Spicy Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry

Christmastime can be a bit overwhelming. 

 

When you come home from a long day at work and you have an even longer list of "Christmas to-do's" waiting for your attention, supper shouldn't be another overwhelming feat. 

Enter my crazy desire for stir-fry on Monday night and this recipe, and you can have supper on the table in about half an hour tonight!  

Now if I was being completely honest with you, I'd tell you that I was thrown for a complete loop when I saw "1/2 of a sour pickle" in the recipe. What??? Never in my life have I seen a stir-fry call for a pickle. And I've made a lot of stir-fries! But it actually added a nice, unique flavor to the dish, so don't leave it out unless you have a major gag reflex when you smell pickles. 

Plus, if I were you, I'd double the sauce for this recipe! (Meaning: 2 cups chicken broth, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 4 tsp. cornstarch, and 8 tsp. water.) I noticed that after it sat out for a little bit, the sauce kind of.....disappeared. And if you're like me, you like the sauce in stir-fry!! 

I hope your Thursday "Christmas to-do" list isn't too overwhelming!

Happy eating,

~HB~

Spicy Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry (adapted from Food Network Magazine, December 2012 issue)
1-1/2 C. Basmati Rice
1-1/2 lb. Green Beans, trimmed (you can use frozen if you don't have fresh)
3 T. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Sugar
2 C. cooked Chicken, diced
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 of a small Sour Pickle, finely chopped
2 tsp. Asian Chile Paste (You can substitute 1/2 - 3/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper)
1 C. Chicken Broth
2 T. Soy Sauce
1 T. Dry Sherry or non-seasoned Rice Vinegar
2 tsp. Cornstarch
4 tsp. Water

 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover and boil until tender, about 18 minutes; drain well and keep warm.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Toss the green beans, 1-1/2 T. oil, and the sugar on a rimmed baking sheet.

Broil, stirring once, until the beans are tender and charred, about 8 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1-1/2 T. oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and heat through. 

Add garlic, pickle, and chile paste and cook until the garlic is slightly golden, about 3 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, and soy sauce; stir. 

In a small bowl, whisk the water and cornstarch together to make a soupy paste. Pour into skillet and stir until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.

Stir in green beans and heat through. 

Serve over rice & dig in!