VELVET CHICKEN

Velvet Chicken image

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 16

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2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons toban djan*
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons rice wine or sake, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Peanut oil, for frying
2 tablespoons black bean sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup minced scallions
3 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
3 small dried red hot chiles
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces
Toban djan is a fermented chile-bean sauce and can be found at Asian markets

Steps:

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the toban djan, salt, 2 tablespoons of the rice wine and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Add the chicken and toss well, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
In a large saucepan, heat 1 inch of peanut oil to 375°F. Using a large slotted spoon, very carefully add one-third of the chicken to the hot oil and fry, stirring, until nearly cooked through and browned in spots, 1-2 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat two more times with the remaining chicken. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the frying oil.
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of rice wine with the black bean sauce, sugar, soy sauce and the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
In a wok or large skillet, heat the reserved 2 tablespoons of frying oil. Add the scallions, ginger, garlic and dried chiles, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and asparagus and stir-fry until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the black bean sauce mixture and stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and serve.