Spicy Cilantro Chicken with Peanuts

This dish is another easy go-to once you have all the ingredients as staples in your pantry. There are two different endings to this recipe, you can serve the sauce as is and the result is a thinner sauce or you can thicken it up with a cornstarch and water slurry. I think it really depends on what you are serving it with. If serving with rice, a thinner sauce is just fine, but if it's standing alone and next to a veggie then I like a thicker sauce. Decision is yours!

Spicy Cilantro Chicken with Peanuts

Ingredients

4 cups skinless, boneless, chicken breasts or thighs; cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic; crushed
2 Tbls soy sauce
1 Tbls rice vinegar
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbls brown sugar
1 cup fresh cilantro; chopped
1/3 cup peanuts; chopped

Optional:
1tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water

Directions

In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray or a tsp. of canola oil, cook chicken and crushed garlic over medium-high heat until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
Meanwhile in a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, fish sauce and red pepper flakes.
Add mixture to chicken. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Here is where you decide if you want the sauce to be thicker. If so, whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. When combined, whisk the slurry into the chicken and sauce and bring the sauce to a boil. You will instantly notice the sauce thicken. If you do not want a thicker sauce omit this step.

Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Sprinkle with peanuts!
This can be served with Chinese cabbage, brown rice, or couscous cakes, recipe to come!