Taking the time to marinate the chicken takes the flavour up several notches.
This recipe for stir-fried chicken is easy to make, and the poke sauce is ready in just a few minutes.
Mix together the ingredients for the poke sauce.
Cut up the chicken and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better!
Chop the vegetables you like and put the water on for the rice.
Stir-fry the chicken, take it out and set it aside.
Stir-fry the vegetables and put the chicken back in.
Serve.
Stir-fried chicken marinated in poke sauce is proof that marinating makes all the difference. The combination of soy, sesame, ginger and lime in the poke sauce penetrates deep into the chicken and gives a rich, Asian-inspired flavour that lasts from the first bite to the last. Best of all: most of it happens while you are busy with something else.
The wok technique is the key to the characteristic ‘wok hei’ flavour: the slightly smoky, caramelised surface you get from high heat and fast cooking. Serve over jasmine rice for a complete and filling dinner.
Tips and variations
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, ideally up to 4 hours in the fridge for a deeper flavour.
- Fry the chicken and vegetables separately over high heat. Never overfill the wok or the temperature will drop.
- Sesame oil should always be added at the end, never during frying, as it burns and turns bitter over high heat.
- Add a tablespoon of cornflour to the marinade for a lightly glossy, sticky coating on the chicken.
- Serve with jasmine rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice for a lighter option.
🍷 Wine tips
Off-dry Riesling (Mosel): Stir-fried chicken in poke sauce with Asian spices needs a wine with good acidity and a touch of residual sweetness. Off-dry Riesling from Mosel is perfect. Gewurztraminer with lychee and exotic fruit balances the sauce equally well.
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Poke sauce
Good sauce for poke bowls or as a marinade.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.
-
Cut the chicken into pieces and marinate for at least 30 minutes, longer if possible.
-
Stir-fry the chicken over high heat until cooked through and golden brown.
Notes
Tips: Taste as you go. The balance between salty (soy sauce), sour (lime juice) and sweet (honey or sugar) is the key to a good poke sauce.
Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 5 to 7 days in an airtight container.
Variations: Add sesame oil and grated ginger for a more complex Asian profile.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 81 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Protein
- 2 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Saturated fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated fat
- 5 g
- Trans fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Sodium
- 1,023 mg
- Potassium
- 107 mg
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
Frequently asked questions
Poke sauce is typically made from soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a touch of sweetness from honey or sugar. Ginger, garlic, and chili can be added for extra depth, heat, and complexity. Poke is originally a Hawaiian dish of raw fish, and here its flavours are used as a marinade for stir-fried chicken. A little lime gives a fresh acidity alongside the salty umami and nutty notes.
Yes, prawns, salmon, thinly sliced beef or tofu all take on the marinade really well. Tofu is great for a vegetarian version, but press out the liquid first. Prawns only need 15 to 20 minutes in the marinade. Adjust the cooking time: prawns need 2 to 3 minutes, beef 1 to 2 minutes per side over high heat.
You can make the marinade and leave the chicken in it overnight in the fridge, and the flavour actually gets even better. The stir-frying itself should be done just before serving.
Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes for good flavour penetration. For best results marinate for 2 to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Overnight is fine, but avoid going much beyond about 12 hours, as the salt in the soy sauce can make the meat grainy and tough.
Bell peppers, broccoli, snap peas, carrots, and bok choy all stir-fry well with chicken. Cut them into similar sizes so they cook evenly, and add harder vegetables first as they take longer to become tender.