Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry

If you are looking for a quick and easy meal that is full of flavor and freshness, try this lemongrass chicken stir-fry. It’s a Vietnamese-inspired dish that can be served over rice, noodles or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. You can use ground chicken or chopped chicken breast for the protein, and add any seasonal vegetables you like. The secret ingredient that makes this dish so authentic and delicious is the five-spice powder, which adds a subtle warmth and complexity to the lemongrass sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ground chicken or chicken breast, chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 3 stalks of lemongrass, peeled and minced (or use lemongrass paste or frozen chopped lemongrass)
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 shallot, sliced thinly
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 red chili, sliced (or use chili flakes or chili garlic sauce for more heat)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cups of chopped vegetables (such as bell pepper, carrot, mushroom, zucchini, snow peas or bok choy)
• Fresh mint leaves and Thai basil leaves for garnish

Stir-Fry Sauce

• 1/4 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice
• 1 teaspoon of five-spice powder
• 1 teaspoon of sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch and half of the lemongrass. Let it marinate for 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce and set aside.
3. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, chili and the remaining lemongrass and stir-fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
4. In the same skillet or wok, add the chicken and spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle with salt and five-spice powder and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Return the shallot mixture to the skillet or wok and pour over the stir-fry sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes until everything is well coated and heated through.
7. Sprinkle with fresh mint and basil leaves and serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!