Unlocking the secrets of perfect Asian-style chicken
Many people, when preparing Asian-style chicken, don't bother to marinate the meat. If you're short on time, you can toss a chicken breast straight onto the pan, add vegetables and Asian seasonings. However, the dish will be much more aromatic, and the chicken will be juicy and full of flavour when you immerse it beforehand in a simple marinade with garlic, ginger, and a hint of chili pepper.
Asian cuisine dishes are best prepared in a wok – a large pan with a rounded bottom that holds all the ingredients well and evenly distributes heat. If you don't have a wok, a regular deep pan will work fine.
Select your favourite additions
For both the marinade and the sauce, you can add various ingredients to enrich the chicken's flavour. Instead of lime juice, you can use rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, add a dash of sesame oil and a pinch of turmeric. You can replace honey with cane sugar or maple syrup.
When it comes to vegetables, you have plenty of flexibility. Asian-style chicken pairs perfectly with carrots, which only need to be cut into sticks, as well as mun or shiitake mushrooms. Craving a Japanese touch? Add wakame seaweed. If you're more drawn to the flavours of Thailand, pour 30-45 ml of coconut milk into the sauce. You can scatter scallions, fresh cilantro leaves, sesame seeds, or peanuts over the dish.
Recipe for Asian-style chicken
The dish is very easy and quick to prepare. The only thing you need to remember is to marinate the meat in advance – make sure it's in the refrigerator for about an hour. The remaining tasks will only take you around 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 400 grams of chicken breast,
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce,
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger,
- 1 lime,
- 2 garlic cloves,
- 1 chili pepper,
- 1 scallion,
- 2 bell peppers, for example, red and green,
- 2 tablespoons honey,
- 2 tablespoons cold water,
- 1 tablespoon potato starch,
- Oil for frying,
- Optional: sesame seeds for sprinkling.
Instructions:
- Cut the chicken fillets into cubes. Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, grated ginger, grated lime zest, pressed garlic, and thinly sliced chili pepper. Mix everything, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- After this time, take out the chicken and let it sit in the bowl on the counter to warm to room temperature.
- In a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, sauté the sliced scallion (leave the chives for sprinkling), and add the bell peppers cut into sticks. Sauté until they soften and remove from the pan.
- Transfer the marinated chicken to the same pan. When it becomes golden, add the sautéed vegetables.
- In a separate dish, mix 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of cold water, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of potato starch. Add to the chicken and vegetables in the pan. Mix and heat until the sauce thickens.
- Serve the dish with rice or noodles, and sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds.
