Wednesday Eats and Treats: Peanut Chicken

I love Chinese food, but I hate the price we have to pay to eat it in a restaurant. Here is a recipe that will satisfy your Chinese food craving without breaking the bank. The bonus: it is both fast and simple to make. Serve it over brown rice along with some steamed or stir-fried broccoli.

Delicious Peanut Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes         Cook Time: 25 minutes          Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

2 T	Peanut oil or canola oil	1/2 tsp.	Ground cayenne pepper
1.5 pound	Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-in. pieces	1 (1-in.)	Piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
1 large	Red or green bell pepper	1 T	Cornstarch
2 cups	Chicken broth	1 bunch	Green onions, chopped
3 tsp.	Soy sauce	1 bunch	Cilantro, chopped
1 T	Sugar	2 cups	Chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1-2 cloves	Garlic, minced

Directions

1.    Heat the oil in a wok or very large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan. Cook until the juices run clear. Add in the bell pepper and continue cooking until it’s tender.

2.    Mix the broth, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, cayenne pepper, ginger, and cornstarch together in a bowl. Pour over the meat and bell pepper in the pan. Reserve some green onions and cilantro to use as a garnish. Toss the remainder into the skillet. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes. Sauce will thicken slightly.

3.    Mix peanuts in with reserved cilantro and green onions. Serve on top of mixture.

NOTES

• You can replace the peanuts and cornstarch with ¾ c. chunky peanut butter.
• This recipe is versatile. You can add in other vegetables such as squash, zucchini, broccoli, etc. 
• Spice it up using pepper flakes or whole peppers.
• We like to throw in some cashews with peanuts.