Fragrant Basil Chicken

The moment I landed in Grenada, I zoomed off to the grocery in hopes to find all of the ingredients I'm accustomed to using for my Asian inspired dishes.  I quickly made my way towards Top Ramen...the notorious instant noodles always found in the "oriental section."  And close by, as expected, were bottles of gold surrounded by white halos of light- Bottles of fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil. These bottled ingredients are versatile and can be used in all sorts of recipes.  They also last a long time just like salt and also have a long shelf life.  They're worth every single buck, considering how much flavor they contribute to my dishes.

I'm also fortunate to have found basil (in produce section next to potatoes at IGA), an important player in Thai cuisine.

This dish is packed with flavor and is easy to make.  I've made this dish so many times and never get tired of eating it. 

*All Ingredients can be found at IGA (except chicken thighs, which can be purchased at Foodfair)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ginger grated (or 1tbsp finely minced)
• 1/4 jalapeno diced (seed to ease heat). or pinch red pepper flakes (these are tasty too! you can use left over flakes from pizza night)
• 1 lb chicken thighs cubed 1/2 inch (tip- scissors make cutting thawed chicken easy)
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 1 small carrot sliced
• 1/2 tbs soy sauce
• 1/2 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped basil (cut just before adding into dish)
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Directions 

1. Heat fry pan medium high heat. add oil. add garlic, ginger, and peppers. stir fry for ~2 min. Be careful not to burn- burnt garlic tastes bitter.
2. Add chicken thighs in an even layer leaving gaps in between. this will help moisture escape, allowing for chicken to brown.  lightly salt and pepper.  wait until pink is almost gone then flip and cook other side.
3.  add bell pepper, carrot, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. cook on high heat for ~5 min until peppers wilt a bit and sauce thickens.
4. Turn heat off and add basil and sesame oil. Stir well.
5. Serve over white rice and as always, Enjoy!

*Click HERE for a cooking dictionary.