Thai Chicken with Basil and Red Peppers

I love Thai cooking, especially meals like this which are simple to make and come together quickly. The first time I made this I was pleasantly surprised as to how easily the dish came together and how good it tasted even though I had to make do without some ingredients. I didn't have fish sauce, dark soy sauce, or peanut oil at the time so I made some potentially questionable substitutions and still loved the dish. The one thing you cannot skip is the basil. This dish revolves around basil and without it would lack a lot of flavor. Serve the dish over rice for a simple meal.

Recipe from Spark Recipes

2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes or strips
1 medium onion, cut into small wedges
1 red bell pepper, cut into small wedges
3 or 4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 or 2 hot chili peppers, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (you can sub regular soy sauce)
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (about 25 leaves)
peanut oil (you can sub a mild oil of you do not have peanut)

Heat about 1/2 or 3/4 tablespoon of oil in a large wok. When hot, add the bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another minute or 2. After this the pepper and onion should have softened slightly and look seared on the edges. Remove these from the wok and set aside.

Add 1/2 a tablespoon of oil to the wok, heat, and add the garlic. Once fragrant, which takes about 1 minute, add the chili peppers. Stir for another 30 seconds.Add the chicken to the wok and stir fry until the meat is opaque, which should take 1 to 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, and water. Continue stirring and cook another minute. Next mix in the brown sugar and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the pepper and onion back to the wok, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the basil and stir just until the basil wilts. Serve over rice and enjoy. Pin It Now!