Baby Bok Choy With Chicken
Hsiao-Ching Chou
I love how simple this dish is and how quickly it can be made. It's also a versatile dish because you can add different ingredients – such as julienned carrots, chopped green onions, minced garlic, minced ginger, mushrooms, etc. – according to what you have in the refrigerator. (I kept the seasonings simple this time, because I had received a locally raised specialty chicken as a sample and wanted to see if the nuanced flavor of the meat would shine through. It certainly tasted fresh and had good texture, but the purported flavor qualities weren't as prominent in this preparation.)
BABY BOK CHOY WITH CHICKEN
1 chicken breast half
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3-4 heads baby bok choy, trimmed and leaves separated
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
Salt to taste
Drizzle of sesame oil
Cut the chicken breast half lengthwise into 2-3 strips, about 1 1/2 inches wide, or about the size of chicken tenders. Then slice each strip of chicken, crosswise, into thin pieces. Combine chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and mix well. Then add the cornstarch and mix well.
Heat wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and allow to heat. Add the chicken and quickly spread the chicken, as best as you can, into a single layer in the wok. This will allow the chicken to sear. After about 30 seconds, start to stir and turn the chicken to brown the other side. Continue to stir quickly until the pieces seem to be almost cooked through. This will happen very quickly and shouldn't take more than about 90 seconds. Turn off heat and scoop chicken into a small bowl and set aside.
Turn heat to medium high. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to wok and let heat for a few seconds. Add the baby bok choy leaves and start to stir around. The leaves will begin to wilt and turn dark green. Add the chicken and stir fry to combine. Add the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce and the water. Stir until all the baby bok choy leaves and the chicken are just cooked through. Add a pinch of salt, if needed. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil. Turn off the heat and serve right away.