TERIYAKI STIR-FRIED GARLIC SCAPES WITH CHICKEN

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This speedy, simple, and deliciously savory stir-fry showcases garlic scapes, highlighting their grassy, mild garlic flavor and crisp-tender texture. Chicken and earthy cremini mushrooms are a great pairing with the scapes, and our teriyaki stir-fry sauce ties everything together. For a sauce with the right balance of sweet, savory, and acidic notes, we combined soy sauce, oyster sauce, dry sherry, and sugar, with red pepper flakes for some subtle heat. The simple technique of “velveting” the chicken with a mixture of cornstarch, flour, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce encouraged the flavorful sauce to cling to the chicken. We skipped the wok in favor of a large nonstick skillet, whose wide, broad cooking surface promoted good browning. To further promote browning, we sautéed the chicken in batches. Then we gave the mushrooms a head start in the pan before adding the scapes, allowing them to develop some char before adding a healthy amount of aromatic fresh ginger. Finally, we added everything back to the skillet and poured in our sauce, allowing it to thicken and evenly cloak the vegetables and chicken.

Serves: 4

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

SAUCE

• ⅓ cup water
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

STIR-FRY

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced ¼ inch
  thick
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
• 12 ounces garlic scapes, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl; set aside.
2. For the stir-fry: Whisk sesame oil, cornstarch, flour, and soy sauce together in medium bowl until smooth, then stir in chicken. In separate bowl, combine 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and ginger.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken mixture, breaking up any clumps, and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Stir chicken and continue to cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds; transfer to clean bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and remaining chicken mixture; transfer to bowl.
4. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and well browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic scapes and cook until well charred, 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Push vegetables to sides of skillet. Add ginger-oil mixture to center and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir ginger-oil mixture into vegetables.
6. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet and toss to combine. Add sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken and vegetables are evenly coated, and sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Off heat, sprinkle with basil. Serve.