This Cantonese-style Eggplant Stir-Fry with Chicken lets the eggplant take center stage, its silky texture soaking up all the savory goodness of garlic, scallions, and ginger, while tender velveted chicken rounds out the dish into a satisfying, one-pan meal. It’s quickly become our favorite way to cook Chinese eggplant, and once you try it, I think it’ll become one of yours too.
If you’ve only ever cooked with the big, glossy globe eggplants from the grocery store, Chinese eggplant is worth seeking out. Slender and lavender-streaked, these eggplants have noticeably fewer seeds, thinner skins, and a more tender bite—which means they also cook faster and never turn bitter or spongy the way globe eggplant can. Summer is peak season for them, so farmers markets and Asian grocery stores alike tend to be overflowing with these beautiful eggplants right now, making it the perfect time to put them to good use.
The technique here follows classic Cantonese stir-fry logic: velvet the chicken first in a quick cornstarch-and-oyster-sauce marinade so it stays juicy and tender through the cook, then stir-fry the eggplant in batches so it browns and softens without turning greasy or waterlogged. A fragrant hit of ginger, garlic, and scallion whites builds the aromatic base, and a savory sauce of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine ties everything together into something deeply comforting yet simple enough for a weeknight.
A couple of issues we had with the original recipe from Woks of Life included the amount of sauce. We decided to double it and glad that we did. The ingredients list below is altered to reflect the increased amounts. Additionally, we barely got three servings from the dish. If you are counting on four portions, be prepared to serve another course along with it.
Chinese Eggplant Stir-Fry with Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 12 oz. chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 tsp. oil (any neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil)
- 2 tsp. oyster sauce
For the rest of the dish:
- 1 pound Chinese eggplant (2-3 eggplants)
- 4 Tbsp. neutral oil (such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil, divided)
- 3 Tbsp. oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1⁄2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1⁄2 tsp. salt
- 1⁄2 tsp. white pepper
- 3 thin slices ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 scallions, whites cut into 1-inch lengths; green parts sliced thin on a diagonal, divided
- 4 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
- 2 Tbsp. water
Directions
- Thinly slice the chicken breast against the grain. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with the water, cornstarch, oil, and oyster sauce until the chicken has absorbed all the liquid. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Cut the Chinese eggplant on a sharp angle into chunks, turning the eggplant a quarter turn with each cut, so you end up with triangular shapes.
- Premix the sauce: the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Set aside.
- Heat your wok over medium-high heat until it’s lightly smoking. If you’re using a skillet, use a stainless steel skillet and preheat it until a drop of water beads on the surface.
- Add 3 tablespoons of oil and the eggplant. Stir immediately to coat the eggplant (it absorbs oil quickly). Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Don’t turn the heat too high, as it can scorch the eggplant. When the eggplant is slightly softened but not so soft that you can mash it, transfer it to a dish.
- Next, wash the wok/pan. (This step may not be necessary.) You can use water to cool it down before you scrub. The goal is to remove any eggplant residue and moisture from the wok that could burn or cause sticking when you sear the chicken next.
- Place the wok over medium-high heat until all the water has evaporated and the wok is lightly smoking once again. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok and swirl to coat. Add the chicken in a single layer. Let it sear undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another minute. Stir-fry until the chicken is about 80% cooked. Transfer back to the marinating bowl.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add the wine around the perimeter of the wok to deglaze. Then return the eggplant and chicken back to the pan, along with the premixed sauce and the green parts of the scallions. If the wok seems dry, add 2 tablespoons of water. Stir-fry to coat the chicken and eggplant in the sauce. Serve immediately with steamed rice garnished with scallion greens
Adapted from a recipe for Woks of life
