Hoisin Chicken

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 broiler-fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• vegetable oil (for frying)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red peppers or 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 (4 ounce) cans button mushrooms, drained
• vermicelli (optional)
• red pepper, cut into matchstick pieces, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 technique to cut chicken chinese-style:
• 2 rinse chicken.
• 3 on heavy cutting board, set chicken breast side up.
• 4 cut in half lengthwise, veering slightly to one or other side of breastbone and backbone; you will have separated the chicken completely in half.
• 5 remove and discard backbone (optional).
• 6 raise each leg up slightly from breast section; cut through ball and socket joint to remove each leg. cut through knee joint of each leg separating drumstick and thigh.
• 7 pull each wing away from breast, cutting through the joint next to breast.
• 8 cut each drumstick, thigh and breast piece crosswise into three pieces, cutting completely through bones.
• 9 cut each wing into two pieces.
• 10 you should end up with 22 small serving-size pieces.
• 11 hoisin chicken:.
• 12 in small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, water, sherry, vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and bouillon granules; mix well. set aside.
• 13 add remaining ½ cup cornstarch in large bowl. add chicken pieces and stir to coat well.
• 14 in large skillet or wok, heat oil over high heat to 375°f add 1/3 of the chicken pieces, one at a time, to the hot oil; cook until no longer pink in center, about 5 minutes. drain chicken on paper towels. repeat until all chicken is cooked.
• 15 discard all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet. add ginger and stir-fry 1 minute. add onions and stir-fry for another minute. add broccoli, red pepper and mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
• 16 stir cornstarch mixture and add to skillet. cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens.
• 17 return chicken to skillet. cook and stir until chicken is thoroughly heated, about 2 minutes.
• 18 serve over hot vermicelli and garnish, if desired.