Chicken with Shiitake and Bok Choy in Ginger Sauce

Chicken, Shiitake, and Ginger in the Same Pan

This dish combines chicken and shiitake with a sauce made from soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, and fresh ginger. Lime is added right at the end. On the side, there is bok choy with a browned surface and a small portion of jasmine rice.

The recipe is Asian-inspired and built around these ingredients. There is no specific classic dish to recreate. The name therefore clearly tells what the dinner consists of: chicken with shiitake and sautéed bok choy in ginger sauce.

Shiitake and Umami

Umami is one of the basic tastes and is naturally found in many ingredients. Mushrooms and fermented sauces like soy sauce are among the ingredients that can contribute to this flavor. In this recipe, the combination of mushrooms and sauce provides a rich flavor base around the chicken. Umami Information Center

The shiitake is sautéed before the sauce is added. Let the slices make contact with the hot pan and have time to color. Then remove them while the chicken is cooked. This makes it easier to control the cooking of each ingredient, and the mushrooms return to the pan when the dish is being assembled.

Bok Choy with a Distinct Searing Surface

Bok choy, also known as pak choi, belongs to the cabbage family. It has juicy stalks and green leaves, and can be lightly cooked to retain some of the crunchiness in the stalks. Royal Horticultural Society

Here, the small heads are halved lengthwise. Keep enough of the base so that the halves stay together, and dry them well after rinsing. Place the cut side down in the hot pan first. Keep an eye on the color as you go; the time may vary depending on the size of the vegetables and the heat of the pan.

Bok choy is served alongside the chicken. This allows the vegetable to maintain its shape, and both the leaves and the seared cut surface stand out clearly on the plate.

How to Achieve a Glossy Sauce

Cornstarch is the thickening agent in this sauce. It is mixed with cold liquid before heating. The starch granules absorb liquid and swell when the mixture is heated, thickening the sauce. Cornstarch can also give a smooth and glossy consistency. Exploratorium, Argo

Stir the sauce mixture just before pouring it into the pan. Let it simmer briefly while stirring, and watch for it to start coating the chicken and mushrooms. The goal is a sauce that binds the dish together without filling the plate with a large amount of sauce.

The recipe does not need extra sugar to achieve this consistency. However, this does not mean it is sugar-free: oyster sauce may already contain sugar, and the content depends on the product you use. Lee Kum Kee

Preparation Makes Cooking Easier

Cut the chicken pieces into roughly equal sizes, and prepare the mushrooms, bok choy, garlic, and ginger before starting to cook. Also mix the sauce in advance. Once the pan is hot, it is convenient to have the ingredients ready in the order they will be used.

Cook the rice while you work on the rest of the dish. The amount in the recipe is intentionally small: 1 dl of dry rice divided between two people. This gives the chicken, mushrooms, and bok choy plenty of room on the plate.

Lime and Spring Onion at the End

Stir the lime juice in after the sauce has thickened. Start with 1 tsp, taste, and use up to 2 tsp as desired. Chili is optional and can be used if you want more heat.

When serving, distribute the chicken and shiitake over the rice, with bok choy on the side. Top with spring onion, optional sesame seeds, and a lime wedge for each person to add a bit more acidity at the table.