Chicken in Oyster Sauce

Name: Chicken in Oyster Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Cuisine: Chinese Menu
Ingredients: Chicken Thighs — 450g; Shaoxing Wine — 1 tbsp; Sugar — ½ tsp; Salt — ¼ tsp; White Pepper — ⅛ tsp; Cornflour — 1 tbsp; Water — 1 tbsp; Cooking Oil — 1 tsp; Oyster Sauce — 2 tbsp; Dark Soy Sauce — 1 tsp; Honey — 1 tsp; White Pepper — ⅛ tsp; Water — 3 tbsp; Onion — 1; Ginger — 15g; Garlic — 3 cloves; Spring Onions — 2; Sesame Oil — 1 tsp; Cooking Oil — 1 tbsp

Chicken in Oyster Sauce is the sophisticated, understated cousin of the bolder stir-fries. It is a classic Cantonese dish that relies on a refined, velvety sauce to highlight the natural flavours of tender chicken and crisp vegetables. It is savoury, slightly sweet, and immensely comforting.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 to 3

Notes:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be substituted for chicken thighs if preferred.

The cornflour slurry and oil added during marination seal in the meat juices, ensuring exceptionally tender chicken.

Pre-mixing the stir-fry sauce in a bowl beforehand ensures a smooth cooking process when cooking at higher heat.

Marinate the Chicken
Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl. Add the Shaoxing wine, sugar, salt, and white pepper, mixing well by hand. Stir in the cornflour slurry, then drizzle with oil and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.

Prepare the Sauce
In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, white pepper, and water. Stir until fully smooth and combined.

Sear the Chicken
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the ginger slices and the white sections of the spring onions, sautéing briefly until fragrant. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Sauté Aromatics and Simmer
Add the sliced garlic and onions to the pan. Stir-fry until the onions turn translucent, then pour over the prepared oyster sauce mixture. Cover the pan and simmer on medium heat for 2 minutes.

Thicken and Finish
Uncover the pan, turn up the heat, and stir until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken thoroughly. Toss through the green spring onion sections, drizzle over the sesame oil, and serve hot.