THAI CHICKEN WITH BASIL

There is a great kitchen store near where I live that gives free cooking classes twice a week. I have gotten some wonderful recipes from those classes!  The woman who teaches the classes, co-owner of the store, is just as good as the Food Network stars, so it is entertaining as well. And of course, the samples are the highlight of the class! After a recent class, I went home and made this. It may look like a lot of instructions but really is not a difficult dish to prepare and the results were quite impressive! Definitely a keeper recipe!.

THAI CHICKEN WITH BASIL

NOTE:  Since tolerance for spiciness can vary, the heat in this recipe has been reduced as Thai chiles are extremely hot. Sweetness without sufficient heat can be cloying, so the sugar has also been cut back.  For a milder version of the dish, remove the seeds and ribs from the thai chiles. To make it even milder, use half the amount of chiles.  If fresh Thai chiles are unavailable, substitute 2 serranos (VERY hot, like the Thai chiles) or 1 medium jalapeno for medium heat or 1/2 jalapeno/cleaned out for a mild dish. Be sure to wear protective gloves when handling hot chiles.  Know your heat tolerance before choosing the chiles!

In Thailand, crushed red pepper and sugar are passed at the table, along with extra fish sauce and white vinegar, so the dish can be adjusted to suit individual tastes. Serve with steamed rice (short grain or "sticky rice" is best).


INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed, divided

3 medium garlic cloves

6 green or red Thai chiles, stemmed (see note above regarding heat level)

2 Tbsp fish sauce, divided

1 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp white vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast, cut in 2-inch pieces

3 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced (abt 3/4 cup)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Red pepper flakes, for serving (along with small bowls of extra sugar, fish sauce, and vinegar)


INSTRUCTIONS:


In food processor, process 1 cup of basil, the garlic and chiles until finely chopped, 6-10 one-second pulses, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once during processing.  Transfer 1 Tbsp of this basil mixture to a small bowl and stir in ONE Tbsp of the fish sauce, the oyster sauce, vinegar and sugar, set aside. Transfer remaining basil mixture to a 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet.  Do not wash the food processor bowl.

1. In food processor, pulse the chicken and ONE Tbsp fish sauce until meat is chopped into approximately 1/4-inch pieces, 6-8 one-second pulses (chicken should be very small but NOT ground).  Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate, covered, for about 15 minutes.
2. Stir shallots and oil into basil mixture in skillet.  Heat over medium-low heat (mixture should start to sizzle after about 1-1/2 minutes, if it doesn’t, adjust the heat), stirring constantly until shallots and garlic are golden brown, 5-8 minutes.
3. Add chicken to skillet, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring and breaking up chicken with a silicone spatula {Meli says; my favorite new, how-did-I-ever-cook-without-it utensil!} until only traces of pink remain, 2-4 minutes.  Add reserved basil-fish sauce mixture and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 minute.  Stir in remaining cup of basil leaves (which you have rolled and sliced), and cook, stirring constantly, until basil is wilted, 30-60 seconds.  
4. Serve immediately with a side dish of rice and small bowls of pepper flakes, sugar, fish sauce, and white vinegar.