Spicy Lemongrass Chicken
Description
Charles Phan stir-fries chicken until it's deeply golden, then cooks the aromatics and sauces separately before combining everything in the wok to meld the flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed and meat cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 plump stalks of lemongrass, tender white inner bulb only, minced
- 1 medium red onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chinese cooking wine, sake, or water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon asian chile paste
- 4 large scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 5 small dried red chiles
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
- jasmine rice, steamed, for serving
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Directions
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, salt, and pepper.
- In a large skillet or a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil until small puffs of smoke begin to appear. Add half of the chicken and stir-fry over high heat until browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the fish sauce and sugar; stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Add the lemongrass, onion, and garlic; cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce, oyster sauce, chile paste, scallions, dried chiles, and jalapeño; bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer until heated through, then serve with steamed jasmine rice.
