Takeout-Style Peanut Butter Chicken (GF)

Overview

SERVES: 4 / PREP TIME: 30 Minutes / COOK TIME: 30 Minutes

This is the kind of dinner that feels suspiciously like takeout, except somehow better because you made it yourself. The chicken is crispy, the peanut sauce is rich and a little spicy, and the pickled vegetables cut through everything in the best way. It’s the kind of meal that looks impressive, tastes like you ordered it, and makes enough for leftovers—which is ideal, because you’re going to want it again tomorrow.

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Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1-1.5 lbs split chicken cutlet or thin sliced chicken breast

• 5 egg whites 

• 1 cup brown rice flour 

• 3 tbsp corn starch 

• 1/2 tsp baking powder 

• Big pinch salt 

• Black pepper 

• Chili flakes (optional) 

• 1/2 cup - 1 cup avocado oil for frying (enough to create a 2 inch layer in the bottom of the frying pan) 

For the Rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice

• 1 1/4 cup water

For the Sauce

• 1/2 cup unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter 

• 2 tbsp 25% lower sodium tamari (GF) or lower sodium soy sauce 

• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste (found at Whole Foods in the baking section) 

• 1/2-1 tsp red curry paste 

• 1 tsp rice vinegar 

• 1 tsp fish sauce (I like Red Boat) 

• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar 

• Up to 1 cup water - add by tbsp as needed 

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Equipment

• Large deep skillet or wok for frying 

• Wire rack 

• Parchment paper 

• Rice cooker or stock pot with a lid

  • Large mixing bowl for flour dredge

• Medium skillet or saute pan for sauce

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Instructions

1. Start your rice by rinsing rice in a mesh strainer until water runs clear. Add to stock pot with 1 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium high heat. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 13 minutes, then let sit for 10 minutes off the heat. 

2. Slice your chicken against the grain into 1 inch strips, then cut in half. Place chicken into egg whites and toss to coat.

3. Mix dry ingredients - brown rice flour, corn starch, baking powder, salt, pepper and chili flakes - in a large mixing bowl. Shake off excess egg white and dredge chicken pieces in flour, pressing to ensure flour coats the chicken. Lay chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet to prep for frying. 

4. Heat your avocado oil over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes until "popping" or shimmering, then slowly add chicken in batches. Be very careful of hot oil spattering!! Tongs or a long slotted spoon are helpful here. Shake the pan and swirl the oil over the chicken to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and gets coated. Turn chicken after 4 minutes and cook for an additional 3, until it is nicely browned. Repeat the process three times, until all chicken is cooked. To cool, lay on wire rack with a piece of parchment paper under it to catch excess oil. 

5. Make your sauce. Stir in peanut butter, tamari, tamarind paste, red curry paste, fish sauce, rice vinegar and 1/4 cup water on medium low to low heat. Continuously stir the sauce as the peanut butter will dry everything out quickly. After 1 minute, add 1/4 cup of water and 2 tbsp dark brown sugar and keep stirring. Continue stirring and adding water by the tbsp (I used about 1 cup water in total) for about 5 minutes, until sauce is silky and all flavors are combined. Place chicken in a bowl and pour 2/3 sauce over the chicken - enough to coat, but not drown your chicken.

6. Sprinkle scallions and cilantro over chicken, serve immediately with jasmine rice and pickled vegetables.  

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Optional Side: Pickled Veggies

SERVES: 4 / PREP TIME: 24 Hours / COOK TIME: 5 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized carrot

• 1 medium red bell pepper 

• 1 seedless cucumber 

• 1.5 cups water

• 1.5 cups white distilled vinegar 

• 1.5 tbsp cane sugar

• 1.5 tbsp salt 

• 1 tbsp freshly chopped ginger 

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• 1-2 tsp Frontier Co-op pickling spices 

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Instructions:

1. Slice carrot, red bell pepper, and cucumber into strips lengthwise. Place in mason jar or other airtight container. 

2. Heat water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a stock pot over medium heat. Simmer until sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Pour liquid over vegetables in a mason jar until nearly full, with an inch of room for spices. 

3. Add chopped ginger, juice of 1/2 lime and 1-2 tsp of pickling spices (optional). Leave on counter, uncovered, to cool completely before refrigerating for 24 hours. Serve with Peanut Butter Chicken or Mongolian Beef and Broccoli. 

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