I don’t know about you, but during these rather bizarre coronavirus-impacted days I find myself toggling back and forth between impersonating the most innovative, inquisitive chefs in the world and not really wanting to cook a damn thing that takes longer than ten minutes in the kitchen.
For the past six weeks or so we’ve leaned more to the “tackle the complicated new recipe” side of the ledger, though as we move more toward the heat of summer (we’ve already seen some temps in the high 90s here in North Texas), I’ve been seeking out meal preps that maximize interest and flavor with the least commitment of kitchen time and effort.
There are a number of great-tasting avenues to travel to accomplish those objectives, and one of our favorites happens to be crafting a tasty stir fry using flavor combinations we’ve come to appreciate over the years.
Sometime in the past few weeks a recipe similar to this one flew through my inbox; I was intrigued by the spice profile (ginger and sambal oleck always run high on my list) and the inclusion of just a few chopped dates to add an hint of earthy sweetness to the dish.
Celery quickly cooked in a hot wok preserves its tasty crunch, the peanuts (or nut of your choice adds flavor and texture interest), and I often throw in some chopped white onion and red bell pepper too.
With average knife skills you’re looking at a 15 minute-ish prep window before cooking here (OK, maybe 20 minutes) and like all stir fries, this one cooks up in a flash, particularly if you’ve been smart and followed the principle of mise en place to get everything lined up and ready to go.
(For the Paleo hardliners out there, I have included a tiny bit of cornstarch as a thickener; at least in my kitchen, cornstarch outperforms arrowroot and other thickeners in stir fries every time, and my wife really doesn’t like arrowroot’s taste. Make your substitutions as you wish.)
I happen to be writing this while helping my wife at her work place this afternoon, and we brought leftovers from last night’s stir fry for a quick lunch; it might have even been better today.
Chicken and marinade
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tbsp + 1 tsp tamari, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
Optional: 1 tsp sugar
Sauce Ingredients
6 tbsp sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
½ cup tamari, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
1/3 cup water
2 tsp cornstarch
The rest of the goods
6-8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3-inches fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 large bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 celery stalks, timed, cut into ½-inch pieces (Split lengthwise if large first)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, cut into ½-inch pieces
Optional: 6-8 ounces medjool dates, pitted, cut into ½-inch pieces
Optional: 3-4 dried red peppers
1 and ½ cups cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/3 cup avocado or olive oil
¾ to 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts or cashews
Prep the chicken first. Combine the chicken marinade ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine; now stir in the chicken until well coated, cover, and throw in the fridge.
Stir the sauce together. Stir together the sauce ingredients, set aside. Remember the sauce will need to be well stirred again before adding to suspend the corn starch.
Prep the rest of the goods. Finely chopped the garlic and ginger and set aside in a small bowl or ramekin.
Trim and cut the scallions/green onions, celery, bell pepper, and the dried peppers and dates if using; combine in a small bowl. Prep the cilantro.
Now it’s time to cook. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add the nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re toasted brown. Remove the skillet/wok from the heat and transfer the nuts (using a slotted spoon) to a small bowl, leaving the oil behind.
Now with your skillet/wok back on the heat, add the ginger/garlic mixture and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Quickly add the chicken mixture and cook, stir frequently, until no longer pink on the outside (and broken apart with no pieces clinging together). Note the chicken isn’t cooked through and will finish cooking with the rest of the vegetables.
Now stir in the scallion, celery, bell pepper, date, and dried pepper mixture; continue to cook and stir for 2-4 minutes until the scallions are bright and the celery and peppers are just beginning to tenderize (taste to be sure, you don’t want them too soft!).
Stir the sauce once more and then pour it into the wok/skillet; cook, stirring fairly often, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro and toasted nuts and go to it.
Enjoy.
[…] Spicy Ginger Celery Chicken Stir Fry […]