THAI-STYLE CHICKEN WITH BASIL

By John_Merillat

THAI-STYLE CHICKEN WITH BASIL

Serves 4.
Published January 1, 2010
From Cook's Illustrated.

Since tolerance for spiciness can vary, we've kept our recipe relatively mild. Sweetness without sufficient heat can become cloying, so we also cut back the sugar. For a very mild version of the dish, remove the seeds and ribs from the chiles. If fresh Thai chiles are unavailable, substitute 2 serranos or 1 medium jalapeno. In Thailand, crushed red pepper and sugar are passed at the table, along with extra fish sauce and white vinegar, so the dish can be adjusted to suit individual taste. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables, if desired.

A New Way to Stir-Fry

MINCE YOUR MEAT
Thai stir-fries often feature small pieces of chopped meat versus the larger strips or chunks in many Chinese stir-fries.


USE LOW HEAT
A moderately hot pan instead of a blazing hot wok means lean meats such as chicken breast won't easily overcook.

SAUTÉ AROMATICS FIRST
With a low temperature, aromatics can be added to the pan first, deeply flavoring the oil without risk of burning

SAUTÉ MEAT LAST
At low heat, the meat won't get a flavor boost from browning. Instead, it absorbs the fully developed flavors of the oil.

SEASON WITH FISH SAUCE
Fish sauce added before and after cooking is an even more potent flavor enhancer than soy sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves , tightly packed
• 3 medium garlic cloves , peeled
• 6 green or red Thai chiles , stemmed (see note)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce , plus extra for serving (see note)
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar , plus extra for serving (see note)
• 1 tablespoon sugar , plus extra for serving (see note)
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast , cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 medium shallots , peeled and thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Red pepper flakes , for serving (see note)

Details

Adapted from cooksillustrated.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Process 1 cup basil leaves, garlic, and chiles in food processor until finely chopped, 6 to 10 one-second pulses, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once during processing. Transfer 1 tablespoon basil mixture to small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon fish sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, and sugar; set aside. Transfer remaining basil mixture to 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet. Do not wash food processor bowl.

2. Pulse chicken and 1 tablespoon fish sauce in food processor until meat is chopped into -approximate 1/4-inch pieces, six to eight 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl and refrigerate 15 minutes.

3. Stir shallots and oil into basil mixture in skillet. Heat over medium-low heat (mixture should start to sizzle after about 11/2 minutes; if it doesn�t, adjust heat accordingly), stirring constantly, until garlic and shallots are golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.

4. Add chicken, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring and breaking up chicken with potato masher or rubber spatula, until only traces of pink remain, 2 to 4 minutes. Add reserved basil-fish sauce mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining cup basil leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until basil is wilted, 30 to 60 seconds. Serve immediately, passing extra fish sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and vinegar separately.