Stir-Fried Chili Chicken with Peanuts

Serves 2.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

For the marinade

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (optional)

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 large garlic clove, well crushed

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth or water

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornflour

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 tablespoon shredded ginger

2 long, dried red chili peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces with the seeds shaken out

2 teaspoons store-bought Asian chili and garlic paste, or chili paste

3 scallions, white parts cut into 1/8-inch lengths and green parts thinly sliced on the diagonal

3 tablespoons dry-roasted, salted peanuts, lightly crushed

Directions

1. Place the chicken pieces in a medium bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Stir well and leave to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stir, and set aside until ready to use.

3. Heat the peanut or vegetable oil in a large wok or saute pan until very hot, then add the chicken pieces. Stir-fry briskly over high heat for about 5 minutes until the chicken is browned all over. Transfer to a clean bowl, and set aside.

4. Add the sliced onion and the white parts of the scallion to the wok or pan, cook for 2 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, shredded ginger, dried chili and chili paste and cook for a further 2 minutes.

5. Return the chicken to the wok or pan and stir well to combine. Add the sauce ingredients to the wok or pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer until the sauce is thickened and glossy.

6. Throw in the crushed peanuts, and toss well. Transfer everything from the wok or pan into a serving dish and garnish with the remaining scallion greens. Serve immediately with rice and sauteed greens, if desired.

Tip: For a complete, one-bowl meal, add trimmed, broccoli florets that have been cooked in boiling, salted water until just tender to the wok with the browned chicken in step 5. Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.