30 Minute Curry Chicken

IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: CURRY STAINS.

IT WILL LEAVE A PERMANENT YELLOW COLOR ON WOODEN SPOONS, PLASTIC BOWLS, OR YOUR SHIRT. IT'S DELICIOUS, BUT BE WARNED.

Chinese takeout restaurant Chicken Curry: it's meaty and spicy and savory and soooooo good! My all time favorite Chinese restaurant (China House closed 20 years ago) served a curry loaded with meat and mixed vegetables. My second favorite Chinese joint (still in business) serves theirs with only onion and no other veggies. My base recipe came from The Woks of Life with their 15 Minute Chicken Curry, Takeout style. I've added more heat, used thicker chunks of chicken, and added more veggies which is why mine takes closer to half an hour between prep and cooking. I hope Wong from China House would be pleased that this is served up in his honor.

Ingredients

1.5c chopped cabbage

1 medium onion quartered then cut into slivers

1 medium carrot, sliced thin diagonally

1c bell pepper any color, cut in bite size piece

1.5lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut in bite size chunks

1tsp soy sauce

4tsp vegetable oil, divided

2.5 tsp corn starch, divided

1.5c chicken broth or stock

4tsp curry powder

½tsp sugar

½Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce

½tsp Ac'cent

2tsp water

Directions

Chop your CABBAGE, CARROT, AND PEPPERS into bite-size pieces and slice ONION into slivers. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss CHICKEN, in 1 tsp VEGETABLE OIL, SOY SAUCE, and 1 tsp CORN STARCH. Set aside.

In a 2 cup measuring cup or glass bowl combine STOCK, CURRY POWDER, SRIRACHA, SUGAR, and AC'CENT. Set aside.

Heat your wok over high heat until smoking. Or use a nonstick stockpot or deep sided skillet over medium-high. Add a couple tablespoons of OIL, and then add the CHICKEN to the pan in one layer. Stir-fry the chicken until cooked through and beginning to brown. Remove from the wok and set aside.

Add another 2 tablespoons of OIL to the wok, and add your cut VEGETABLES. Stir-fry for 8 minutes or until carrot is tender, then stir in the BROTH mixture.

Make a slurry with the last teaspoon of STARCH and WATER, mixing until combined. Stir slurry into the curry and broth mixture, and simmer for 2 minutes, until thickened. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, add more cornstarch slurry. If it’s too thick, add more chicken stock.

Add the cooked chicken back to the wok, and stir for another 3 minute. Serve with steamed rice or warm naan bread.

Makes 4 ¾cup lunch-size servings or 2 1.5cup supper-size servings.

Tips/add-ins

Customize the veggies to your preference. Other great choices include snow peas, baby corn, water chestnut, or celery.

Swap your carb. White rice or naan are default carbohydrates for this dish, but it's also tasty served over fries or mashed potatoes. Try baking it inside a pot pie or pasty or using it inside and Asian style steamed bun.

Kick to the heat with red pepper flakes or using more Sriracha or by using hot Madras style chili powder. Turn down the heat by leaving the Sriracha out.