Stir-Fried Hoisin Chicken with Vegetables

Full flavoured tender chicken combined with lightly cooked vegetables makes this a quick and very healthy mid-week meal. Marinating the chicken (use ready sliced chicken strips for speed) for just a few minutes whilst preparing the vegetables, makes all the difference to the overall flavour of this recipe.

Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick 30cm Stir-fry Pan

Serves 4

  • 3 boned and skinned breast fillets, (or 350g, 12oz ready sliced strips)
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2.5cm (1”) piece fresh ginger root, chopped finely
  • 4 spring onions
  • 125g (4oz) mange-tout
  • 125g (4oz) pak choy
  • 2 tablespoons groundnut oil
  • 1 x 220g can of bamboo shoots, drained
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 level teaspoons sesame seeds

1. Cut the chicken into long finger sized strips and put into a non-metallic dish with the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, garlic and ginger. Leave to marinate while preparing the vegetables.

2. Trim the onions, discarding most of the top green part and the root end. Slice the remainder into thin rings. Wash and dry the mange-tout, slice length ways into thin strips. Wash the pak choy thoroughly, dry and chop into bite sized pieces.

3. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in the stir-fry pan over a medium setting. Add the spring onions and fry briskly for 1 minute. Drain the chicken and pat off excess marinade with kitchen paper towels. Add to the pan and stir-fry briskly for 4 – 5 minutes until it is all cooked and browned. Using a slotted spoon remove the chicken from the stir-fry pan and keep hot.

4. Add the remaining oil to the pan and, when hot, add the mange- tout and pak choy. Stir-fry for just 1 – 2 minutes then add the bamboo shoots. Stir-fry just until these are hot.

5. Return the chicken to the pan with the hoisin sauce and 2 tablespoons of water. Season with a little black pepper.

Just before serving sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.

Serve with plain boiled rice and crisp, ready made, Chinese vegetable spring rolls.