Oyster Sauce Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry

5 from 3 votes

Oyster Sauce Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry

Quick and easy Oyster Sauce Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry is ready in under 30 minutes with tender chicken, shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts and sweet red dates.

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Total Time25

Course: Mains

Cuisine: Chinese

Diet: Low Lactose

Servings: people

Calories: 253kcal

Author: HWC Magazine

Equipment

Wok or large frying pan

Ingredients

Prep and Rehydrate Dried Ingredients

5-6 whole dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated, stem removed and sliced or 8 ounces fresh sliced. *see notes
5-6 whole Chinese red dates (jujubes) soaked, pitted and chopped
water boiling hot (enough to cover mushrooms and red dates)

Chicken Marinade

12 ounces chicken breast boneless and skinless, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos to keep gluten free
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or cooking sherry
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Oyster Sauce Chicken and Mushroom Stir fry

2 tablespoons oil We used olive oil - it's our Western healthier alternative.
1 inch ginger knob fresh grated or finely minced
2-3 cloves garlic fresh peeled and minced
marinated chicken from above
sliced shiitake mushrooms from above
8 ounces water chestnuts sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos to keep gluten free
3 tablespoons oyster sauce *see notes
1 teaspoon sesame oil
6 tablespoons water or chicken broth
¼ teaspoon white pepper or to taste
chopped red dates from above
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar Chinkiang vinegar *see notes for substitutions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms and red dates well. Cover with boiling water and soak mushrooms for 15 – 20 minutes or until softened. Red dates are usually softened in 5 to 10 minutes. While the mushrooms and dates are soaking, prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Slice the chicken breast thinly and add to a bowl. Then, add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (cooking sherry), white pepper, sesame oil , cornstarch and stir well to coat the chicken. Marinate for 15 - 20 minutes.
Squeeze the mushrooms to remove the excess water. Remove the stem and discard or use for other soup stock recipes. Slice the shitake mushrooms and set aside.
Cut the Chinese red dates (jujubes) in half. Remove the pit and chop into bite sized pieces. Set aside
Place oil in a wok or large frying pan. Over medium heat add the ginger and garlic and fry until aromatic. Add the marinated chicken to the pan and lay it out in a single layer so it gets bronzed and then stir the chicken to cook on both sides over medium-high heat.
Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and water chestnuts and stir fry for a minute or two. If your pan looks dry, add another tablespoon of oil to the pan.
Make the simple sauce right in the pan. Add in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, water or chicken broth to thin the sauce and white pepper to taste. Toss to coat.
Add in the chopped red dates and Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang) and toss until the sauce coats evenly. Garnish with green onions, if desired, and serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Rehydrating Mushroom Tips

Place another bowl on top of the mushrooms to keep the mushrooms submerged under the water to soften.
Whole dried mushrooms take longer than sliced dried mushrooms to rehydrate.
Smaller shiitake mushrooms take less time and larger mushrooms can take longer.
If mushrooms are not softened enough after the first boiled water method, add more boiling water and continue soaking for a few more minutes.

Oyster sauce Options

There are many different options at the market, including some that are gluten-free. There are premium oyster sauces and vegetarian or mushroom oyster based sauce.

Chinkiang Vinegar or Zhenjiang (Chinese Black Vinegar)

This is a special aged rice vinegar with a deep rich flavor. It is not gluten-free! If you cannot find Chinese black vinegar or need a gluten-free option, substitute with ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar and ½ tablespoon of rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.

Reheating and Storage

Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheat oyster sauce chicken and mushroom stir fry on the stovetop over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or toasty warm. You may need to add a little chicken broth or water to get the sauce moving again. You can also place in a microwave safe dish and cover lightly to prevent splattering. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until toasty warm.

**Don't panic when you see the long ingredient list. Many of the ingredients are listed twice to help with the flow of the recipe.

Nutrition