Chicken with Garlic Sauce

A simple, classic recipe in the Chinese kitchen, and now a popular take-out dish. In Chinese restaurants, garlic sauce can be quite popular. Learn how to make it at home.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

For the chicken:

10 oz. chicken breast, thinly sliced
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon oil

 

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup chicken broth (or water)

 

Additional Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
5 red hot chilies
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons hot black bean paste

1 small winter bamboo shoot (outer husk peeled, thinly sliced, and then julienned)
1 cup soaked wood-ear mushrooms, julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili oil (optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water
1 scallion, sliced on an angle

 

 

Direction:

Step 1:    Marinate the sliced chicken with salt, cornstarch, and oil. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Before you start cooking, mix together the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

                

 

Step 2:    Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium heat. Turn up the heat to high and immediately add the chicken. Stir-fry until the chicken is opaque. Set aside.

 

Step 3：Heat up 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan.  Add hot black bean paste,  the red chilies, ginger, and garlic, and cook for a minute.  Add the bamboo shots, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes.  Add chicken back into the pan.  Add the prepared sauce, and give everything a stir. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, chili oil (if using), and the cornstarch slurry. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, allowing the sauce to thicken. Add the scallions, give everything a final toss, and serve with rice.