Stir-Fried Chicken with Bok Choy

• Recipe by Grace Parisi

Fermented black beans, the key ingredient in black bean sauce (along with garlic, sugar and salt), give this Asian stir-fry an enormous amount of flavor while keeping the overall ingredient list simple. Bottled black bean sauce is available in the Asian section of most supermarkets; F&W’s Grace Parisi recommends the Kikkoman brand.

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2. 2 tablespoons Chinese black bean sauce
3. 1 tablespoon dry sherry
4. 1 tablespoon sugar
5. 1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
6. 2 teaspoons cornstarch
7. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
8. 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch strips, or skinless, boneless breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
9. Salt and freshly ground pepper
10. 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
11. 1 pound bok choy, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
12. 1 cup snow peas
13. Steamed white rice, for serving

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk the chicken stock with the black bean sauce, sherry, sugar, chile-garlic sauce and cornstarch.
2. Heat a large wok or skillet until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and heat until just smoking. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the wok in a single layer. Cook over high heat, turning once, until the chicken is browned but not cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour off the fat in the wok.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok. Add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and snow peas and stir-fry until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the wok. Stir the sauce, then add it to the wok and simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve with rice.