Lemongrass Chili Chicken

Lemongrass chili chicken is a simple stir fry that can be assembled (after marinating) in the 20 minutes it takes to steam the jasmine rice.

Ingredients

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 long red (finger) chilies, finely diced

2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces

vegetable/peanut oil

1 cup young coconut juice

1 small red onion, cut into wedges

Fresh cilantro

Directions

Marinate the chicken, refrigerated, for at least an hour (overnight is better) with the fish sauce, sugar, 3 Tbsp. of the lemongrass, 1 Tbsp. of the minced garlic, and 1 Tbsp. of the minced chili.

Heat up a large saute pan or wok, add 2 Tbsp. oil and remaining lemongrass, garlic and chili, and fry until fragrant (about 2 minutes).

Add the chicken. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the exterior of the chicken is cooked.

Add the coconut juice and onion, cover with a lid. Reduce heat to a fast simmer and cook until sauce has reduced by half, 5-6 minutes.

Serve over or with jasmine rice, garnished with cilantro.

Note: Good ingredients are absolutely essential. If the lemongrass stalks aren't flavorful enough (often the case), you can add or substitute lemongrass paste, which can be found at many groceries (Gourmet Garden is the brand I know and use, see http://ift.tt/1BkkJEc). The fish sauce I used is Three Crabs brand, but there are other good brands available at most Asian groceries. Be sure to get young coconut juice (not coconut milk), which is clear liquid with coconut flakes floating around in it.

Full printable recipe at http://ift.tt/1LxreZD

bon appetit