1 1/2poundschicken thighsboneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/4cuptamari or soy sauce
1tbspshaoxing wine or dry sherry
1tbspcornstarch
1/2tspsalt
1/4tsppepperwhite or black
1tbsprice vinegar
1tbspsugargranulated
1tbspsambal oelek
vegetable oil
2bell peppersdiced large
2celery stalkssliced thin
1tbspginger, minced
2clovesgarlic, minced
1/2cuppeanuts, roasted
2scallionssliced thin (optional)
1.5tspsesame oil
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
Add tamari or soy sauce, wine or sherry, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Drizzle 2 tablespoons over chicken and mix.
Add the vinegar, sugar, and sambal to the remaining marinade and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.NOTE: if you're doubling the recipe because you have a lot of chicken, don't double the sambal or you may make it too spicy.
Stir Fry the Veggies and the Chicken
Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add tablespoon of oil, followed by the bell peppers and celery. Season with salt and stir fry until crispy-tender and browned in spots (about 4 minutes).Add garlic and ginger and stir fry another 30 seconds.
Transfer veggies to a plate.
Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan, followed by the chicken. Spread evenly across the pan and let cook until golden brown and a little seared on the bottom, 3-4 minutes.Stir fry for a couple of minutes, until cooked through.
Combine Everything
Add vegetables back in, and add peanuts.Give the sauce a quick whisk and pour in. Stir fry until sauce thickens and coats everything, about a minute.Sprinkle in scallions and serve over rice.
Notes
Originally seen on The Kitchn. This is one of the first spicy things I've made that my teenagers actually liked.Other veggies you can try: small mushrooms, zucchini, sliced carrots, and/or chopped onions.We've also made it with tofu instead of chicken:
use extra-firm tofu;
squeeze the water out by wrapping in towels or a couple of paper towels, then putting on a plate and leaving something heavy on top for 20-30 minutes;
cube the tofu into bite-sized chunks
toss with a little cornstarch, then fry over medium heat until all sides are golden-brown.
Continue with rest of recipe.
Keyword bell pepper, chicken, garlic, ginger, peanuts, sambal oelek, tofu