Chicken, Bok Choy, and Mushroom Stir-fry: A Classic Combination
- gailannbrown701
- Feb 14, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Tender, juicy chicken strips are stir-fried with Bok Choy, mushrooms, spring onions, and red peppers in a sesame ginger garlic sauce.
Bok Choy and Mushrooms are a classic combination in Chinese cuisine. Adding white or brown mushrooms makes a delicious but affordable stir-fry.
This recipe is based on a classic I found in the New York Times cooking section. That recipe was good but was also a little on the bland side and contained some expensive and hard-to-find mushrooms and other ingredients. This is a far better dish at a far lower price.
The combination of Bok Choy and mushrooms is a classic in Chinese cuisine, but the mushrooms tend to be of the type found only in Asian groceries and high-end supermarkets. You certainly use whatever mushroom you have and prefer, but this dish is very good using plain white or brown (baby Bella) mushrooms from any supermarket. The Bok Choy is, alas, a necessity. There is no substitute there, but it is available everywhere now.
The Chicken
For this dish, use skinless, boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts. They are much cheaper and tastier. Unlike chicken breasts, there is no need to tenderize or "velvet" chicken thighs. Just cut them into short strips and marinate them briefly for flavor.
I buy a pound of whole chicken thighs and remove the skin and bone myself.
In processing chicken thighs, you generally lose around one-fourth of a pound in bone and skin. So, either start with 1-pound whole chicken thighs or buy three-fourths of a pound if you prefer to buy skinless and boneless thighs. Since these thighs are cut into strips or cubes, neat or professional bone removal is unnecessary. Save the bones and scraps and put your stock bag (a bag of bone, skin, and scraps of chicken used to make stock) in the freezer.
Note: If this dish sounds good, but you prefer a shrimp stir-fry, please see:
The Vegetables
Cut the Bok Choy stems crosswise into bite-sized pieces. Cut the leaf portion into larger pieces (it will wilt and cook down). Keep the stem and leaf portions separate.
Slice the mushrooms and green onions. Cut the peppers into one-half-inch cubes. Arrange everything near the stove. Once the cooking process starts, stir-fry quickly.
The Sauce/Marinade
Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and brown sugar. Finely grate the ginger and press the garlic. Mix one-half of the ginger and garlic into the sauce.
Pour half the sauce over the chicken strips and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Stir Frying
Heat Oil and put in half the chicken strips. Shake the wok a little, but let the chicken sear undisturbed. As you begin to see the chicken cooking around the edges, check if your chicken is beginning to brown. Once it is browning on one side, stir and turn it over. Cook until not quite done. Do not overcook the chicken in pursuit of browning. Remove the chicken to a plate and cook the other half.
Then, cook the mushrooms in the same pan without washing it—the mushrooms will deglaze the pan. When the mushrooms start to brown (the moisture is burned off, and only the oil remains), remove them to a dish and wash the wok, if necessary.
 Heat more oil and stir fry the Bok Choy stems, the onions, the peppers, and the leaves.
Add the chicken back to the wok along with the mushrooms, stir everything for a minute, and add the sauce.
If you like a thick sauce, add the cornstarch/water slurry at the very end.
Quickly remove from the wok--it will continue to cook if you leave it there. Serve with jasmine rice.
Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
I have made rice in my Instant Pot for years and I have given away my rice cooker. The pressure cooking makes the most delicious rice and it is finished in under 5 minutes.
Simply rinse a cup of jasmine rice until the water runs clear. Put in the Instant Pot with a cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. (I always double this recipe to make fried rice later, or even tripe or quadruple it. The rice is just as good.)
I set the Instant Pot for 3 minutes and let the steam escape naturally. It will stay warm while you finish the stir-fry. I have literally gotten a stir-fry finished in 15 minutes with this method. A great and healthy dinner. quick.
Variation: If you add some lime juice and zest before you cook the rice, and lime juice, zest, and a little butter afterwards, you have lovely lime jasmine rice. A little upgrade to plain rice, but just as quick and inexpensive.
