Karl’s Oyster Mushroom Chicken with Bok Choy

Stir-fries are a popular weekday meal at my house. I try to keep things interesting by mixing up my sauces. From the basic Chinese sauces, you can blend new combinations every time you make a dish.

Bok choy—literally “white vegetable”—is sold in several forms. There is the large (12-18 inches) ones which are usually sold in Western markets that have white stalks and dark green leaves. You will not usually find this kind of bok choy in Chinese markets. These markets will usually sell the more tender “baby” form of this plant (at 4-6 inches). Shanghai bok choy is smaller (6-8 inches) and has lighter leaves and pale green stalks. While you can find the large form in some Western stores, in Chinese markets you may sometimes find the “baby” Shanghai bok choy that are 3-4 inches long.

Karl’s Oyster Mushroom Chicken with Bok Choy

Ingredients

Marinade

1 Tbs. oyster sauce
1 Tbs. dark soy sauce
½ Tbs. shaoxing
½ Tbs. fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
½ tsp. dark sesame oil

2 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
2 Tbs. corn starch

Stir-fry sauce

2 Tbs. oyster sauce
1 Tbs. dark soy sauce
½ Tbs. shaoxing
½ Tbs. fresh ginger, sliced
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
½ tsp. dark sesame oil

3 Tbs. peanut oil, separate uses
8 oz. oyster mushrooms

½ yellow onion
3 green onions
3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups baby Shanghai bok choi

Directions

1. Mix the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.

2. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and mix it into the marinade.

3. Let the chicken marinate for 20-30 minutes.

4. Stir the cornstarch into the chicken mix.

Tip: Mix until all of the chicken is coated with the corn starch. The mix will still be quite damp.

5. Mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients in a cup and set them aside.

6. Tear any large mushrooms into bite sized pieces.

Tip: A single package of oyster mushrooms may come in widely varying sized—from ½ inch mini mushrooms to 4 inch wide fans. Try to tear the mushrooms into similar sized pieces.

7. Slice the onion pole to pole into thin half moons, and reserve.

8. Cut the white parts of the green onions into 1 inch pieces.

9. Slice the green parts finely and keep them separately from the white parts.

10. Rinse and cut the bok choy in half—top to bottom—and set them aside.

11. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan (or wok) over a medium high heat.

12. Add the chicken to the pan and spread the pieces out into a single layer.

Tip: Depending on the space in your pan you may need to do this is batches.

Note: You do not want the chicken crowded together. You want the chicken pieces to fry and brown—poach in the marinade.

13. Let the chicken fry undisturbed for 4-6 minutes, until the first side is well browned.

14. Flip the chicken pieces and fry them on the second side for another 4-6 minutes.

15. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

16. Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and spread the mushrooms out in a single layer.

Tip: A single package of oyster mushrooms may come in widely varying sized—from ½ inch mini mushrooms to 4 inch wide fans. Try to tear the mushrooms into similar sized pieces.

17. After a quick stir to coat the mushrooms with the oil, let them sit and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Tip: You want to get a good sear on the mushrooms. Knocking them about will only cause the moisture in them to escape and you will end up with steamed mushrooms.

18. Give the mushrooms a quick toss to turn them over and add the yellow onion and the white parts of the green onions.

Tip: Again do not stir the vegetables too much.

Note: Use a pair of chopsticks to turn over any mushrooms that ended up on the first side.

18. Continue frying for another 3-4 minutes, until the onions are starting to pick up some color.

19. Pull the mushrooms to the sides of the pan and add the garlic to the hole in the center.

20. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, about one minute.

21. Add the bok choy to the pan and stir-fry the vegetables for another 3-4 minutes.

22. Deglaze the pan with a bit of the sauce and then stir in the rest of the sauce.

23. Continue stir-frying until the sauce has thicken and coated the chicken and vegetables, another 1-2 minutes.

24. Add most of the green parts of the onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds to mix them in.

25. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining green onions.