Thai Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry (The Stir-Fry That Got Me Marri

Amarante

Wed, Sep 16 2020, 9:02 am

The notes are those of the cookbook author and not mine. I can't guarantee that it will result in a successful shidduch LOL

There is a restaurant in Los Angeles which serves a salad which is reputed to bring on labor for women who are past due - don't know if that works either LOL

However it is a very tasty dish and I think is both kid friendly and appealing to more sophisticated adult tastes. You can adjust the heat of the dish if you have people with very sensitive palates but it's not that hot as written.

I made it with fresh vegetables because I find frozen vegetables get too soggy in a stir fry and I like them al dente. There are now bags of fresh stir vegetables in the produce section so that would speed up prep but I don't find prepping vegetables for stir fry to be that time consuming.

Thai Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry (The Stir-Fry That Got Me Married)

Excerpt From: Erin Clarke - The Well Plated Cookbook

ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes • TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes • YIELD: Serves 4

The first time I cooked this stir-fry for Ben, he demolished the entire pan, collapsed into a food coma, then proposed two weeks later. Coincidence? Or could it be the power of the Thai peanut sauce?

Through the years, this recipe has remained one of our favorite dinners and has become a reader favorite This peanut sauce is rich, sassy, and filled with layers of sweet and spicy flavor. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand, make the dish vegetarian with tofu (see Market Swaps), or serve it with noodles or quinoa instead of brown rice. Just be careful about to whom you serve it. History suggests you may receive a certain question in return!

For the Sauce:

½ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, plus additional to taste
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus additional to taste

For the Stir-Fry:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided - I used peanut oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into ½-inch dice - freezing chicken for 1/2 hour so makes it much easier to prep the chicken. I made thin slices rather than diced chicken because I prefer thin slices in a stir fry
6 cups chopped vegetables of choice (about 1½ pounds—see Market Swaps for suggestions)
½ cup chopped dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts, plus additional to taste
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional to taste
Prepared brown rice, for serving

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until smooth: the peanut butter, water, honey, soy sauce, red curry paste, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

2. Make the stir-fry: In a deep, large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not yet smoking, add the onion and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through, about 4 minutes. The centers of the pieces will no longer be pink and the juices should run clear when a piece is cut. Remove the chicken and onion from the skillet and set aside.

3. With a paper towel, carefully wipe the skillet clean. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then the mixed vegetables. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 7 to 8 minutes, depending on the vegetables selected.

4. Return the chicken and onion to the skillet. Add the peanut sauce. Toss to coat evenly, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the peanuts and cilantro. Taste and add additional soy sauce or red pepper flakes as desired. Serve hot over rice, topped with additional chopped peanuts and cilantro as desired.

MARKET SWAPS:

You can use any mix of fresh vegetables you like, or for a true time-saver, use a package of frozen stir-fry vegetables. Thaw and pat the vegetables dry, then add them to the recipe as directed. They won’t be as crisp as fresh vegetables, but they’ll be yummy, nutritious, and cut the recipe prep time in half.

When using fresh vegetables, be sure to chop the vegetables to an appropriate size so that the different varieties all cook in the same amount of time.

FranticFrummie

Wed, Sep 16 2020, 9:13 am

I loooove this! I have a pint of peanut sauce in my fridge right now.

I don't use curry paste, I use sriracha sauce. I add bean sprouts, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime on top. It gives everything an extra layer and dimension of flavor. It's also very visually pleasing. If you're not a fan of vegetables, your bowl will be shades of tan, and that pop of cilantro color will make a huge difference. (Hate cilantro? Use fresh parsley or chopped celery leaves!)

I also use MASSIVE amounts of fresh ginger, depending on how spicy the ginger root is. It can really vary, so keep tasting until it has enough "zing" for you.

I like to serve it on top of chickpea spaghetti (my latest discovery). It's so much tastier than wheat pasta, I'll never go back! Tons of protein, too. Just make sure you take it off the heat when it's still somewhat firm in the middle, because it keeps cooking. Strain, rinse noodles in warm water, and return to the pan.