By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes' refrigeration
- Rating
- 4(318)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The chicken is not the centerpiece of this stir-fry, and you can leave it out, or use tofu instead, for a vegetarian version. It adds flavor and some substance, but this stir-fry is mostly about antioxidant-rich cruciferous vegetables, with a red pepper thrown in for color, adding its own set of nutrients (anthocyanins, beta carotene, vitamin C).
Featured in: Stir-Fries for Crisp Autumn Days
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Ingredients
Yield:3 to 4 main-dish servings
- 8ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut across the grain into ¼-inch-thick by ½-inch-wide pieces
- 1tablespoon egg white, lightly beaten
- 2teaspoons cornstarch
- 1½teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
- Salt to taste
- ¼cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1bunch kale, stemmed and washed well in 2 rinses of water
- 2tablespoons peanut oil, rice bran oil or canola oil
- 1tablespoon minced ginger
- 2fat garlic cloves, minced
- ½teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 to 6scallions (½ bunch), cut on the diagonal in ½-inch lengths, dark green part separated
- 6 to 8brussels sprouts, quartered (about ½ pound)
- 1small or ½ large red bell pepper, cut in thin 2-inch strips
- ½pound baby bok choy, cut in 1-inch slices
- Freshly ground pepper
- Rice, whole grains or noodles for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
228 calories; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 734 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a large bowl, stir together the egg white, cornstarch, 1½ teaspoons of the rice wine or sherry, salt to taste and 1½ teaspoons water. When you can no longer see any cornstarch, add the chicken and stir together until coated. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
Step
2
Bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan and add the kale. Boil 1 minute, until just tender, and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Do not drain the water from the pot. Drain the kale, squeeze out excess water and chop coarsely
Step
3
Combine the remaining rice wine, the stock and the soy sauce in a small bowl and set near your wok
Step
4
Bring the water in the pot back to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and turn the heat down so that the water is at a bare simmer. Carefully add the chicken to the water, stirring so that the pieces don’t clump. Cook until the chicken turns opaque on the surface but is not cooked through, about 1 minute. Drain well in a colander
Step
5
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the remaining oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the white and light green pieces of scallions, the brussels sprouts and the red pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and stir-fry for another minute. Add the chicken, the kale and the broth mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle on the green scallion ends. Remove from the heat and serve with grains or noodles
Tip
- Advance preparation: You can blanch the kale and marinate the chicken several hours ahead, but the stir-frying should be done at the last minute
Ratings
4
out of 5
318
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Cooking Notes
Paul Mansfield
Nice texture and colorful mix but too bland. I added more ginger, and an equal amount of tumeric root, plus twice the garlic. That perked it up nicely. And a bag of fresh baby kale makes it faster so skip the boiling and add the kale to the stir-fry stage.
Matt
Tasty. I'd consider blanching the brussels sprouts too. Stir frying left them a little raw.
Engelie Blomerus
So happy to find a recipe heavy on cruciferous vegetables and it came out great! Doubled the garlic and more ginger. Chopped the vegetables and let it rest for 40 min to ensure the sulforaphane is formed before the heat can destroy the enzymes necessary to form sulforaphane. Great addition to our repertoire!
BethJL
Kinda bland. We added chili crisp to make it better. Light and colorful, but I doubt that I will make it again.
Julie
My CSA gave me kale and baby bok choy. Perfect recipe for that week! I am NOT a fan of kale but this was edible. I doubled the ginger and garlic.
Sisuanna
Fussy recipe for something that should be straight forward.
deborah
Delicious! Had to sub cabbage for sprouts. Probably used twice as much ginger b/c I always do. Used Mirin. Would make again for sure.
Maureen
Way too much work for the result. Used a small bunch of tuscan kale and it was way too much, even for myself, a kale lover. The whole fam was disappointed.
blisssu
Studying its interesting methods of cooking chicken and kale, I saw this recipe as a platform for plant-based "chik'n" strips, a soy protein concentrate product I had on hand. Bland before cooking, the chik'n became flavorful and delightfully tender when prepared in the tasty broth. Kale prep was a hands-on means of tenderizing the leaves--a technique to try in other dishes with stir-fried greens. I served the dish with brown rice but might prefer noodles next time.
Al
I made this and is was wonderful. I did leave out one ingredient: One TBS. of egg white! What am I supposed to do with the rest of the egg? I guess I will never know what subtle flavor I missed. And, the poached egg that I have for breakfast is best when cracked immediately before thrusting into simmering water.
Barbara
Taste-less! No amount of ginger will help this bland recipe. So much work for so little satisfaction. The only thing I liked was the quick blanch of the chicken prior to stir frying which made for very tender chicken. Needs a totally different sauce.
Leigh
I added specialty squashes and they were good. I also added fresh peppers (without seeds). I agree re: extra heat is good.
Peter
This did not turn out as I expected, although it isn't bad. I definitely got overenthusiastic about the vegetables, and overloaded my wok and it took a lot longer to cook everything. Be cautious not to make the same mistake! I used sherry in the marinade but overall thought the whole dish a little bland. Still, might try it again to get the method right. I'm not great with the wok!
Debby
A good weeknight dinner - it seems like a lot of steps but it goes quickly. Poaching the chicken before adding to the stir fry keeps it tender - a great technique.
Sharon
Loved this only changed out the meat for boneless thighs and used cabbage instead of brussel sprouts because that's what I had, very tasty.
Mary
Use less red pepper. Too hot for me. Add enough soy sauce and buy rice wine. Rice vinegar doesn’t cut it!
Matt
Tasty. I'd consider blanching the brussels sprouts too. Stir frying left them a little raw.
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