• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Filling:

• 4 fresh shiitake mushroom, thinly sliced
• 4 green onions, halved
• 4 asparagus spears, trimmed and blanched
• ½ small carrot, julienned
• ¼ cup julienned bamboo shoots
• 1 Tbsp julienned ginger

Dish:

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 Tbsp water
• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion

Remove each breast from the marinade, lightly shaking off the excess marinade. Place the breast on a work surface. Evenly distribute a quarter of the filling ingredients on the bottom third of the breast. Roll the filling up in the breast. Tie a kitchen string around the ends of the rolled chicken breast to secure. Repeat with the remaining breasts.

Place a flat-bottomed wok or medium non-stick frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat the bottom. Place the breasts in the pan, seam side down, and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the wok.

Remove any excess oil from the pan; return the breasts to the wok and add the stock, wine and soy sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the filling ingredients are tender, about 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon or metal tongs, remove the chicken to a serving platter.

Increase the heat to high; add the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring until the sauce boils and thickens, about 30 seconds. Pour sauce over the chicken on the serving platter. Or serve each breast sliced diagonally with a spoonful of the sauce. Sprinkle with the green onions. Serves 4.

Martin Yan