Chicken and asparagus stir-fry

Name: Chicken and asparagus stir-fry
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4 with steamed rice as a meal or 4-6 as part of a banquet
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 800g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm slices; 1½ bunches of green asparagus (about 375g); ¼ cup peanut oil; 3 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 10cm lengths; 6cm knob ginger, finely sliced; 2 tbsp shao hsing wine or dry sherry; 2 tbsp water; 1 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari; 2 tsp brown sugar; ¼ tsp sesame oil; ¼ cup finely sliced spring onions

Kylie Kwong

October 2, 2018

Spring stir-fry with chicken fillets and asparagus spears.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4 with steamed rice as a meal or 4-6 as part of a banquet

I always prefer to cook with chicken thigh fillets rather than the breast when stir-frying because their thin layer of fat promotes tenderness and moisture. The addition of asparagus spears adds texture, colour and a vegetable component to the dish.

Ingredients

800g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm slices
1½ bunches of green asparagus (about 375g)
¼ cup peanut oil
3 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 10cm lengths
6cm knob ginger, finely sliced
2 tbsp shao hsing wine or dry sherry
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp sesame oil
¼ cup finely sliced spring onions

Marinade

2 tbsp shao hsing wine or dry sherry
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp cold water
1 tsp salt flakes

Method

Step 1
Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl, add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Wash asparagus and trim woody ends. Peel lower parts of the stems, if necessary, and finely slice on the diagonal. Set aside.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add half the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute, remove from the wok and set aside.
Step 4
Add the remaining oil to the hot wok, stir in asparagus, spring onions and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Return chicken to the wok, add wine or sherry and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Lastly, add water, soy sauce or tamari, sugar and sesame oil and stir-fry for a further minute or until chicken is slightly browned and just cooked through.
Step 5
Arrange chicken on a platter and top with finely sliced spring onions.