Recipe: Lemon Grass Chicken

Lemon Grass Chicken
Source: Barbara Hansen's Taste of Southeast Asia
Makes 4 servings

6 chicken thighs, boned, skinned (about 1 1/4 lbs trimmed meat)
2 lemon grass stalks, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chicken broth
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced fresh red chili or serrano chili or 1/4 tsp hot-pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
1/2 medium-size onion
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp minced ginger root
1 tsp minced garlic

Cut chicken into 1-inch square pieces. Place in a medium bowl. Stir in lemon grass, 2 Tbsp of the soy sauce, and salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or longer. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Combine chicken broth, remaining 2 Tbsp soy sauce, sugar, and chili in another small bowl; set aside.

Cut onion in half lengthwise; cut each piece into 4 wedges; separate layers.

Heat wok over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat.

Add minced onion, ginger root, and garlic; stir-fry 15 seconds. Do not burn. Increase heat.

Add chicken; stir-fry 2 minutes.

Add sliced onion; stir-fry 1 minute.

Add chicken broth mixture; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Stir cornstarch mixture to blend in cornstarch that has settled. Add to the chicken mixture; cook until sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Spoon onto a heated platter; serve at once.