Chicken & Soft Tofu Casserole - 鸡粒豆腐煲
User Reviews
5
Chicken & Soft Tofu Casserole - 鸡粒豆腐煲
Description
Chicken & Soft Tofu Casserole combines marinated bite-sized chicken pieces with rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and soft tofu in a savory broth-based sauce. The sauce blends chicken stock with oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces, sugar, and sesame oil, enhanced by ginger, scallions, and garlic. The chicken is briefly stir-fried until just opaque to maintain juiciness before returning to the wok with other ingredients to simmer together.
The dish offers contrast between the firmness of the chicken and mushrooms and the delicate softness of the tofu. The flavors are robust and savory with layers from the oyster and soy sauces complemented by fragrant aromatics. It cooks in a wok over medium heat, emphasizing stir-fry technique for texture and flavor melding.
Ideal as a warm, comforting entrée, this casserole pairs with steamed rice to soak up the savory sauce. Soaking dried mushrooms overnight or for several hours softens them and intensifies their flavor. Using soft tofu and gentle simmering maintains its custardy texture within the hearty dish.
Most of the preparation time is inactive, primarily for soaking dried mushrooms. Marinating chicken briefly before stir-frying improves texture and flavor. Stir-fry the chicken quickly until opaque to avoid overcooking.
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade:
- 8 ounces chicken thigh diced into 1-inch/2.5cm bite-size pieces, boneless, skinless
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or other neutral flavored oil)
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
For the rest of the dish:
- 4 shiitake mushrooms 4 medium dried mushrooms is about 0.5 ounce or 15g, medium-size, dried
- 2 cups water to soak the mushrooms, hot
- 1 pound tofu 1 package, soft
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons/30ml water)
- 1 cup chicken stock low-sodium
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce light
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other neutral oil; divided)
- 2 lices ginger
- 2 scallions (sliced on a sharp diagonal into 2-inch/5cm lengths, white and green parts separated)
- 3 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/3 cup peas frozen
- 1 pinch salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the diced chicken, 1 tablespoon water, cornstarch, oil, and oyster sauce. Mix well and set aside.
- Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms and soak them in 2 cups of hot water for at least 2 hours (you could also soak these overnight in cold water if you’re thinking ahead). Trim the stems off the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them.
- Cut the block of tofu into ¾ inch cubes. Lay the cubes on a large plate, and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, and set aside. Create the sauce mixture by combining the chicken stock, sugar, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat your wok over medium high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and then the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken just until it turns opaque, about 1 minute. Remove from the wok to a small bowl and set aside.
- Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the wok over medium heat, along with the ginger and the white parts of the scallions. Cook for 30 seconds, and then add the garlic. Cook for another 30 seconds.
- Increase the heat to high, and add the Shaoxing wine. Then add the mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Add the sauce mixture, and bring it to a simmer. Mix the cornstarch slurry you prepared earlier to make sure it’s well combined. Stream it into the simmering sauce mixture, mixing until it’s thick enough to coat a spoon. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water or stock.
- Carefully pour off any liquid that has collected at the bottom of the plate of tofu, and add it in, folding it into the sauce with just a few turns of your wok spatula. Then add the chicken and fold it into the mixture.
- Transfer the tofu and chicken mixture to a clay pot or small 2-qt. Dutch oven, and gradually bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Top with the green parts of the scallions, cover, and simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes. (Alternatively, keep the tofu in the wok. Lower the heat to medium low, top with the scallions, cover, and simmer for 8 minutes in the wok.)
- Open the lid, and stir in the frozen peas along with a generous pinch of salt (or add salt to taste). Simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute to heat the peas through, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms for at least 2 hours or overnight in cold water for better texture and flavor.
- Marinate chicken briefly with water, cornstarch, oil, and oyster sauce to tenderize before stir-frying.
- Cook chicken only until just opaque during stir-fry to prevent toughness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 288 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 288kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 611mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 485mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 166IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 62mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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