CHICKEN IN OYSTER SAUCE
Best Chicken stir-fry infused with authentic Oriental flavors and loaded with veggies of your choice, ready in under 30 minutes!
The best part of Chinese cuisine is its super quick turnout time. That is because most Chinese recipes are stir-fries, which by nature are fast cooking meals. I mean seriously, you can have your dinner ready in a matter of half an hour, that too with zero compromises on the taste. The only thing that you need to keep in mind with stir-fries is that you need to have everything ready before firing your stove. From there on, everything moves pretty fast; you might as well spend more time on preparation than on the cooking itself! I have a whole arsenal of Chinese recipes that are perfect for busy weeknight dinners. The chicken in oyster sauce is one such easy and wholesome recipe that goes well with rice and noodles.
ABOUT THE RECIPE
The Chicken in Oyster sauce is much like typical Chinese recipes where the chicken, meat, fish, or veggies are stir-fried with a sauce mix. The boneless bite-size chicken pieces are infused with oriental flavors and the bell peppers add a refreshing crunchiness to the dish.Have you ever wondered how do the Chinese restaurants make their chicken so tender?
In culinary terms, the technique they use to soften the chicken is called Velveting. It means passing the meat through hot oil or hot water for a brief period of cooking time to make it tender and juicy. This might be a closely guarded restaurant secret but it easy to replicate at home.How to velvet the chicken to make it tender?
The are several methods for velveting chicken. I am sharing two methods fora pound of chicken, multiply as required.METHOD 1: Here is what you need:
- 1 lb Boneless skinless chicken cut into strips
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black or white pepper
- 1 Raw Egg
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- Simply marinate the chicken with all the ingredients and keep refrigerated in a Ziploc bag for at least an hour.
- You can then either poach the chicken in boiling water or fry the chicken in hot oil.
- The prepared chicken pieces can then be used in any Chinese recipe, you can also use them in sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, or, casseroles.
METHOD2: Here is what you need:
- 1 lb Boneless skinless chicken cut into strips
- 2 tsp Baking soda
- Marinate the chicken with baking soda for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the marinated pieces under running water and pat dry.
- The prepared chicken pieces can then be used in any Chinese recipe.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN IN OYSTER SAUCE
Here are the simple steps to make the best oyster chicken:- Velveting the chicken - I have used the first method discussed above to velvet the chicken strips.
- Preparing the sauce - Prepare the sauce by whisking together oyster sauce, remaining soy sauce, white wine, roasted sesame oil, water, and sugar.
- Cutting the vegetables - Cut the onion and bell peppers into 1-inch cubes. Mince the ginger and garlic.
- Cooking - Fry the minced garlic till fragrant. Add the remaining vegetables and fry. Add the prepared sauce. Dunk in the chicken pieces and stir-fry for until done.
- Garnish - Sprinkle some chopped green onion.
VARIATIONS
- Make this using whatever veggies you like. Popular choices are mushrooms, bamboo shoots, squash, snap peas, or broccoli.
- Swap the chicken with shrimps, pork, beef, or even fish.
- Use tofu instead of chicken for a change.
- Add herbs like basil or cilantro for a different flavor.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the best way to cut the chicken for this recipe?
The best way to slice chicken is to cut against the grain, which gives you shorter muscle fibers, making the meat more tender. Find the grain by locating the tiny white muscle fibers that run in 1 direction.Here is a guide you may find useful.
Which portion of the chicken is recommended to be used in Chinese stir-fries?
Generally, most recipes recommend the chicken breast because it is boneless and easier to cut. I prefer the boneless, skinless thighs because the meat is tender and juicier.What is oyster sauce?
Oyster sauce is a thick, brown sauce that is flavored with the oyster extract. It adds a savory flavor to dishes, making it a great choice for flavoring meat and vegetables.Is oyster sauce vegetarian?
Oyster sauce consists of oyster extracts and seasonings, hence, it is not vegetarian. However, a vegetarian variety of oyster sauce is also available.Can I use a different Protein?
You can use pork, shrimp, beef, fish, or even tofu instead of chicken. You have to be a little cautious with shrimp because overcooking might make it rubbery.SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve the chicken with jasmine rice or noodles. Another healthy option would be cauliflower rice. Here are some rice recipes you may like to pair this with:STORAGE SUGGESTIONS
This recipe is so lip-smackingly delicious that we rarely have any leftovers. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
CHICKEN IN OYSTER SAUCE
Yield: 4
Prep time: 15 MCook time: 10 MTotal time: 25 M
Best Chicken stir-fry infused with authentic Oriental flavors and loaded with veggies of your choice, ready in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients:
- lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into strips
- 1 raw egg
- 1 yellow bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red onions cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp white wine
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- sugar to taste
- green onion finely chopped
- water as needed
Instructions:
- Marinade the chicken with egg, salt, pepper, cornstarch and half the soy sauce. Keep aside.
- Prepare the sauce by whisking together oyster sauce, remaining soy sauce, white wine, roasted sesame oil, water, and sugar. Let it sit.
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry the chicken pieces until golden brown. Remove pieces with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
- In the same pan, fry the minced garlic till fragrant.
- Add the onion, minced ginger and, bell peppers. Continue cooking till the raw smell of ginger is gone.
- Add sauce prepared earlier. Dunk in the chicken pieces. Give everything a good mix.
- Stir-fry for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and coats all of the ingredients.
- Garnish with green onion.
Notes:
- I prefer chicken thighs because they are more tender than breast pieces.
- You can use other vegetables of your choice.
- Use dark soy sauce instead of light soy sauce for rich color.
- You can skip roasted sesame oil if you do not have it, the taste will still be awesome.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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