Description
This Spicy Szechuan Chicken and Eggplant truly hits the spot! It’s a simple but elegant stir fry that’s easy to prepare but packed with flavor. Skip the Chinese takeout and make this healthy Asian chicken and eggplant stir-fry at home!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 pounds Chinese purple eggplant
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
- Salt & pepper
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sambal oelek (or 1 tablespoon jarred)
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper (or green), chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- Brown or white rice for serving
Instructions
- Cut the ends of the eggplant and slice on a diagonal into one inch pieces. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and cover pieces with water. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes until just soft but not mushy, checking on it after 1 minute. Remove from oven, drain and pat dry on paper towels. Set aside.
- To make the sauce: In a small bowl whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, tomato paste, sesame oil, sambal oelek, and brown sugar. Stir in cornstarch until dissolved. Set sauce aside.
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Cook chicken pieces in a large wok over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon canola oil until browned on both sides but not cooked through. Remove chicken from wok and set aside.
- Add eggplant slices to wok in a single layer and cook until crisp and light golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove eggplant from pan and set aside.
- Heat remaining tablespoon canola oil in the pan over high heat and add garlic and shallots. Cook until fragrant and translucent. Add in bell peppers and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add in green onions, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms and cook another 3 minutes. Stir in the sauce, eggplant, and chicken and cook until sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with extra green onions, and serve with a side of steamed rice.
Notes
- If you cannot find Chinese eggplants, you can use the standard variety as well.
- Dried sambal oelek can be purchased from RawSpiceBar.com. Jarred sambal oelek can be found at most grocery stores and specialty Asian markets.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 9.8 g
- Sodium: 725.6 mg
- Fat: 13.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.4 g
- Protein: 43.7 g
- Cholesterol: 124.1 mg
Keywords: Chicken And Eggplant, Asian Chicken & Eggplant,