Butter-Soy Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 10–12-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 2 smaller chicken breasts ~6 ounces each), thinly sliced
- 1-½ tsp. cornstarch
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. egg white (from 1 egg)
For the Stir-Fry:
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 4-5 asparagus stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4-ounces large button mushrooms, quartered
- ½ red bell pepper, sliced
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 lemon wedge
- Toasted sesame seeds, for serving, optional
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken, cornstarch, baking soda, sugar, salt, soy sauce and a few cracks of black pepper.
- Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of egg white; using a spoon, mix until well combined and the chicken appears glossy and velvety.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate chicken for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- When chicken is marinated, place a colander in the sink.
- In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Carefully add marinated chicken to the boiling water.
- Use tongs or chopsticks to separate the pieces; some egg white may float to the surface.
- Cook for 90 seconds and drain the chicken in the colander; shake the colander to remove excess liquid (the chicken won’t be fully cooked yet).
To prepare the stir-fry:
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high.
- When the oil is hot, add the asparagus, mushrooms and bell pepper and stir-fry until lightly browned; about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken from the colander to the skillet; add a pinch of salt and pepper; stir-fry constantly for 1 minute.
- Push the chicken and vegetables to one side of the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.
- In an empty area of the skillet, add the butter, allowing it to melt and sizzle.
- Then pour the soy sauce onto the butter and stir to combine.
- Push the chicken and vegetables into the sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds; the sauce should cling to the chicken.
- Transfer to a platter and squeeze juice from the lemon wedge over top.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. and serve with the cooked rice.