🍽️ How to Make Yuxiang Chicken (鱼香鸡)

🧆 Ingredients

• 300g chicken breast (sliced)
• 50g wood ear mushrooms (soaked and sliced)
• 50g bamboo shoots (julienned)
• 1/2 carrot (julienned)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 thumb ginger (minced)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Salt to taste

🍳 Steps

1. Prepare the Chicken:

   • Select fresh chicken breast; it should be pale pink, moist, and firm to the touch. Avoid any with a strong odor or slimy texture.
   • Rinse the chicken breast under cold running water to remove any surface residue.
   • Pat dry with paper towels.
   • Slice the chicken breast thinly against the grain for tenderness.
   • In a bowl, marinate the chicken slices with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and let sit for at least 10 minutes. This helps the chicken stay juicy and tender during cooking.

2. Prepare the Vegetables:

   • Wood Ear Mushrooms: Soak dried wood ear mushrooms in warm water for 20–30 minutes until fully rehydrated and expanded. Rinse thoroughly to remove any grit, then slice thinly.
   • Bamboo Shoots: If using canned bamboo shoots, rinse under water to remove any brine flavor. If using fresh, peel and julienne into thin strips.
   • Carrot: Peel and julienne the carrot into thin matchsticks for even cooking.
   • Place all prepared vegetables on a plate for easy access during stir-frying.

3. Stir-Fry Aromatics:

   • Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
   • Add minced garlic, ginger, and doubanjiang (chili bean paste).
   • Stir-fry quickly for 30–60 seconds until the mixture is fragrant and the oil turns red. Be careful not to burn the aromatics.

4. Cook Chicken:

   • Add the marinated chicken slices to the wok.
   • Stir-fry rapidly, separating the pieces to ensure even cooking.
   • Cook until the chicken turns white and is just cooked through (about 2–3 minutes). Do not overcook to keep the chicken tender.

5. Add Vegetables:

   • Add the sliced wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and carrot to the wok.
   • Stir-fry together for another 2–3 minutes until the vegetables are just tender but still crisp.
   • If the wok seems dry, add a splash of water to help steam the vegetables.

6. Make Sauce:

   • Add 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the wok.
   • Toss everything together to coat the chicken and vegetables evenly in the sauce.
   • Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (add more sugar for sweetness, vinegar for tang, or salt to taste).

7. Finish:

   • Sprinkle chopped green onions over the dish.
   • Give a final toss and serve hot, ideally with steamed rice.

Additional Tips:

• For extra flavor, add a few dried red chilies or a dash of Sichuan peppercorns when stir-frying the aromatics.
• Always prepare and measure all ingredients before you start cooking, as stir-frying is a quick process.
• If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water and add at the end, stirring until the sauce thickens.
• Use high heat and keep ingredients moving in the wok to achieve the best texture and flavor.
• Adjust the amount of doubanjiang to your preferred spice level.

💡 Tips

• Use doubanjiang for authentic flavor.
• Adjust sugar and vinegar for balance.
• Stir-fry quickly to keep chicken tender.
• Add chili for extra heat if desired.