A tasty recipe for Thai Style Chicken and Asparagus is perfect for family dinner.

Thai food ain’t about simplicity. It’s about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord it’s got to have a smooth surface but it doesn’t matter what’s happening underneath. Simplicity isn’t the dictum here, at all. Some westerners think it’s a jumble of flavors but to a Thai that’s important, it’s the complexity they delight in.

David Thompson, expert of Thai cuisine.

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I would not call Thai cuisine too complicated. It is really all about the love that you put in any dish, however, I do agree that the complexity of flavors is like music to the ear.

Thailand’s culinary traditions and mixed cuisines from close neighbors have influenced their dishes for many centuries.

If you cannot visit Thailand then you have to allow yourself to experience it through the food of their extraordinary cuisine.

I said it before, and I will acknowledge that fact again that I love Thai’s fresh and balanced combination of flavors that can pull one dish together, as Mr. Thompson said: “to create a harmonious finish.”

As a result, since many of you liked my Thai Chicken with Lettuce, I decided to prepare one more chicken recipe that inspired me by Thai cuisine.

CHECK OUT MORE RECIPES WITH CHICKEN

I would say that this could be easily made with beef or pork too. The recipe is very simple and flavors are well balanced- it’s not overly spicy and has just a hint of sweet and sour. I hope you will enjoy it! 

If you make my amazing recipe for Thai Chicken and Asparagus please tag me on Instagram @SandrasEasyCooking using the hashtag #sandraseasycooking or you can send me an email or DM.

Yield: Serves 4

Thai Chicken and Asparagus

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A tasty recipe for Thai Style Chicken and Asparagus

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. Coconut Oil (suggestions: Palm, Sunflower, Peanut Oil est.)
• 2 cloves of Garlic, minced
• ¼ Red Hot Chili Pepper, minced, more if you like spicy
• 2 Scallions, chopped
• 1 pound (1 cup to 1 ½ cups) Chicken Breast, or any other lean meat, cut into strips
• 8-10 Asparagus, blanched and sliced
• Juice of 1/2 Lime or Lemon
• ½ Cup Cilantro or Thai Basil

Condiments for the sauce:

• 1 tsp. Soy sauce (lite) +2 Tbs. Water
• ½ tsp. Oyster Sauce
• ½ tsp. Fish sauce
• 1/3 Tbs. Sugar (brown sugar or palm sugar)

Instructions

1. Boil few cups of water and drop in asparagus for less than a minute. Put the Asparagus under cold water and Set aside.
2. In a meanwhile put the coconut oil in the wok or frying pan and let it get just a bit warm, not smoky hot, put in the wok crushed-minced garlic, chopped scallions and sliced or minced red hot chili peppers.
3. Stir for a minute or so and do not let it burn, turn down the heat on low.
4. Put in the chicken strips or cubes and turn them few times until it's cooked through; Chicken cooks fast, so you would need probably about 3-4 minutes on low temp on each side depending on how big your strips are. 
5. While chicken is cooking mix the sauce in separate bowl, because that is the seasoning that pulls the whole dish together; Soy sauce, Oyster sauce and Fish sauce-all three are very high in Sodium so taste and see how the whole mixture taste to you after you added sugar and water by adding 1/2 tsp over the dish, dip your spoon and taste. You can add more water that will evaporate if you think it's perhaps too strong for you. 
6. The last step is to cut blanched Asparagus and add it in the dish. 
7. At this point turn the heat on medium high, add sauce mixture- 1/2 tsp at the time and taste each time {It's like adding the salt to your meal, you always have to taste and see if you need little bit more} and add lemon or lime juice by squeezing it directly into the dish.
8. Add the fresh Cilantro or Thai Basil the last seconds of cooking.
9. Stir the whole dish together and serve over the rice OR you can stir cooked rice with the chicken mixture and serve it like that.
10. Garnish with bit of fresh chilies, scallions (green part) and lemon zest if desired!

Notes

• You can add raw peanuts.
• It works well with pork, beef or shrimps.
• In case of allergies omit the Oyster sauce and instead of the fish sauce, you can use soy sauce + splash of vinegar, to replicate both saltiness and acidity of the fish sauce OR you can add 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.
• For vegetarians, you can try using Tofu instead of the meat.

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Who loves Chinese Food? I can see many hands up waving at me. Let me ask you, how many times monthly do you go to get takeouts?

I hear ya! I am guilty as charged. I would go just to get my favorite dishes, especially when I was pregs and too lazy to cook. I love Chinese food, as much as Korean and Japanese.

We have Asian-influenced meals at least twice a week. I am fortunate enough that my family loves the flavors too.

Click Here for more tasty Asian Influenced Meals

Broccoli and Pork Tenderloin Stir Fry are so simple and easy that the only time consuming is preparing before cooking and that is even faster than getting food ready in a Chinese restaurant.

Hot and sour soup is one of the ultimate favorites I must have most of the time when I go. No matter how many times I made that soup at home, it was never the same as in the restaurant.

Of course, beef and pepper combo as well broccoli and beef with refried rice. Did I get your mouth to drool? I know! I am evil.

However, I was craving it badly the other day and did not have any beef; getting out of my PJs was not an option. It is my stay-at-home mom uniform, after all. So, I used pork tenderloin instead of beef. Smart, huh?!

Also the point, in my opinion, is in the meat marinade. If you get it right, you can use any meat you like, adjust the spiciness, thickness, sodium est.

That is the beauty of homemade. Trust me these pictures don’t do this dish justice. Now back to my video; It was as expected failed attempt, again!

Not so easy standing in front of the camera. I wrote little cheat notes, and COULD NOT read what it says. LOL! SMH!

It was hilarious to my kids, of course! At least someone found it amusing. I will just stick to writing down recipes for a while. Thank you very much!

Yield: SERVES 4 to 6

Broccoli and Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry

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Simple, delicious and quick weeknight dinner.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Marinade Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Oil (Canola, Vegetable, etc)
• 1 pound Pork Tenderloin (or any other meat would work fine too) cut into bite-size pieces or strips
• ½ Large Carrot julienne, cut into matchstick size
• 2 cloves of Garlic minced
• 1 Inch Fresh Ginger minced
• ¼ Onion chopped or sliced
• 2 Cups Fresh Broccoli, sliced into equal size side, then blanched
• 1 Red Pepper sliced into strips *optional
• 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
• ½ Tbsp Soy sauce Lite, if needed to taste
• Garnish:
• Toasted Sesame Seeds
• Meat Marinade:
• ½ Cup Soy Sauce Tamari to sub for GF option
• 1 Tbsp Chinese Rice Wine, or dry Sherry also Gin could be alternative-more info in the notes)
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• ½ tsp. Chili Sesame Oil, Sesame Oil for non-spicy option
• ½ Tbsp Corn Starch or Flour

Instructions

1. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and mix the marinade mixture. Pour over the meat, mix with your hand so all the pieces can get coded, and let it marinate for 15 minutes. Once the meat has been marinated enough preheat your wok or pan with oil.
2. Wash and blanched broccoli; blanching is a cooking process, when you boil water drop your vegetable in and let it stay for 50-60 seconds, take it off the heat, and run the cold water over this is called shocking. It will have a beautiful color, just a bit tender but still very crispy.
3. In a wok or pan with oil drop marinated meat and let it get nicely browned on both sides for a minute or two on medium heat.
4. Add minced garlic and ginger, and stir-fry with meat-don't let it burn; You must stir.
5. Add sliced onions, red peppers (optional), and julienne carrots; Stir for a minute. All the addition of vegetables is optional. You can add more or you can add only broccoli.
6. Add blanched broccoli and pour over oyster sauce (and soy sauce if needed), stir for a minute just to get the broccoli heated through again.
7. Serve it over or with Steamed rice or it could go well with egg noodles too.

Notes

·       I use red bell pepper because I love a pop of red color, but it does give you a bit of sweetness too. I stock peppers when they are on sale; wash, cut, and freeze them. Saving you time and money. My boys do not like cooked peppers or onions so most of the time as you can see in the pictures, I omit peppers and add onion powder.

·       If you cannot have Oyster sauce due to the Shellfish Allergies use Vegetarian Oyster Sauce which is made from Mushrooms.

·       Rice Wine Substitute:

·       Do: Dry Sherry is the most commonly recommended substitute for rice wine because not everybody can get rice wine. Dry Sherry is available in Liquor stores. It comes closest in flavor to Shaoxing rice wine, an amber-colored wine made with glutinous rice, wheat yeast, and spring water. Japanese Although different in flavor than Chinese wine, could be used as a substitute. For non-alcoholic marinade use, apple juice or white grape juice; acid from either will act as a tenderizer.

·       Don't: Use rice vinegar in the marinade. It is vinegar and not wine, therefore, you will end up with a slightly different flavor/taste.

FOR LOW CARB OPTION:

Use Cauliflower Rice or Shirataki Noodles

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Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups is a tasty, easy, and super simple recipe to make especially if you are looking for something lower in carbs.

Getting healthier, fitter, and energetic before my upcoming birthday. I usually never stick to my New Year Resolutions, most people I think do not but I wanted to change my sleeping habits, and I actually did.

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Just to mention a few changes, going in bed way before midnight, turning off everything and getting up with the roaster, around 5 am, stop eating before 6 pm, etc.

That is all part of changing my lifestyle. If your body is screaming for a change most definitely it should not be ignored.

So, back to this delicious recipe. This would make an amazing addition to your Superbowl menu. If your man starts to fuss “oh I do not wanna eat lettuce” just put the chicken in between the buns and I am sure he will love it (please, clear your naughty thoughts).

The flavor is spicy, bit sour from the lime, and a fantastic balance between each and every bite of this Thai Chicken.

I wish you could smell my kitchen now. Who needs an air freshener when we can cook a homemade meal because nothing smells better in my opinion?!

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If you make Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups please tag me on Instagram @SandrasEasyCooking using the hashtag #sandraseasycooking

Thank you so much for all your love and support!

Yield: 4 servings

Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups

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A tasty recipe for Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil plus 1/2 teaspoon more
• 2 chicken halves ( or 1 whole deboned chicken breast)
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 2 clove garlic very finely minced
• 1/2 fresh chili or jalapeno, minced
• 1 teaspoon Fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon Red Curry Paste
• 1/2 Lime juiced
• 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce lite
• Splash of water about 1/8 cup or 1 fl oz
• 1 lettuce head leaves washed and separated
• Cilantro or Thai basil less than a handful

Instructions

1. Heat the wok with the oil or use saute/fry pan and add the chicken strips.
2. Cook until the chicken is almost golden on the outside.
3. Add rest of the oil and put diced shallots, minced garlic, and chilies; stir fry for the next few minutes just to make them softer.
4. Meanwhile, mix in a small bowl soy sauce, fish sauce, red curry paste, and lime juice; Pour it in the wok/pan over a chicken a little bit at a time; Add just a splash of water, stir and let it cook for the next 2-3 minutes; cover until ready for serving.
5. Serve it in the lettuce as a wrap or on the salad, over rice, or even put in buns for a sandwich. Also, you could garnish it with extra red chili peppers or flakes and cilantro or Thai basil.

Notes

Like any seasoning, you should add to your taste and preferences. If you find it too salty you can certainly add a bit of water to adjust, but please when you mix together soy sauce, fish sauce, red curry paste pour a little bit at the time over the chicken and taste each time. That way you will truly reach what you like.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest