SPICY BASIL CHICKEN
Yield: 4 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes I found this tasty recipe in the April 2012 issue of Cooking Light and I am so glad I made it. Not only was it super quick and simple to make, it tasted fantastic too. I served this dish with brown rice for a healthy and delicious meal. I added more sriracha sauce to my husband and my portion for an extra spicy kick and we loved it! I think my favorite part of the dish was the fresh basil it tasted so good with the spicy chicken. We all, kids included, loved this recipe.
Yield: 4 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes I found this tasty recipe in the April 2012 issue of Cooking Light and I am so glad I made it. Not only was it super quick and simple to make, it tasted fantastic too. I served this dish with brown rice for a healthy and delicious meal. I added more sriracha sauce to my husband and my portion for an extra spicy kick and we loved it! I think my favorite part of the dish was the fresh basil it tasted so good with the spicy chicken. We all, kids included, loved this recipe.
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 shallots, minced
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce more if you want it really spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/3 cup of sliced basil leaves
- Carbohydrate 7.84449167297086 g
- Cholesterol 51.33 mg
- Fat 3.60953416217344 g
- Fiber 1.0337000000275 g
- Protein 22.8712708367362 g
- Saturated Fat 0.48777912468266 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (186g)
- Sodium 819.76387535932 mg
- Sugar 6.81079167294336 g
- Trans Fat 0.391674416727128 g
- Calories 155 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Add shallots to the pan; cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken to the pan; cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Combine the fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, sriracha, water, and cornstarch together, stirring with a whisk.
- Add the mixture to the chicken, and cook for 1 minute or until the mixture thickens, stirring to coat chicken.
- Remove from heat then add the fresh basil.
- Serve immediately.
Raw chicken pieces release a significant amount of moisture upon hitting a hot pan, which stalls the searing process and turns a potential stir-fry into a steamed dish. Thoroughly patting the 1-inch meat pieces dry with paper towels before cooking prevents this excess liquid accumulation and encourages proper browning in the canola oil. Crowding a standard 10-inch skillet forces the meat to stew in its own juices instead of browning, so cook the poultry in two batches if your pan cannot accommodate the volume in a single layer.
Garlic burns easily when exposed to direct high heat for longer than 60 seconds, turning acrid and bitter. Adding the minced garlic after the poultry is nearly cooked through safeguards the aromatics from scorching while allowing them just enough time to release their essential oils into the pan.
Cornstarch requires direct heat activation to build sufficient viscosity in sauce mixtures. Whisking the cornstarch thoroughly into the liquid components before pouring them over the cooked poultry ensures the starch granules hydrate evenly without forming lumps, thickening the glaze within exactly 60 seconds of boiling.
Fresh basil leaves wilt and lose their volatile aromatics rapidly when subjected to prolonged heat. Stirring the sliced basil into the skillet strictly after removing the pan from the heat source preserves the vibrant green color and pungent herbal fragrance.
