Stir fried chicken for a warm summer day

During the summer, I make stir fries more often than during the rest of the year. I think one of the reasons is that it cooks fast and doesn't heat up the house. It is fairly healthy (but my doctor would holler about the soy sauce), so eat several helpings!

2 chicken thighs

6 cloves of garlic, sliced thin

Soy sauce

Fish sauce

White wine

Peanut oil

1 zucchini, sliced

1 summer squash, sliced

4 stalks of celery, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips

5 serrano pepper, sliced into strips

2 large onions, cut into strips

1 large shallot, cut into strips

1 lime

Wondra flour

2 cups of brown rice

Toasted sesame oil

Preparation

Start by putting the brown rice on to steam. That takes about forty five minutes, so you want to do that first. I like to add a drizzle of toasted sesame oil to mine as it cooks.

Slice the chicken into thin strips and place it in a bowl. Add the garlic to it and stir. Now add a drizzle of soy sauce and a drizzle of fish sauce to the chicken. Add a little splash of white wine and stir the chicken and let it sit for ten minutes.

Heat a large wok until it is very hot. Add enough peanut oil to coat the bottom and then add the chicken. Keep the heat on high and stir the chicken until all the liquid boils off and the chicken is cooked through and starts to brown. Remove the chicken to a clean bowl.

If needed add a bit more oil to the wok and then add the zucchini and squash. Stir until that begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the celery and stir for another few minutes. Add the peppers and stir fry until they are sizzling. If you really don't like hot spicy food, use a bell pepper instead of the serrano peppers. Next add the onion and celery. 

Keep stirring and once the onions are starting to soften, add the chicken back in and stir. As you stir sprinkle on a little Wondra flour. Just enough to lightly dust it ... stir ... another light dusting and stir again. Squeeze on the lime’s juice. Splash on some soy sauce and then splash on some wine. Don’t measure, just splash. Keep stirring until everything is sizzling hot. Splash on some toasted sesame oil and turn the heat of and serve.

Serving

Place a large pile of rice on a plate, smother it in the stir fry. Splash on some more soy sauce just to maintain your sodium level. Now add some homemade bread and butter. Open an ice cold bottle of Riesling and ring the dinner bell. For dessert you want a tray of assorted fruit.