Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry

Stir-fried dishes are meant to be cooked in a very short time. That’s why extremely high heat is essential. So is a wok large enough to keep all the ingredients moving as they cook? This chicken and mushroom stir fry took less than 15 minutes to cook and that includes the time I spent cutting the vegetables. But the preparation started an hour earlier when I sliced the chicken thigh fillets into thin strips and marinated them in a mixture of light sweet soy sauce, salt, pepper, Chinese rice wine, oyster sauce, and a bit of sesame seed oil. It’s amazing how much tastier the chicken turned out.

Note that measurements for seasonings are a mere guide. Make the necessary adjustments to suit your taste. Slice the chicken thigh fillets into strips about half an inch wide and two inches long. Place in a bowl. Add all the ingredients for the marinade. Mix. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for about an hour.

About 15 minutes before meal time, cut all the vegetables.

Heat the cooking oil in a wok. When smoking, add the chicken and garlic with the marinade and cook until no longer pink. Remember to keep the chicken strips moving by alternately tossing, swirling, and stirring to ensure even cooking and to prevent scorching.

Add the carrot slices and mushrooms next. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the asparagus and sliced onion (adding the sliced onion toward the end of cooking time prevents them from turning soggy remember that this is a stir fry and not a sauteed dish). Stir fry for another 30 seconds. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Pour into the wok. Stir until the sauce is thick and clear. Turn off the heat. Transfer the stir-fried chicken, mushrooms, and vegetables onto a platter and serve at once.