Chinese Chicken Recipes - Almond Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 375 ml/13 fl oz/1 1/2 cups chicken stock

• 60 ml/4 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry

• 45 ml/3 tbsp corn-flour (cornstarch)

• 15 ml/1 tbsp soy sauce

• 4 chicken breasts

• 1 egg white

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp salt

• oil for deep-frying

• 75 g/3 oz/1/2 cup blanched almonds

• 1 large carrot, diced

• 5 ml/1 tsp grated ginger root

• 6 spring onions (scallions), sliced

• 3 stalks celery, sliced

• 100 g/4 oz mushrooms, sliced

• 100 g/4 oz bamboo shoots, sliced

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Method:

1. Mix the stock, half the wine or sherry, 30 ml/2 tbsp of corn-flour, and the soy sauce in a saucepan.

2. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

3. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and cut it into 2.5cm/1 in pieces. Mix the remaining wine or sherry and corn-flour, the egg white and salt, add the chicken pieces and stir well.

4. Heat the oil and fry the chicken pieces a few at a time for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Drain well. Remove all but 30ml/2 tbsp of oil from the pan and stir-fry the almonds for 2 minutes until golden. Drain well.

5. Add the carrot and ginger to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.

6. Return the chicken and almonds to the pan with the sauce and stir over a moderate heat for a few minutes until heated through.