LUSCIOUS CHICKEN THIGH AND ZUCCHINI STIR FRY

Chicken|Asian

Ingredients

The Marinade:

1 ½ – 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or boneless chicken breasts work too!), chopped into 2” pieces

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon corn starch

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

The Sauce:

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon corn starch

½ cup water

The Veggies:

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1 large onion, chopped into 1” pieces

6 garlic cloves, rough chopped

4-5 cups small-medium zucchini, chopped into 1” pieces

½ cup scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

3 cups cooked sushi or white rice for serving

Instructions

Prepare all of your sauces and chop your vegetables in advance of making the stir-fry. Once you start the cooking process, it will be very quick and you will want to have everything ready to go before you begin cooking.

To make your marinade, combine the baking soda, corn starch, soy sauce, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth and add your chicken, tossing until all of the pieces are well coated. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours to allow the chicken to tenderize.

Combine all of your sauce ingredients except the cornstarch and water in another bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large deep skillet over medium high to high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Until the onions begin to get soft and are fragrant. Add the chicken along with all of the marinade to the pan and spread the chicken out so that it is in a single layer and part of each piece has contact with the pan. Let cook without stirring, for 2-3 minutes until chicken begins to caramelize and turn golden brown. Stir and then spread it out again into an even layer and let brown again for 2-3 minutes more. The chicken should be mostly cooked through at this point.

Add the zucchini to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally, for 3-4 minutes more until the zucchini begins to soften.

Whisk the sauce one more time and add it to the pan, stirring and tossing until everything is well coated and lightly browning. Combine the cornstarch and the ½ cup of water, mixing to dissolve, and add it to the pan. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes, tossing until a rich glossy sauce coats everything. Add the scallions and sesame seeds. Toss again.

Serve the stir-fry over rice and garnish with more scallions and sesame seeds. DEVOUR!!