Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

Livio and I live in the middle of a small province in Italy, in what some may describe as a village. I am one of the only foreigners in my town and so needless to say it’s hard to find a good chinese take-out place nearby. Therefore, when the craving for some delicious chicken chili hits us, we have to rely on my cooking if we want some chinese food at home.

I invented this recipe as I went along, but it turned out to be fantastic. Dare I say it’s the best stir fry I’ve ever made without the help of my Dad (who taught me all I know about making chinese food at home). It serves up a spicy kick without completely burning your taste buds so that you also can savor the hints of garlic, ginger and a touch of sweet hoisin sauce. Serve it up with some steaming brown rice and a crisp white wine for a delicious take-out meal at home!

Spicy chicken stir-fry

*I recommend prepping all of the ingredients and the stir fry sauce below before starting the stir-fry process so that everything comes together without a rush

Ingredients

serves 2

marinade:
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast thinly sliced
1 tbsp chili-garlic paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp hoisin
2 tsp maple syrup
1 clove garlic minced

Stir fry:
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 big garlic cloves, minced
4 spring onions, chopped
1 small piece fresh ginger, minced
1 small red or green chile, sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced into rounds
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

Stir-fry sauce:
1 tbsp chile-garlic paste
1 tbsp hoisin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp corn starch
2 tbsp water

2 tbsp roasted peanuts

1 cup steamed rice

Directions

1. Whisk the ingredients for the marinade together and pour over chicken, making sure to coat all pieces evenly. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. Heat 1 tbsp of peanut oil in a non-stick skillet or wok until it shimmers and then brown the chicken on all sides. Remove chicken and place in a bowl to the side.

3. Heat the other tbsp of peanut oil and saute the onion for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and sliced chili pepper and saute for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the carrot and bell pepper and cover for a couple of minutes to soften.

4. Whisk the ingredients of the stir-fry sauce together, making sure the corn starch is not clumped. This is important as it thickens the sauce.

5. Add the chicken back to the pan with the vegetables along with the stir fry sauce. Stir until sauce is thickened. Toss in peanuts at the last minute and serve over brown or white rice for a delicious, homemade take out dinner!