Chicken & Basil Stir Fry

 

There is a Thai restaurant out here that serves a killer dish called Crispy Basil Chicken.  It has these crispy little bite size pieces of chicken that have been tossed in a molasses and garlic sauce and it's served over flash fried basil.  It is scrumptious!  I actually haven't been there in years, but, oh how I remember it's sweet crispiness!  It was the first time I'd actually had Thai basil and I fell madly in love with it.  Thai basil has more of a licorice or mint flavor then say sweet or lemon basil.  When I came across this recipe, I immediately thought of that dish.  It's not the same dish of course, but it's got the same basic flavors.  Next time I make it I might change the sauce up a bit, but for now, it was the perfect way to fill the void that the crispy basil chicken had left :)   Don't worry if you can't find Thai basil, any variety of basil will actually work for this dish.

One thing before I leave you... I'm going to try and start adding nutritional information after each recipe.  I can't guarantee it will be with every recipe, but when I can add it, I will.  The nutritional info that goes with this recipe is for the chicken only, rice is not included.

Chicken & Basil Stir-Fry

Adapted from My Recipes.com 
Ingredients:
1 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, julienned or chopped into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup lightly packed fresh Thai basil, rinsed and chopped (if you can't find Thai basil, any basil will do)

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix ginger, chili flakes, broth, soy sauce, hoisin, and cornstarch until smooth.  Set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and stir fry until almost cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the red pepper and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add the garlic and stir fry another minute.  Add the sauce mixture to the pan and stir until the sauce starts to boil, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the basil and cook just until wilted, about 30 seconds. Serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!

(Nutritional Info:  202 calories (25% from fat), 5.7grams fat, 30grams protein, 6.5grams carbohydrates)