Five-Spice Stir-Fry Chicken
Some of the best things I’ve made were the result of accidents, scarcity, and curiosity. Though I have been obsessed with cooking for almost all my life, I’ve never been to cooking school and have only taken two cooking classes. Everything I know I learned from watching TV, reading, friends, family, and experimentation. I’ve honed my craft and bent recipes to my own tastes and though some may take issue with that approach, I simply do not care. It tastes good and to me, recipes are simply suggestions and loose guidelines (except in baking, that is a totally different beast!)
This recipe is the result of curiosity and necessity. Anthony and I have been trying to finish up our house projects before I leave for the island which doesn’t leave much time for brainstorming or recipe development. After a long day of painting our bathroom and some failed attempts at plumbing and stacking our wash and dryer, we were hungry and wanted something fast.
This recipe calls for deglazing the pan with gin but if you don’t have any don’t worry! Any liquid will do. I’ve used vodka, wine, broth, even water. The objective is to introduce some liquid to the pan to get the browned bits off the pan and incorporated into the sauce.
Five-Spice Stir Fry Chicken
Ingredients
for the grape-cucumber salad
2 cups halved grapes
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 pinch sugar (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 pinch kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon)
juice of 1 lime
for the sauce
3 celery stalks, finely diced
1 Fresno chili, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons fish sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
for the chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 boneless chicken thighs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons gin (or vodka, wine, or water)
Directions
Toss everything for the salad together in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish. Stir before serving.
In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, five-spice powder, and salt and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are softened about 7 - 9 minutes.
Just before the chicken is done, add the gin to the pan and scrape up the browned bits. Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Cook uncovered until the sauce is slightly thickened. Cool slightly and serve with steamed rice and grape-cucumber salad.
