This rustic, earthy stir-fry is one of my favorites. It is perfectly balanced in all senses: the salty with a hint of sweet flavor from the chives; a crisp, juicy texture; a pleasing pale yellow with vibrant green color; and a fragrant aroma from the bean sprouts. (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine often utilizes bean sprouts to make an aromatic vegetarian stock.)

　　You can use either mung bean or soybean sprouts for this dish. Mung bean sprouts are more tender and crisp, and smaller. Soybean sprouts are larger. For this dish, I prefer mung bean sprouts, which you can usually find fresh in your local Asian grocery store. Before adding the sprouts to the finished dish, I first like to flash-fry them in hot oil to prevent them from losing water in the subsequent fry.

　　This recipe was excerpted from 'My Shanghai' by Betty Liu. Buy the full book on Amazon. Get more of our favorite Chinese chicken recipes →

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　2 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs

　　2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine

　　2 Tbsp. light soy sauce

　　1 tsp. cornstarch

　　Pinch of ground white pepper

　　About 3 cups mung bean sprouts

　　3 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil

　　1½ tsp. granulated sugar

　　About 1 cup garlic chives, chopped into 1-inch segments

　　½ tsp. salt, or to taste

　　¼ tsp. sesame oil

　　

Step 1

Slice the chicken thighs into thin ¼-inch (6-mm) slivers and toss with 1 tablespoon of the Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the cornstarch, and the white pepper. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Rinse the mung bean sprouts and let them drain for 5 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Heat a well-seasoned wok over medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the bean sprouts and quickly stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Remove the sprouts to a bowl and set aside.

　　

Step 4

Wipe down the wok with a paper towel. Heat the wok again over high, until smoke wisps up from the surface. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and swirl the wok to distribute it. Add the chicken, let sit briefly to sear, then stir-fry until the color has changed.

　　

Step 5

Pour in the remaining wine and soy sauce, then return the bean sprouts to the wok. Sprinkle the contents of the wok with the sugar and stir to combine.

　　

Step 6

Add the chives and quickly stir-fry them. Season with the salt, adding more or less according to taste. Drizzle with the sesame oil.

　　Reprinted with permission from My Shanghai: Recipes and Stories from a City on the Water by Betty Liu, copyright © 2021 by Betty Liu. Published by Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.Buy the full book from Harper Collins, Amazon, or Bookshop.