Stir-Fried Chicken With Mushrooms and Oyster Sauce Recipe

By
Shao Z.
Shao Zhi Zhong is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Shao Z.
Shao Zhi Zhong is a Chinese-born and Philadelphia-raised food writer and recipe developer who specializes in Chinese home cooking. She's also a web designer.
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Updated Aug. 29, 2018
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Stir-fried water-velveted chicken with an assortment of fresh and dried mushrooms. . Shao Z.

This quick and simple stir-fry features both fresh and dried mushrooms for maximum flavor and texture, and chicken that's been water-velveted—an easy technique that guarantees tender, silky meat.

Why this recipe works:

  • Marinating the chicken strips in a mixture of cornstarch, egg white, wine, and seasonings—a process known as velveting—guarantees silky, tender meat.
  • Par-cooking the meat in a bath of boiling water with just a little oil is much easier for home cooks than the more traditional hot-oil-bath method, with equally good results.

Note: To make egg white easy to measure, beat it with a fork until it has a thinner viscosity. Dried wood ear mushrooms can be found in most Asian markets.

Recipe Details

Stir-Fried Chicken With Mushrooms and Oyster Sauce Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 50 mins
Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

For the Velveted Chicken:

  • 1 tablespoon egg white (see notes)

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

  • 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or sake

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 pound chicken breast, sliced 1/8 inch thick

  • 6 cups water

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable, canola, or peanut oil

For the Sauce and Stir-Fry:

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 1 medium clove garlic, finely minced

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, divided

  • 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, enoki, and/or oyster, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

  • 1/4 cup dried wood ear mushroom, rehydrated in warm water for 15 minutes, then drained and large pieces halved (see notes)

  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

  1. For the Velveted Chicken: In a small bowl, thoroughly combine egg white, cornstarch, rice wine, and salt. Place chicken in a bowl and add cornstarch mixture, tossing to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

  2. Fill a wok with water and bring to a boil, then add oil. Add chicken and, separating pieces with chopsticks or a spatula, cook until chicken is white outside but still raw within, about 40 seconds. Drain chicken in a colander and shake off excess water. Wipe wok clean and dry.

  3. For Sauce and Stir-Fry: In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and water.

  4. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in wok over high heat until smoking. Add fresh mixed mushrooms and season with salt. Cook, stirring and tossing, until mushrooms have released their water, about 3 minutes. Add rehydrated wood ear mushrooms and cook until mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushroom to a plate and wipe out wok.

  5. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in wok over high heat until smoking. Add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Return mushrooms to wok and stir to combine with chicken. Stir sauce add to the wok, tossing, until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and serve with white rice.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
418 Calories
23g Fat
13g Carbs
40g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 418
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 96mg 32%
Sodium 600mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 40g
Vitamin C 3mg 15%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 716mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)