Chinese Chicken and Nuts

While living in Ann Arbor, Michigan my parents went to cooking classes and learned some wonderful Chinese dishes. This is one of our favorites! 

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon Wine Sherry
• 1 Pound Chicken Breast, w/o skin, bone
• 4 Pieces Celery
• 1 Medium Pepper, Green
• 4 Tablespoons Corn Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• ½ Cup Water Chestnuts, sliced
• ¼ Cup Almonds, Slivered

Directions:

1. Use 3 tablespoons soy sauce to marinate sliced chicken with sherry and cornstarch. 
2. Heat oil and stir fry nuts, remove to bowl. 
3. Stir fry chicken until color turns, remove to bowl. 
4. Sauté celery, pepper, chestnuts, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon water. Stir and mix for 1 minute. Mix chicken with vegetables and garnish with nuts.

Variation: Instead of celery, chestnuts and green pepper use ½ pound sliced mushrooms, 1 sliced zucchini, 1 diced red pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Variation: Dark sweet cherries and slivered almonds. Drain cherries and reserve juice (2/3 cup).  Basic recipe – celery. Substitute cherry juice for water and add cherries at the end.

Variation: Sauté chicken as usual and remove from pan. Add 2 sweet red or green pepper strips and 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms. Cook 2 minutes. Add 1-1/2 cups pineapple tidbits and chicken. Cook 2 minutes. Blend 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2/3 cup chicken broth or pineapple juice. Cook 1 minute.

From the kitchen of Lawrence Mey.