Lemongrass Chicken Stir Fry

Chicken pieces flavored with lemongrass and chilies then stir fried with vegetables and served with rice.

Wow, I know finally another chicken recipe.  If you haven't noticed I don't often cook chicken.  I have nothing against chicken, but I just don't love it as much as other proteins.  However, I found some chicken thighs on sale last time I went to the store and couldn't pass them by.  I have also been on a lemongrass kick lately so I thought I'd try lemongrass chicken (which I've seen on menus but never tried).

This lemongrass chicken turned out great.  Lemongrass is a very subtle flavor but it shined in this stir fry and chicken has a light enough flavor to let the lemongrass stand out.  The sauce adds just enough salty sweetness to balance the spiciness with out masking the lemongrass.  This made a wonderful dinner and had enough leftover for my husband to take to work for lunch.

Ingredients:

Marinade
1 Tbsp lemongrass, minced
2 Thai chilies, minced
1 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1 pound chicken, cut into strips

2-3 Tbsp lemongrass, minced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
2 Thai chilies, minced (optional)
1 small onion
3-4 cups veggies (I used cauliflower, sugar snap peas, and julienned carrots)
2 Tbsp chicken broth

Sauce
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tsp lime juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 heaping tsp cornstarch

Mix together the marinade ingredients and pour over chicken in a seal-able bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or over night.

Mix up the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat about 1 Tbsp oil in a large saute pan (or wok) over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and marinade and stir fry until chicken is just browned.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add more oil to the pan if needed then stir fry the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and chilies until fragrant (it should take less than a minute).  Add the onions and cook until just soft then add the veggies and stir fry until tender (lightly season the veggies, most of the saltiness will come from the fish sauce in the sauce).  Since I added cauliflower and peas I poured in 2 Tbsp of chicken broth, covered and let it steam for a few minutes to help tenderize the veggies.

Add the chicken back to the pan, pour in the sauce and lower the heat.  Stir to mix and allow the sauce to thicken (you can add more chicken broth if needed) and finish cooking the chicken.  Remove from heat and serve with rice.

Makes 3-4 servings.  Enjoy.