Garlic, sherry and hoisin sauce flavor chicken in this quick Chinese stir-fry. The cooking time for the chicken recipe is only 5 minutes. The secret to this quick cooked dish is cutting the chicken and cucumbers into 1/2-inch pieces. The cucumber gives the dish an intriguing texture and flavor.
Hoisin sauce is a mixture of soybeans, garlic, chili peppers and spices. It can be found in the Asian section of the supermarket.
A small amount of dry sherry is called for in the chicken recipe. You can buy small bottles or splits of sherry at most liquor stores.
Quick-fried Diced Chicken and Cucumber
Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup sherry
3 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 pound chicken tenders cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 medium cucumber (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 scallions, sliced
Mix sugar, sherry, garlic and ground ginger together. Marinate the chicken in sherry mixture for 7 to 10 minutes while you prepare other ingredients. Remove chicken from mixture to a plate reserving marinade. Sprinkle cornstarch over chicken and toss making sure all of the chicken is coated. Set aside. Mix hoisin sauce and water with marinade. Heat oil in wok or skillet, add chicken to the wok. Stir-fry 3 minutes. Add cucumber cubes and stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Add marinade to the wok and cook 30 seconds. Pour sauce over chicken and cucumbers and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with scallions and spoon over rice.
Per serving: 426 calories (25% from fat), 12.0 g fat (1.6 g saturated, 5.6 g monounsaturated), 126 mg cholesterol, 40.5 g protein, 29.7 g carbohydrates 2.1 g fiber, 345 mg sodium.
