Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
• ½ large bunch asparagus
• 1 tbs Chinese rice wine
• 1 tbs corn starch
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼tsp five-spice powder
• 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
• ½ C chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ C water

Directions

1. Cut asparagus spears into 1" sections and skin the bottom quarter of each stem. This is done only to the bottom quarter of each stem because the outer surface is quite thick, and may be difficult to chew. This step is optional.
2. Add salt, sugar, and five spice powder to the chicken and stir well so that the chicken pieces are well covered. If you don't have five-spice powder, you can skip it.
3. Combine rice wine, corn starch, soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl and add it to the chicken. Marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
4. Heat 1 tbs of peanut or vegetable oil in a wok until very hot. Add the garlic and cook until brown (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
5. Add the asparagus and stir briskly. While it is stir-frying, add about 2 splashes of a light soy sauce, and about half the chicken stock. As the asparagus turns a deep green, cover the wok and steam for about 1-2 minutes. Remove the asparagus and set aside.
6. Heat another 2 tbs peanut or vegetable oil to the wok until very hot. Add the chicken and the marinade. Stir the chicken briskly, scraping the bottom of the wok, as the corn starch mixture will tend to stick.
7. When all sides of the chicken pieces have been heated (about 1-2 minutes), add the remainder of the chicken stock to de-glaze the wok. As you cook the mixture, it will tend to reduce and thicken, so you may add water as needed to retain the texture.
8. When the chicken is no longer pink, return the asparagus to the wok and stir. Cover the wok again for another 1-2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend and to re-heat the asparagus to temperature. Remove from the wok and serve over steamed rice.