As with any stir-fry, the faster you cook it, the bertter it tastes, so it is essential to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start actually stir-frying.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time12 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the sauce
1/4cupchicken brothor vegetable broth
3Tablespoonslow-sodium soy sauce
2Tablespoons*mirin or unsweetened rice vinegar
1Tablespooncornstarch
1 Tablespoonhoney or maple syrup, or regular sugar
2Tablespoonscoarsely ground black pepperor more or less to taste
For the stir-fry
2poundsboneless, skinless chicken breastscut into 1-inch pieces
1tablespoonlow-sodium soy sauce
2teaspoonscornstarch
pinch of salt
2tablespoonsvegetable oil, dividedI use avocado
1small onion (white, red, or yellow)thinly sliced
3celery stalksends trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2bell peppersthinly sliced (green or mixed colors)
1Tablespoonfresh gingergrated or minced
2clovesgarlicgrated or minced
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, soy sauce, mirin (or vinegar), honey, cornstartch, and crushed black pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
Place the cubed chicken in a medium bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Add the soy sauce and toss to combine, then add the cornstarch and toss again to evenly coat. Set aside.
Place a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the chicken to the skillet in a single layer. Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Over medium-high heat, add the remaning tablespoon to the skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the bell peppers, celery, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes total. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
Lower the heat to medium, quickly whisk the sauce again, then pour it into the skillet. Stir until the sauce coats the vegetables and thickens slighlty, about 1 minute. Return the chicken to the skillet, give it a few more stirs to coat the chicken with the sauce, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle with a little more pepper, if desired, and transfer to a large serving platter. Serve over warm white rice or with rice noodles.
Notes
*Mirin: Many Chinese recipes, including stir-fries, call for Shaoxing wine, a Chinese Cooking Wine that is not something most of us would stock in our pantries. A good substitute is Mirin, but this ingredient is also hard to find. You can sub Mirin with dry sherry, or for this recipe, I find unsweetened rice vinegar works just fine. Store leftovers in a tight-lid container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can eat the leftovers cold-dish or reheat gently on a skillet.