• Spicy Thai Chicken

  Filed under Main Dishes - Chicken
  Sep 21
  
  This dish is one of the reasons I love the bounty of fresh veggies and herbs in the summer/fall. My sister told me about this Rachael Ray dish a while ago. I think it was back in the spring when I first planted my basil, and she told me that she had this dish and would like to make it more often, but basil is too expensive – and this recipe calls for 2 cups of basil! The other expensive ingredient is red bell peppers. I can usually find green bell peppers for a decent price, but red peppers usually run over $2 a piece, except for a time in the late summer. Well, this basil came from my garden, as well as the red bell peppers!! I’m becoming addicted to this gardening thing – there is quite a bit of satisfaction to need something for dinner and to be able to walk back into your backyard and pick it instead of having to buy it.

  This was as good as my sister said. I ate it for dinner that night (my husband was not home that night) and ended up eating all of the leftovers myself!! I left out the hot chili oil because I thought my husband would want some of the leftovers, but I should have used it because he never ended up eating any. To add a little bit of the spicy heat for myself, I stirred in a generous amount of sriracha.

  Spicy Thai Chicken
  from Rachael Ray

  Make 4 servings
  

  • 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 tablespoon light vegetable or peanut oil
  • 1 tablespoon Asian hot chili oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
  • 1 onion
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • 1/4 cup tamari (dark soy sauce)
  • A few dashes Thai fish sauce, about 1 teaspoon or so
  • 2 cups, about 40 leaves, fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup salted peanuts
  • A handful of cilantro

  1. Start rice according to package directions.

  2. Heat oils in large non-stick skillet or wok over high heat. Cut chicken into thin strips and chop into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken and stir fry until golden, 2-3 minutes. Push chicken off to sides of the skillet, and add onions and peppers to the center of the pan. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes, then combine with meat.

  3. Add the garlic, bean sprouts and pepper, stir 1 minute, then add soy and fish sauces. Adjust seasonings to taste and wilt in basil. Remove from heat and serve over rice. Garnish with chopped, salted peanuts and cilantro.

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  8 Comments

8 Responses to “Spicy Thai Chicken”

1. 

   Mandy said on September 21st, 2007 at 5:11 pm

   The red pepper here is just as expensive!Luckily I can get mine from the farmer’s market for less than a dollar. But nothing beats growing your own!

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2. 

   Kelly-Jane said on September 21st, 2007 at 7:22 pm

   I don’t know why peppers are so expensive, maybe they just hike the price because so many of us like them

   Great dish, I love Asian inspired food, mmm.

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3. 

   KJ said on September 21st, 2007 at 10:03 pm

   What an interesting dish. I have never really tried cooking Thai. There must be a lot of satisfaction in growing your own produce.

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4. 

   Dee Light said on September 21st, 2007 at 11:18 pm

   2 cups of basil, yummy!!! I love the flavor of basil and red pepper. Yes red peppers are rather expensive!!!

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5. 

   Cynthia said on September 22nd, 2007 at 12:59 am

   Isn’t it a great sense of satisfaction when you can grow your own food and just walk outdoors, get what you want and head to the kitchen?

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6. 

   Kevin said on September 22nd, 2007 at 2:15 am

   Looks good. I like using peanuts in spicy/savoury dishes.

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7. 

   sher said on September 22nd, 2007 at 7:27 pm

   What a beautiful dish! All the colors are so vivid, and it has the Asian flavors that so many of us love. Thanks for that.

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8. 

   Belinda said on September 25th, 2007 at 5:25 pm

   Wow, Deborah…how wonderful that you grew those beautiful red peppers…they ARE expensive, but I just love them, so I always give in and pay the exhorbitant prices when I have to! This recipe sounds delicious.

   [Reply]

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