CHICKEN CHOP SUEY
In honor of the Chinese community’s early arrival in the United States, we’ve got a dish for you: Chop Suey. Because of this, the name “chop suey” now sounds like an old one in American cuisine. This does not, however, diminish its appeal!
As the name suggests, chop suey consists of what the Chinese call “odds and ends” (zásu). Basically, it’s a stir-fry of meat and veggies coated in a flavorful sauce.
Today, chop suey is referred to as a “refrigerator clean-out” dish. Add the last of your vegetables and a protein like chicken breast or leftover rotisserie chicken, and you’ll have a delicious meal in no time at all. The chicken chop suey is there for you.
Chop Suey’s First Days of Life
When it comes to the history of chop suey, there are many different tales. People from Taishan, a city in Guangdong Province, may have brought it to the United States, according to some accounts.
Others claim that Chinese chefs altered the recipe for Westerners by adding recognizable local vegetables (such as celery, carrots, and button mushrooms) as well as bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and bean sprouts. For whatever reason, chop suey has become a staple in Chinese restaurants across the United States.
ALTERNATIVES
Using whatever you want in this dish is okay because the name refers to “odds and ends.”
You can make a vegetarian version of chicken chop suey by substituting sliced tofu for the chicken. Beef chop suey can be made by slicing up some beef or a piece of rare steak. Use some char siu to make pork chop suey, and you’ll have a delicious meal!
You’ve figured it out now. On any given night, your choice of classic chop suey will be determined by what you discover in your fridge. Make no mistake: you may adapt this recipe to suit your own tastes and the tastes of your loved ones.
INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN MARINADE:
- 340g of boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into ¼” thick slices
- 3 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
SAUCE:
- 2/3 cup of low sodium chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper
REST OF THE RECIPE:
- 45g of small carrot, thinly sliced
- 6 ounces of bok choy, cut into ¾” x 2” slices
- 4 mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup of snow peas
- 3/4 cup of mung bean sprouts
- 2/3 cup of celery, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine can be added to the sliced chicken. Massage the chicken until it has absorbed all of the sauce. Once the chicken is evenly covered, add 1 teaspoon oil and 2 teaspoons cornstarch and stir until well combined. Set away for later use.
- Set aside the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir them together.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil around the outside of your wok and heat it to a moderate smoke. Chicken should be arranged in a single layer.
- After a quick sear, add the chicken to the wok and cook for an additional 15 seconds, or until it is golden brown and opaque. Toss the chicken out of the wok and put it on a cutting board to cool. 80 percent of the way through the cooking process, at the very least.
- Increase the heat to high and add the minced garlic and another tablespoon of oil. Toss in the vegetables once the garlic has started to brown. After 20 seconds, add the bok choy and continue to stir fry. Deglaze the wok by sprinkling Shaoxing wine around the outside of the pan.
- Next, mix together your prepared chop suey sauce and sprinkle it around the outside of the wok to further deglaze. Stir everything together quickly with a wok spatula.
- Make sure the sauce is boiling before adding your bean sprouts and snow peas. Return the chicken to the wok as well.
- Once it reaches a hard simmer or boil, add your cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Pour it into the sauce, stirring frequently, until it thickens to your liking. You can thicken the sauce by adding more cornstarch slurry mix. To ensure that everything is coated in the sauce, cook for an additional 10 seconds. The rice should be served immediately!