This dish is full of flavor. The balance of sweet peas and spicy coconut milk is a roller coaster for your taste buds. This is my Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry Over Basmati Rice.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 20 minutes (marinate the chicken)
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) saucepot with a tight-fitting lid, 1 (3-quart) saucier, aluminum foil, 1 (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, 2 large mixing bowls, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients for the Basmati Rice:
1 cup of Basmati rice, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups of chicken broth, unsalted
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 cup of dried sweet cherries
1/4 cup of pistachios, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Ingredients for the Chicken Stir-Fry:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
1 tablespoon of kosher salt plus 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
1/3 cup of grapeseed oil
3 cloves of garlic,  freshly-ground
1 teaspoon of ginger, freshly-grated
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned
!/2 an onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
1 Fresno chili, seeded, cut into thin rings
1 1/2 cups of frozen sweet peas, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can of coconut milk, unsweetened
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons of Siracha
Garnish:
1/2 a cup of fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions for the Basmati Rice:
I’m going to start with the Basmati rice. Now, what I like to do is remove as much of the natural starch by rinsing the rice under cold water. Repeat the process until the water runs clear.

I place 1 cup of Basmati rice into a large bowl and cover it with 2 cups of water. Let the rice stand in the water for a couple of to three minutes. I repeated this process 4 times until the water was clear.

In the larger saucepot, pour in the rinsed Basmati rice. In a smaller saucepot over medium heat, add the chicken broth, dried sweet cherries, kosher salt, and olive oil. Once the chicken broth has come to a low boil, pour the broth into the pot containing the Basmati rice.

Transfer that pot over to the burner already set on medium heat. Bring all this up to a boil, and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Tightly cover the pot with a piece of foil (see the pictures above) and secure the saucepot’s lid. Do not peek at the rice during the cooking process. Allow the rice to cook for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. Let the rice sit for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. You should see that every grain of rice has grown a little longer and is separate from all the other long grains of rice.

To finish, add chopped pistachios and gently stir to combine. Place the lid back on and set aside. Right before serving, add the fresh chopped cilantro, again gently toss to combine.

Instructions for Marinating Chicken:
In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken breast strips, grapeseed oil, freshly grated garlic, and ginger, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper. Toss until all the chicken is coated. Cover with plastic wrap, transfer to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Instructions for prepping the Vegetables:
While the rice is simmering and the chicken is marinating, start prepping the vegetables. Julienne the orange and yellow bell pepper, thinly slice the red onion into half-moons, seed, and slice the Fresno chili. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, pour in the unsweetened coconut milk, Siracha, fresh lime juice, and sugar. Stir to combine.

Preheat the cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking hot. Add the marinated chicken. Stir frequently and cook for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is brown and caramelized. Remove the chicken from the skillet and onto a plate.

Place the skillet back over medium-high heat, add the julienned peppers, sliced red onion, and Fresno chili, and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper. Stir frequently, cook for another 3-5 minutes, then add the chicken back to the skillet and toss to combine.

It’s time to add the spicy coconut milk to the skillet, stir, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, occasionally stirring until the sauce naturally thickens, another 3-5 minutes. Finally, turn off the heat, add the peas, and stir to combine. The heat from the sauce will warm the peas through.

In a porcelain serving bowl, spoon a helping of the prepared rice into the bottom of the bowl. Ladle the Spicy Stir-Fry Chicken over the top. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

There you have it, my Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry Over Basmati Rice.

Note:
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/