Chicken with Garlic
2 min readYou can intensify the flavors in this dish by increasing the amounts of chili paste and garlic to taste.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
2 egg whites
1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 ⁄2 tablespoon chili paste
1 ⁄4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 ⁄2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 green onions, cut into 1 1 ⁄2 -inch pieces
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1. Wash the chicken, pat dry, and cut into cubes. Add the egg whites, salt, and cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 1 hour.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a very low boil. Add the chicken, stirring to separate the pieces, and remove as soon as it is just turning white (about 60–90 seconds). Drain immediately.
3. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the garlic and chili paste and stir-fry until the garlic is aromatic. Add the chicken and stir-fry briefly. Add the soy sauce and rice wine. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes until everything is heated through. Stir in the green onions and drizzle with the sesame oil. Serve on a bed of white rice, garnished with the tomato wedges.
Water-Poached Chicken
Poaching poultry in water gives it a soft and tender texture. For best results keep the water at a low simmer and not strongly bubbling. It helps to have a colander set up before you poach the chicken, since it should be drained immediately. On its own, the whitish color of water-poached chicken can be unappetizing. This technique works best when you plan to serve the chicken in a dark-colored sauce.