One of my goals for 2014 is to waste less. It isn’t that I tend to be a wasteful person, and looking around, I know I have less trash overall than the average person, but when I think about all the things that I donated, gave away, sold, or threw away when we moved, it was disheartening. That extends to food, as well. Too often I make something and it sits forgotten in the back of the fridge or – worse – I forget entirely that I bought something and it goes bad. (Goodbye avocados, I wish I’d remembered to eat you!)
But so often it’s a piece of cake to make something with whatever is in the fridge, and I’m focusing on getting better at that. When I made my Thai Dipping Sauce for spring rolls last month, there was a ton left over. Instead of throwing it away, which would have been easy, I resolved to do something with it. It was an amazing tasting sauce, and I decided that it would make a great chicken dish, too.
I picked up some coconut milk (the kind in the can, and not the lowfat version, because that’s how I roll) and a lime, and I had fun figuring out how to make it delicious. It turned out surprisingly well. In fact, Mister Man – who does NOT like sauces – asked for more of the sauce to put on his chicken because it was so yummy. It was slightly sweet yet tart, a bit sour and a touch salty. And 100% yummy.
I served the chicken over some rice and added some veggies on top, and we had dinner. I’ve made it again since and adjusted the sauce if I’m making this just for the chicken dinner instead of a stand alone sauce for spring rolls by cutting the corn starch in half because it doesn’t need to be as thick, but other than that, since I’ve made it again I haven’t changed anything. Plus, it isn’t an overpowering fake orange color….
Best of all, it helps get rid of some of those veggies that live in my fridge. If you have carrots, chop them into matchsticks. It would be great to toss some peas into the sauce just before serving. Add some sprouts on top. Have some cilantro you haven’t used up? Now you can. Chopped tomatoes? Add them, too. It’s great by itself but even better with some more color and veggies.
Now this? This is the kind of resolution I can keep!
Thai Skillet Chicken
Ingredients:
3/4 c water
1 1/2 t cornstarch
1/3 c rice vinegar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 T soy sauce
2 t fish sauce
1 T fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 pound chicken, cut into bite size pieces*
1 c coconut milk
2 T lime juice
chopped veggies, as desired
*I like chicken thighs because they are juicier have have a little more flavor, but chicken breast works just as well.
Instructions:
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Mince your cloves of garlic, and add them, as well. Grate the ginger directly into the pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it starts boiling, in a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with a little bit of cold water. Make sure the water is cold, which will prevent lumps. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce, whisking for a minute or so.
Add your chopped chicken to the pan and cook just until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Add the coconut milk, and stir. When you first add it, the coconut milk will be chunky, but it will quickly melt and incorporate beautifully into the sauce.
Continue simmering for another five or so minutes, until your chicken is cooked all the way through. Add the lime juice and stir, then serve immediately.
Thai Skillet Chicken
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pound chicken cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablepsoons lime juice
- chopped veggies as desired
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Mince your cloves of garlic, and add them, as well. Grate the ginger directly into the pot.3/4 cup water, 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 cloves garlic
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it starts boiling, in a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with a little bit of cold water. Make sure the water is cold, which will prevent lumps. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce, whisking for a minute or so.1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Add your chopped chicken to the pan and cook just until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Add the coconut milk, and stir. When you first add it, the coconut milk will be chunky, but it will quickly melt and incorporate beautifully into the sauce.1 pound chicken, 1 cup coconut milk
- Continue simmering for another five or so minutes, until your chicken is cooked all the way through. Add the lime juice and stir, then serve immediately.2 tablepsoons lime juice
Notes
- I like chicken thighs because they are juicier have have a little more flavor, but chicken breast works just as well.
- If you have carrots, chop them into matchsticks. It would be great to toss some peas into the sauce just before serving. Add some sprouts on top. Have some cilantro you haven't used up? Now you can. Chopped tomatoes? Add them, too. It's great by itself but even better with some more color and veggies.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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