Garlic Butter Chicken Stir Fry Vietnamese Style

I've come to appreciate south east Asian stir fries, a little different from the Cantonese stir fries I grew up with.  They feature a balance of sweet, sour, savoury and spicy flavours with fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, chillies, and plenty of fresh herbs used.  Slithers of meat enter the wok without marination, with raw vegetables sometimes included for texture and freshness.  This tantalising Vietnamese style chicken stir fry cooked with garlic and a knob of butter for that umami flavour will not disappoint.  Enjoy with steamed rice.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 340g / 12 oz chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 30g / 1oz unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 red cayenne chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
• a combination of fresh mint, coriander and basil leaves, to serve
• 1-2 tablespoons fried shallots, to serve
• lime wedges, to serve

METHOD

1. Slice chicken breast with your knife slanting against the grain into thin bite size pieces. 
2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat until hot.  Add the chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until 80% cooked through. 
3. Reduce heat to medium.  Add the garlic and butter.  Mix to combine with the chicken and continue to stir fry for 1-2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Add the light soy sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, palm sugar, chopped chilli* and black pepper.  Toss the chicken to coat in the sauce and heat through.
5. Serve chicken with a combination of fresh herbs and lime wedges on the side.  Sprinkle on top with fried shallots.

*If you like your chopped chilli raw with a kick, sprinkle them on top of the chicken together with fried shallots before serving, instead of heating them up with the sauce in Step 4.