Shelly's Recipe

Spicy Basil Chicken

Category: Chicken

Serves 4

*Sauce:
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons chile paste with garlic (such as sambal oelek)
1 teaspoon water

2 teaspoons canola or peanut oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 garlic cloves, chopped
6 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
1 sweet red bell pepper, cored and chopped

Garnish:
Handful of roasted peanuts
1/3 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, or use tiny whole leaves

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stir well and set aside. Heat a large wok or large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic to pan, cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add chicken to pan along with the chopped red bell pepper and stir-fry about 13 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. If you feel the skillet will be crowded, cook the chicken in batches.

Stir the sauce to reincorporate the corn starch and add sauce mixture to the pan and cook for a minute until mixture thickens, stirring to coat the chicken. Remove from the heat and stir in a handful of peanuts. Serve chicken garnished with the basil.

*Double the sauce if you serve this with rice or orzo.