CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH BASIL AND MINT

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CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH BASIL AND MINT

This chicken stir-fry with basil and mint was the happy result of some poor meal planning. There's hardly any prep involved, making it a winner for evenings when you're pressed for time.


Chicken stir-fry with mint and basil


I would like to claim that I'm organized in the kitchen and have the week's meals planned in advance, but that would be untrue. Most evenings I stare despairingly at the contents of my fridge and complain we have nothing to eat, much in the same way I stare despairingly at my clothes and complain I have nothing to wear. 

 More often than not, I write a list before I go to the supermarket and either forget the list at home or forget to buy things on the list. I end up impulse-buying and come home with ingredients that would be great in a meal if only I had all the other ingredients for that meal - just like when I buy fabulous shoes that don't match any of my outfits.  

 All of this means I have to improvise, chuck a few things together and hope for the best. And sometimes, miraculously, it works (I'm talking about meals, not outfits). This meal was one that worked. I had bought some lovely fresh herbs from the market, but when I got home, realized I didn't have any tomatoes or mozzarella to go with the basil, and not much else to go with the mint. 

 So I ended up making this chicken stir-fry with basil and mint with the ingredients I did have, and it turned out to be delicious. The mint combines well with the peppery-sweetness of the basil and adds an unexpected zing to the stir-fry. I used unsalted cashew nuts, but next time I think I'll use peanuts for a richer flavour. 

 That is, if I can stick to my shopping list and remember to buy them. 

CHICKEN STIRY-FRY WITH BASIL AND MINT

Ingredients (serves 4)

 4 skinless, boneless chicken fillets, sliced into strips
1 red onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
12g mint
12g basil
100g unsalted cashew nuts (or peanuts)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
Pinch of chili powder (or more, to taste)
Salt & pepper to taste

 1) Heat some olive oil in a pan and gently fry the garlic and onion on a low heat until softened. 
2) Increase the heat to medium-high, add the chicken strips and cook until sealed. 
3) Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper and sugar and stir well, making sure all the chicken strips are coated. 
4) Add the cashew nuts and chili powder, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through. 
5) Add the fresh basil and mint leaves and stir all the ingredients together. 
6) Remove from heat and leave to stand for a couple of minutes before serving with white rice.

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