19-Min Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry Recipe
Chicken and Mushroom Stir-Fry is a quick Chinese-style dish featuring tender velveted chicken, savory mushrooms, and a glossy umami sauce ready in 19 minutes.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, or replace with chicken breast
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of white pepper
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock, hot
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
For the stir-fry
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, high-smoking-point
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms
- 2 stalks scallions,
- ½ large onion, cubed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger, minced
Instructions
- To prepare the chicken, cut the chicken thighs into small pieces and place them in a mixing bowl. Season first with salt and mix until absorbed. Add the white pepper, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce and mix well. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry, then add it to the chicken and mix until evenly coated. Add the cooking oil and mix again to seal the marinade. Let the chicken marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- To prepare the vegetables, slice the mushrooms, cube the onion, slice the scallions, and mince the garlic and ginger.
- To make the sauce, in a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, and cornstarch mixed with water until smooth.
- To stir-fry the chicken, in a wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until fully cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- To stir-fry the aromatics and mushrooms, in the same wok over high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry briefly until fragrant and slightly softened.
- To combine everything, return the chicken to the wok and pour in the sauce. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the chicken and mushrooms. Lastly, add the scallions and give everything a quick toss before serving.
Notes
- Cut evenly: Keep the chicken pieces similar in size so they cook at the same speed and stay tender.
- Salt first in the marinade: Adding salt before other ingredients helps the chicken retain moisture and improves tenderness.
- Prep everything before heating: Stir-frying moves quickly, so have all vegetables and sauce ready before turning on the heat.
- Hot wok, then oil: Heat the wok fully before adding oil to create a natural nonstick surface and prevent steaming.
- Use hot stock in the sauce: Adding hot liquid prevents the wok temperature from dropping and keeps the stir-fry from becoming watery.
- Stir the sauce before pouring: Cornstarch settles quickly, so re-mix to ensure even thickening.
- Cook just until glossy: Once the sauce thickens and coats everything, stop cooking to avoid over-reduction.
- Internal temperature: The chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part.
- Protein swap option: This method works well with chicken breast, shrimp, beef, pork, or firm tofu—adjust cooking time accordingly.