Home-styleEasy 22 min serves 2

West China Celery Stir-Fried Chicken Strip

Name: West China Celery Stir-Fried Chicken Strip
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: boneless, skinless chicken breast; Chinese celery (west China type, pale green, hollow stalks); light soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; ginger; garlic

西芹炒鸡柳 · xī qín chǎo jī liǔ

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses tender, thinly sliced chicken breast instead of commercial 'chicken sticks' — more flavorful and less processed.

My aunt in Chengdu made this every Tuesday after my cousin’s piano lesson — she’d toss the celery first so it stayed crisp, then add the chicken just before serving. She said, 'If the celery squeaks when you bite it, you’ve done it right.'

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More chicken recipes →Quick & Easy Comfort Food

Ingredients

boneless, skinless chicken breast鸡胸肉🛒 local200 g
Chinese celery (west China type, pale green, hollow stalks)西芹🛒 local220 g
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian15 ml
Shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian10 ml
ginger姜🛒 local10 g
garlic蒜🛒 local8 g

boneless, skinless chicken breast: Slice against the grain into 4-mm thick strips, 5 cm long

Chinese celery (west China type, pale green, hollow stalks): Substitute regular celery if unavailable — use inner stalks only for tenderness

Shaoxing wine: Substitute dry sherry or Japanese mirin (reduce sugar by 1/4 tsp)

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Marinate chicken strips with light soy sauce and Shaoxing wine for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and drain celery; mince ginger and garlic.
提前腌制去腥增香
🔍 Look for 10 分钟 · 10 minutes
Visual: 鸡肉边缘微泛光泽、略显不透明Chicken turns slightly glossy and opaque at edges
You know it's right when: 无明显生腥味No raw smell remains
Do not over-marinate — chicken becomes mushy past 15 minutes.
2Heat wok over high heat until a wisp of smoke rises. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil, swirl to coat.
锅要够热，锁住汁水
🔍 Look for High heat 30–45 秒 · 30–45 seconds
Visual: 油面泛起细密波纹、微微发亮Oil shimmers and forms thin ripples
You know it's right when: 滴入一滴水即爆裂汽化A drop of water sizzles and vanishes instantly
This is the 'wok hei' foundation — don’t skip the preheating.
3Add chicken strips in a single layer. Let sear untouched for 1 minute, then stir-fry 1–2 minutes until just cooked through but still tender.
先煎后炒，保嫩不柴
🔍 Look for High heat 2–3 分钟 · 2–3 minutes
Visual: 鸡肉转白，边缘微泛金黄Chicken turns white with faint golden edges
You know it's right when: 无粉红色；轻压有弹性回弹No pink remains; strips spring back lightly when pressed
4Push chicken to one side. Add ginger and garlic to the empty space; stir 15 seconds until fragrant, then mix with chicken.
爆香姜蒜提味不焦
🔍 Look for High heat 15 秒 · 15 seconds
Visual: 姜蒜末剧烈滋滋作响，升腾微白气Ginger-garlic sizzles vigorously with visible steam
You know it's right when: 香气扑鼻，尚未上色Aromatic, no browning yet
5Add celery. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes — just until bright green and crisp-tender. Turn off heat, taste, and adjust with a pinch of salt if needed.
最后下芹，保色保脆
🔍 Look for High heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 西芹转为鲜亮翠绿，茎可微弯但折断清脆Celery deepens to vivid emerald, stalks bend slightly but snap cleanly
You know it's right when: 散发清新青草香Stalks release fresh, grassy aroma

Tips

· Use a carbon-steel or cast-iron wok — nonstick won’t achieve proper sear.
· Blanch celery in boiling water for 20 seconds if using thick supermarket stalks (then shock in ice water).
· Serve immediately — texture degrades fast after 3 minutes off-heat.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine