Stir-Fried Chicken Breast With Red Bell Peppers And Snow Peas - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 lb snow peas, trimmed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 slices orange zest, each about 3 inches long
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, quartered, stemmed, seeded, and cut crosswise into thin strips
1 (5 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons bottled teriyaki sauce or 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon asian-style toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups steamed white rice

Preparation

Bring a medium-size saucepan full of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and water. When the pot of water reaches a boil, add a teaspoon of salt. Add the snow peas and cook 15 seconds, then remove from the boiling water using a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water. Allow the peas to sit in the ice water for a few minutes, then drain.
Heat a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add the peanut oil. As soon as it is hot enough to swirl easily around the wok, season the chicken strips with salt and pepper to taste, add them to the wok, and cook, stirring continuously, for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, garlic, orange zest, onion, bell pepper, water chestnuts, and ginger, and continue to stir-fry for 3 minutes more. Add the snow peas, teriyaki or hoisin sauce, optional hot red pepper flakes, and sesame oil. Continue to stir and toss the ingredients until they are evenly coated with the sauce and the snow peas are hot and tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more. Sprinkle on the cilantro and serve hot over steamed rice.