This recipe is adapted from Serious Eats and uses a technique called water velveting to keep the chicken soft and tender when cooked. The actual cooking is very quick, but it does take about 30 minutes for the chicken to marinade and for the dried mushrooms to rehydrate. This recipe is for  two servings.

For the velveted chicken:

8 oz. chicken breast thinly sliced

1 Tbs. egg white

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. sake

¼ tsp. kosher salt

 

1.65 oz. dried mushrooms, soaked in warm water 15 minutes and then sliced

 

For the sauce

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. oyster sauce

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

 

3 Tbs. oil, divided

6 cups water

 

Mix up the velveting ingredients. (Measuring the egg white can be tricky. Beating it a bit with a fork can help break it up.) Put the chicken slices in a bowl, add the velveting ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Combine well the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

In a wok, bring the 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbs. oil and then add the chicken stirring well to break it up into individual pieces cooking in the water. Cook for about 40 seconds, until the chicken is white on the outside but still raw on the inside. Drain the chicken in a colander, shaking off any excess water. Wipe out the wok.

Put 1 Tbs. of oil in the wok, and heat until the oil is smoking hot. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir-fry until browned, about 5 minutes. Put the cooked mushrooms in a bowl and wipe out the wok.

Put 1 Tbs. of oil in the wok, and heat until the oil is smoking hot. Add the velveted chicken and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, at which time parts of the chicken will be browned. Add the cooked mushrooms to the bowl and stir together. Add the sauce mixture, stir it into the other ingredients, and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve on hot rice.