Thai-Style Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, divided
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro stems
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 whole star anise pods
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 3 Thai bird chiles, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 heads baby bok choy, chopped
• 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 lime
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 leaves Thai basil, chopped

Step 1

Combin the chicken broth, a tablespoon of ginger, cilantro stems, crushed garlic, and star anise pods in a small pot. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently.

Step 2

Meanwhile, bring some salted water to a boil in another pot. Add the jasmine rice, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Let it cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Step 3

Toss the chicken thighs with the curry paste so they're nicely coated.

Step 4

Heat some peanut oil in a wok or large skillet until it’s shimmering. Add the remaining tablespoon of ginger, chiles, shallot, and minced garlic. Cook them, stirring often, until they start to soften and get a little color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the chicken and stir-fry until it’s no longer pink, which should take around 3 to 4 minutes. Next, throw in the bok choy and shiitake mushrooms and cook everything together for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 5

Scoop about a cup of that simmering broth into a bowl and whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Pour this mixture back into the wok along with fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer until the sauce thickens, usually a minute or two. If it gets too thick, just add a splash more of the chicken broth. Finish by squeezing in some fresh lime juice to brighten it up.

Step 6

Serve the chicken and veggies over the jasmine rice, and sprinkle with fresh cilantro and Thai basil for a fragrant touch.