sized slices.

Cook zucchini:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and softened, 4- to 6-minutes.

Cook mushrooms:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for zucchini over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and slightly crispy, 5- to 7-minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with zucchini. Wash out pan.

Cook chicken:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for mushrooms over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and cooked through 5- to 7-minutes.

Turn off heat, season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms and zucchini. Wipe out pan.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Make sauce: 

While penne cooks, heat ½ TBS butter and a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and season with 1 tsp Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring, until tomatoes are softened, 2- to 4-minutes.

Stir in half the chives and juice from half the lemon.

Reduce heat to low, then stir in stock concentrate and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water.

Whisk in crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Add zucchini, mushrooms, chicken, and drained penne to pan with sauce, stir to combine. Stir in 1 TBS butter until melted.

Tip: If needed, stir in more pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.

Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and remaining chives. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Cavatappi

Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Cavatappi

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with Parmesan & Scallions

Yield: 2

Pan-roasted chicken strips seasoned with Italian herbs, springy cavatappi spirals, a creamy sauce, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and scallions.
Prep: 5 Cook: 25

  • 4oz button mushrooms
  • 6oz cavatappi pasta
  • 4oz cream sauce base
  • 2scallions
  • 1clove garlic
  • 10oz chicken breast strips
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 1oz mushroom stock concentrate
  • 3TBS Parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • 2tsp olive oil
  • 2TBS butter

Prep:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Trim and thinly slice mushrooms (skip if your mushrooms are pre-sliced!). Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince or grate garlic.

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Cook mushrooms:

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil and 1 TBS butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, 2- to 3-minutes.

Push mushrooms to one side of pan, add another drizzle of olive oil to empty side.

Cook chicken:

While mushrooms cook, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Once mushrooms are browned and softened, add chicken to empty side of pan, cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes.

Stir in scallion whites and garlic, cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Make sauce:

Add cream sauce base and stock concentrate to pan. Stir to combine.

Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Add drained cavatappi, half the Parmesan, and 1 TBS butter to pan, toss to coat. If needed, stir in reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Divide between bowls, top with scallion greens and remaining Parmesan. Serve.

Kabobs, Steak and Vegetable

Kabobs, Steak and Vegetable

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Yield: 2 servings

Scott Nowell

Wow, chunks of tenderloin will give you a happy face 😊. You can use other steak cuts if you must. Everything comes off the grill tender and delicious.

Update: Electric grill and broilers just don’t have enough power. I’ve been using the broiler indoors with mixed results. Flavor is great, but the crispy edges are missing. Next try it will be skip the skewers and do it in a skillet or cast iron pan. Vegetables need more time than meat.

  • 12oz beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 8 pieces.
  • Italian dressing
  • 1red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-Inch pieces
  • 1green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • 1sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • 1zucchini, trimmed and sliced into ¾-inch thick rounds
  • 8oz mushrooms, whole or cut in half if larger than the other veg pieces
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper


Marinate beef:

Place the beef pieces in a plastic bag and add enough Italian dressing to coat all the pieces. Message them through the bag and refrigerate for 45 minutes to overnight.

Remove from refrigerator up to an hour before cooking. Drain marinade and pat the pieces dry with paper towel.

Skewered:

Heat your grill of choice.

Thread the skewers with pieces of red onion, beef, zucchini, mushroom, and bell pepper. You can alternate the order.

Spray with cooking spray and season top side well with salt and pepper.

Place the kabobs, top side down on the preheated grill. Spray and season the now top side and cook about 5-7 minutes per side. The kabobs are done when the steak is cooked your desired temperate and the vegetables are lightly charred, about 15 minutes.

No Skewers:

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a TBS or two of cooking oil and heat until it ripples. Then add in the steak and sauté to medium rare (or desired doneness). Remove to a dish and loosely cover with foil.

Add all the vegetables and sauté to almost done and return the steak to the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve.

Hunan Beef

Hunan Beef

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

I am trying to duplicate the great Hunan Beef at Peking Garden in Carlsbad, CA (closed in 2017) which they describe as: Tender sliced beef sauteed with bell pepper, onion, mushroom in spicy Hunan sauce. I thought it also had zucchini.

Beef:

  • 1lb flank steak

Tenderize: (optional)

  • ¼tsp baking soda
  • 3TBS water

Marinade:

  • 1egg white
  • 1pinch white pepper
  • ¼tsp salt
  • 1-2½TBS of corn starch
  • 1TBS of oil

For the vegetables:

  • 1small green bell pepper
  • 1small red bell pepper
  • 1zucchini sliced ½-inch thick and quartered, optional
  • 8oz mushrooms, quartered
  • 4-8whole dried chili peppers
  • ½tsp granulated sugar
  • 2TBS hot water
  • ½tsp Chinese black vinegar

Sauce

  • 2tsp chili bean paste, (spicy Doubanjiang)
  • ½cup chicken broth
  • 1½TBS soy sauce
  • 2TBS oyster sauce
  • 2tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1tsp sugar, optional
  • 2tsp cornstarch

Beef:

Note: Tenderize the beef with a Jaccard before slicing. (optional)

Slice the beef with the blade tilted 45 degrees to get a thin cut through the grain.

Tenderize: (optional)

Mix 1/4 tsp baking soda and 3TBS water in a small bowl. Add beef and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Marinate:

In a bowl, add the beef, egg white, white pepper, salt, Mix well. Add 1 to 2 TBS of corn starch and mix well. Add 1 TBS of oil and mix again. Set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.

Premix sauce:

Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small container and set aside.

Prep:

Cut the bell peppers into ¾-inch dice. Cut the zucchini length wise to quarter, then slice into ½-inch thick pieces. Quarter the mushrooms.

Stir fry:

Heat a wok and add a tablespoon of oil until just smoking. Add beef and stir fry until browned. Remove to bowl.

Add more oil to the wok, then add the bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms dried chilies and 2 tsp chili bean paste, (spicy Doubanjiang). Stir fry for a minute then add sugar, water and black vinegar. Stir fry until tender crisp. Remove to the bowl with beef.

Sauce:

Mix the sauce to reincorporate the corn starch and then pour into the wok. Cook until thickened and return beef and vegetables to wok and mix to coat. Stir fry to heat through.

Serve.

Pork Medallions with Mushroom Gravy

Pork Medallions with Mushroom Gravy

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Yield: 4 Servings
Carlsbad Cravings

This pork medallions recipe is hypnotic! It transforms pork tenderloin into juicy, golden, spice rubbed pork medallions that pan sear to tender perfection in minutes! The seared pork medallions are then enveloped in silky, umami rich mushroom gravy that deserves its very own encore. This pork medallions recipe may look and taste gourmet (perfect for special occasions like Mother’s Day!) but is simple to make with a cook time of less than 30 minutes once your ingredients are prepped. Serve these pork medallions over a bed of mashed potatoes with honey roasted carrots or Parmesan asparagus and you have a swoon worthy dinner everyone will love!

Pork

  • 1pork tenderloin (1 to 1½ lb)
  • 3TBS flour
  • 1tsp salt
  • ½tsp garlic powder
  • ½tsp onion powder
  • ½tsp pepper, paprika
  • butter
  • olive oil

Mushroom gravy

  • 12oz baby bella/cremini mushrooms sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 1shallot, minced
  • 4garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼tsp red pepper flakes
  • ¼cup flour
  • 2½cups reduce sodium beef broth
  • 1TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • 1TBS reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1tsp beef bouillon (see notes)
  • 1tsp dried parsley
  • ½tsp dried oregano
  • ½tsp dried thyme

Prep pork: Trim silver skin from the pork tenderloin and cut crosswise into 12 medallions. Press each medallion with the palm of your hand to flatten to a about ½-inch even thickness. Whisk the flour and all pork seasoning together in a shallow dish. Dredge each medallion in the mixture, shake off any excess, then transfer to a dry surface.

Cook pork: Melt the 2 TBS butter in 2 TBS olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add HALF of the pork medallions in a single layer and cook for approximately 3 minutes per side. Pork is cooked through when internal temperature registers at 145˚F. Cooking time will also depend on the thickness of the medallions. Transfer pork to a plate, tent with foil and repeat with remaining pork.

Caramelize mushrooms: Melt 2 TBS butter with 1 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Increase temperature to medium-high and add half of the mushrooms. Give them a stir to evenly coat in the butter then arrange mushrooms in a single layer. Cook mushrooms for 3 minutes per side or until golden. Once evenly browned, season mushrooms lightly with freshly cracked salt and pepper and give them a stir. Remove mushrooms from skillet and repeat with remaining mushrooms; transfer all mushrooms to a plate.

Gravy: To the now empty skillet, melt 2 TBS butter. Add shallot and sauté over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes to soften. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in beef broth. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire, Dijon, beef bouillon, and all seasonings. Bring to a simmer until thickened.

Assemble: Nestle the pork medallions into the pan and spoon some gravy over top. Cook over medium for a few minutes to warm through. Taste and season with salt and/or pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve over mashed potatoes (recommended), rice or pasta.

Cooking tips for success

Silver skin: The silver skin is part of a sinew on one side of the pork tenderloin and looks like thin, silvery fat. You will need to remove it because it can become tough and chewy when cooked. There really isn’t anything special about removing the silver skin. To remove, slip a sharp knife in between the silver skin and the meat to create a “tab.” Angle the knife so the blade is facing toward the silver skin way from the meat. Finally, hold the tab taught while you cut the silver skin with a sawing motion until it’s cut free.

Beef bouillon: You can use granulated beef bouillon, one beef bouillon cube or better than bouillon. If using a cube, crush and add it directly to the gravy, don’t dissolve in water first.

Mushrooms: You can use virtually any flavorful mushrooms for this pork medallions recipe other than white mushrooms (unless you would like a super mild flavor) such as Portobello, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms or more exotic mushrooms such as chanterelle, morel, enoki or king oyster mushrooms. You can even mix and match different varieties of mushrooms, just make sure to cut them the same size.

Make ahead. See post for how to prep the pork, mushrooms and aromatics ahead of time.

How to store and reheat

To store: Pork medallions should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for three to five days.

To freeze: Let the skillet cool completely then transfer the contents to a freezer safe bag and squeeze out excess air to prevent freezer burn or transfer to an airtight freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator completely before reheating.

To reheat in the microwave: Heat for 1 minute, then at 30-second intervals until warmed through. Don’t overcook or you’ll dry out the pork!

To reheat on the stove: Transfer to a skillet and heat over medium heat, flipping the pork medallions halfway through cooking. Heat just until warmed through.

To reheat in the oven: Transfer the medallions to an oven safe dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.

Chicken Chop Suey 2

Chicken Chop Suey 2

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Yield: 2 Servings
Adapted from Wei’s Red House Kitchen

People from China might have no idea what chop suey is, but it’s no doubt one of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants/takeaways (takeout) outside China. Believed to be an invention by Chinese immigrants in the US, it’s a quick stir-fry dish consisting of a protein ingredient, such as chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, egg, etc., a variety of vegetables and a soy sauce-based thick sauce.

For the chicken

  • 1chicken breast, about 6-8-oz
  • ½TBS cornstarch
  • 1TBS water
  • 1drop cooking oil

For the sauce

  • 1TBS light soy sauce
  • ½TBS dark soy sauce
  • 2TBS oyster sauce
  • ½tsp sesame oil
  • 1TBS cornstarch
  • 1pinch salt
  • ¼tsp ground white pepper
  • 4TBS water

For the vegetables

  • ½onion, sliced
  • 2cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1small carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1handful snow peas, strings removed
  • 3baby corn, diagonally sliced
  • 3button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1handful mung bean sprouts
  • 1½TBS neutral cooking oil, divided

Marinate the chicken: Cut chicken breast crosswise into thin slices (about ¼-inch). Put into a bowl. Add corn starch and water. Stir well to evenly coat the chicken. Then add a drop of oil and mix well. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.

Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

Cook the chicken: Heat up a wok over high heat until it smokes. Pour in 1 TBS of oil. Slide in the chicken. Remove it out as soon as it loses the pinkness (Do not overcook). Set aside.

Combine the dish: Pour the remaining ½ TBS of oil into the wok. First, stir-fry onion and garlic over high heat until fragrant.

Add carrot and fry for 15 seconds or so. Then add snow peas and baby corn. Stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

Put the chicken back into the wok, along with mushrooms and mung bean sprouts. Cook for 30 seconds.

Give the sauce a good stir (in case the starch sits at the bottom) then pour over. Mix well.

As soon as you see the liquid thickening, transfer everything to a serving dish. Enjoy immediately with plain rice or as a topping for noodles.

Moo Goo Gai Pan

Moo Goo Gai Pan

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Mushroom Chicken Stir Fry
Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from WoksOfLife

Moo Goo Gai Pan is a Cantonese dish and translates directly to “mushrooms and sliced chicken.” I’m not a fan of bok choy, so I substitute snow peas and bean sprouts. If you prefer bok choy, replace snow peas and bean sprouts with 4 – 5 cups bok choy (washed and cut into 1 inch by 2 inch rectangles).

  • 12oz chicken breast, sliced
  • 3TBS water
  • 1tsp cookingoil (plus 3 TBS, divided)
  • 2tsp cornstarch
  • salt and white pepper
  • 6thin slices fresh ginger
  • 2scallions (the white portion only, sliced at an angle into ½-inch pieces)
  • 2cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
  • ½cup sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 8oz straw mushrooms (canned, drained and rinsed in warm water, optional)
  • -or-
  • 8oz white mushrooms, sliced or quartered.
  • 8oz bamboo shoots (canned, rinsed in warm water and drained)
  • 8oz water chestnuts (canned, rinsed in warm water and drained)
  • 4oz bean sprouts
  • 4oz snow peas
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • 1½cup chicken stock (chicken stock should be hot when added to wok)
  • ¼tsp sugar
  • 1tsp oyster sauce
  • ½tsp sesame oil
  • 1½TBS cornstarch (mixed with 2 TBS water to form slurry)


Marinate chicken:

Place the chicken and 3 TBS of water in a medium bowl. Massage the chicken with your hands until the water is absorbed by the chicken. Next, add the rest of the marinade ingredients: 1 tsp cooking oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of ground white pepper. Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.

Stir-fry chicken:

Heat the wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Coat the perimeter of the wok with 1 to 2 TBS of cooking oil, and spread the chicken in one layer around the wok. Let it sear for 20 seconds. Turn the chicken and let the other side sear for another 20 seconds. Turn the heat off, and transfer the chicken back to your marinade bowl. The chicken should be about 60% done.

Stir-fry veg:

Turn the burner back on to high heat, and add another TBS of cooking oil, along with the ginger slices. Let the ginger infuse the oil for about 10 seconds. Add the scallions and garlic and stir fry for another 15 seconds. Next, add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add the (snow peas and bean sprouts or bok choy).

Return chicken:

Next, add the Shaoxing wine and stir-fry for another minute. Then add the seared chicken slices and the hot chicken stock. It’s important to add hot or even boiling chicken stock to keep the wok up to temperature. Most stove burners at home don’t generate enough heat for a good stir-fry, so this is especially important for home cooks!

Make sauce:

While the mixture is coming to a boil, add about a tsp of salt and a pinch of white pepper, along with the sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Stir until well-combined. Taste the sauce with a spoon and re-season to taste.

Thicken sauce:

Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir, as the water and starch tend to separate, and add slowly to the wok while stirring constantly. You can add more or less slurry, depending upon how thick you like your sauce to be, but don’t over thicken, this is a sauce, not a coating. After a minute, the sauce should be thickened. Serve immediately with steamed rice!