Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry with Kikurage

A plate of Asian kikurage cauliflower chicken on a blue and white napkin.

5 from 1 vote

Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry with Kikurage

This chicken mushroom stir fry is a quick, flavor-packed dish featuring tender chicken, crisp cauliflower, and earthy kikurage (wood ear mushrooms) tossed in a savory garlic soy sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s an easy Asian-style stir fry that delivers bold texture and restaurant-quality flavor at home.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Diet: Halal

Servings: portions

Calories: 169kcal

Author: Claudia

Ingredients

250 gr cauliflower
150 gr chicken thigh fillet
100 gr white mushroom portabella
100 gr mushroom wood ear mushroom (kikurage)
3 cloves garlic

Seasoning

1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp Shao Xing wine

Slurry

2 tsp cornstarch
A little water

Instructions

Cut the cauliflowers by the stems in smaller bites. Wash, drain, and set aside. Slice the chicken thigh fillet in bite sizes or cubes. Set aside. Slice the wood ear mushroom and other mushrooms you want to use. Set aside. Mince the garlic or just crush it. Prepare seasonings in a small bowl. Also prepare the corn starch slurry.
Heat some oil in a wok. Put the minced garlic once the oil is hot. Let it fry until a little bit golden brown. Put in the chicken fillets, the mushrooms. Stir fry a while. Pour in the seasonings. Stir with spatula.
Pour in some water. Put in the cauliflower. Stir and fold a few times. Let it boil to cook the cauliflowers. Pour in some more water if you like more broth. Stir to distribute the seasonings evenly.
Pour in the cornstarch slurry. Cover with lid for 1 minute or two. The broth should thicken by now and you may serve it on a plate.

Video

Notes

Cut cauliflower into small, even florets - Smaller bites cook fast and stay crisp-tender instead of turning watery. Slice through the stems (as you’re doing) so each piece has a little “handle” that holds texture.
Prep everything before you heat the wok - Stir-fry moves fast. Having chicken, mushrooms, sauce, and cornstarch slurry ready prevents overcooked chicken and rubbery mushrooms.
Get the oil hot before adding garlic - Add garlic only when the oil is hot so it sizzles immediately, this builds aroma fast. Keep it lightly golden, not dark brown, or the whole dish can taste bitter.
Don’t crowd the pan with chicken - If your wok isn’t big enough, cook the chicken in two batches. Crowding = steaming, and you’ll lose that stir-fry flavor.
Use chicken thighs for the juiciest result. - They stay tender even if you cook a minute too long. If using chicken breast, slice it thinner and cook it quickly.
Add wood ear mushrooms early, but don’t overcook - They’re great at absorbing sauce and adding crunch, but long simmering can soften them. Once the sauce thickens, serve soon for the best texture.
Control the “broth” with water, not more sauce - Add water gradually (like your steps) to keep flavors balanced and prevent the dish from becoming too salty.
Add cauliflower after the sauce and a splash of water - This helps it cook evenly and soak up flavor while staying crisp-tender.
Stir the cornstarch slurry again right before pouring - Cornstarch settles fast. Pour it in slowly while stirring, then simmer briefly to remove any raw starch taste.
Thicken, then stop - Once the sauce coats the chicken and mushrooms nicely, turn off the heat. Overcooking after thickening can make chicken tougher and mushrooms less snappy.

Nutrition