Chinese chicken curry
Chinese chicken curry is what happens when Indian goes traveling.
Servings: 2
Calories: 488kcal
Ingredients
The marinated chicken
- 12 oz chicken thighs boneless, skinless and cut into small bite size pieces
- 1 tsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp soy sauce all purpose or light
- 1 tsp potato starch cornstarch is OK too
Chinese chicken curry
- 3 tbsp neutral oil vegetable, canola etc
- the marinated chicken
- 1 cup diced onion fairly large dice
- 1/2 cup green pepper, carrot, celery etc optional and see note
- 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste - or 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 inch knob of ginger extremely finely diced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock - stock is not bouillon cubes
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp monosodium glutamate - just do it. It matters...
- 1/4 cup peas - see note
- 1 1/2 tsp potato starch mixed in a couple tablespoons of water. Corn starch is OK too.
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt - you may need a little more at the end. Depends how salty your shaoxing wine is and if you omit the MSG.
Instructions
Do your prep
- Combine the chicken with the marination ingredients (1 tsp shaoxing, 1 tsp light or all purpose soy and 1 tsp of potato starch or cornstarch).
- Stir vigorously to combine. Set aside for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
- Chop your onions. Prep your garlic and ginger if not using paste. Chop whatever vegetables you are using. Measure out your spices, stock and coconut milk. This goes really fast. Be ready.
Make the Chinese chicken curry
- Heat your wok (or big skillet) over medium high heat. Don't use a bucket. That was a joke.
- Add the oil. Swirl the oil up the sides of the wok. Turn the heat up to high. Yes. You want real heat here.
- Add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until the chicken is just opaque.
- Toss in the onions and sturdy vegetables if using, the garlic and ginger (or paste), the curry powder and the Chinese five spice.
- Stir fry for about 90 seconds. Add the stock, coconut milk, salt and monosodium glutamate. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Add 1 tablespoon of shaoxing wine and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
- Add the peas and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is done. This should take 3 or 4 minutes (depends on the size of your bites). If you are concerned you are going for an internal temperature of 170F.
- Give the potato starch slurry a last minute stir (it settles) and add it to the curry. Bring to a simmer to thicken.
- Taste for salt. If you are using shaoxing from a grocery store it has salt and you should be good but if not add a little at a time. You can always add salt. You can never take it away.
- Serve with plain white rice. I like jasmine. I'm thinking I'd like this as a noodle dish too. Something to think about.
Notes
When you add your vegetables matters. Classic aromatics go in first. Onions, carrots, celery and peppers. They all go in at once.
Delicate vegetables like peas go in after the stock and coconut milk. Frozen peas can go in just thawed. Fresh shelled peas should be blanched beforehand.
Nutrition
Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 197IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 4mg