Paleo Gingery Stir-Fried Chicken with Asparagus and Bell Pepper
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 1, 2016
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Sauce
½ cup chicken broth ¼ cup coconut aminos 2 teaspoons fish sauce 1 ½ teaspoons tapioca flour 1 teaspoon rice vinegarStir-fry
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 2 teaspoons coconut aminos 1 ½ teaspoons tapioca flour 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin into 2-inch-long pieces2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 1 garlic clove, minced¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on bias into 2-inch lengths2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips½ cup raw cashews, toasted and chopped coarseBefore You Begin
This recipe calls for a 12-inch nonstick skillet; however, a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet can be used instead. To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 15 minutes. We prefer to use our Paleo Chicken Broth; however, you can substitute your favorite store-bought broth. Serve with our Paleo Cauliflower Rice.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in bowl.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons sesame oil, coconut aminos, and flour together in medium bowl until smooth, then stir in chicken. In separate bowl, combine ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
- Heat 2 teaspoons coconut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken, break up any clumps, and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Stir chicken and continue to cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds; transfer to clean bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons coconut oil and remaining chicken; transfer to bowl.
- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons coconut oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add asparagus and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet. Add ginger mixture to center and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir mixture into vegetables.
- Stir cooked chicken and any accumulated juices into vegetables. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with cashews. Serve.
for the sauce
for the stir-fry
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
Sauce
Stir-fry
Ingredients
Sauce
Stir-fry
Ingredients
Sauce
Stir-fry
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted to explore the possibilities of paleo stir-fries and develop a chicken version with a punchy, spicy profile. First, we built our sauce. We made a base out of coconut aminos, a common paleo replacement for soy sauce; rice vinegar for tanginess; and chicken broth to round out the flavor. To ensure the sauce thickened enough to coat the chicken and vegetables, we swapped out the traditional cornstarch for paleo-friendly tapioca flour. But in early tastings, tasters thought the sauce lacked the depth that soy sauce–based stir-fry sauces usually have. Adding a bit of fish sauce easily solved this problem, providing savory notes without giving itself away. Next, we turned to the chicken. To ensure that the lean meat stayed tender through cooking, we coated it in a mixture of coconut aminos, tapioca flour, and sesame oil, which both gave the chicken a boost of flavor and created a barrier against the high heat. For the vegetables, we started with bok choy, but found its flavor and texture in the finished stir-fry lackluster. We turned instead to asparagus, which provided a welcome crisp texture and grassy flavor. Bell peppers offered a pop of color and a welcome sweetness. To give our stir-fry a distinctive backbone, we stirred in a whopping 2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger toward the end of cooking. Although tasters liked the flavors of the stir-fry, they felt it needed an additional textural element. Cashews fit the bill perfectly; just 1/2 cup of the toasted and chopped nuts contributed a pleasant crunchy element and a nutty, buttery flavor.
Before You Begin
This recipe calls for a 12-inch nonstick skillet; however, a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet can be used instead. To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 15 minutes. We prefer to use our Paleo Chicken Broth; however, you can substitute your favorite store-bought broth. Serve with our Paleo Cauliflower Rice.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in bowl.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons sesame oil, coconut aminos, and flour together in medium bowl until smooth, then stir in chicken. In separate bowl, combine ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
- Heat 2 teaspoons coconut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken, break up any clumps, and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Stir chicken and continue to cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds; transfer to clean bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons coconut oil and remaining chicken; transfer to bowl.
- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons coconut oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add asparagus and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet. Add ginger mixture to center and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir mixture into vegetables.
- Stir cooked chicken and any accumulated juices into vegetables. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with cashews. Serve.
for the sauce
for the stir-fry
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