Chinese Jalapeno Chicken Recipe

This jalapeno chicken dish has been added to many Chinese buffets in recent years. This dish is sort of a combination of Chinese-American and Mexican cuisines—it consists of deep fried pieces of chicken tossed with a sauce and jalapeno peppers. The sauce is nothing more than a combination of soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. If you do not have a deep fryer the chicken can be cooked in the pan. If you are looking for a healthier alternative you can skip breading the chicken and stir-fry it in the pan.  The jalapeno peppers really add a good amount of heat to this dish and help to create an interesting flavor. Chinese jalapeno chicken goes great served with brown rice. If you want extra sauce for the rice you can double or triple the sauce ingredients. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch cubes)
¼ cup cornstarch
4 cups vegetable oil + 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 jalapeno peppers (sliced)
2 tablespoons sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a sealable plastic bowl or bag combine the chicken and cornstarch shake well until the chicken is evenly coated. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Heat 4 cups of vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees. Add the chicken and deep fry in batches until the chicken is crispy and fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees). Drain on paper towels.
Step 3: Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet. Add jalapenos and stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add chopped garlic, rice wine, soy sauce, jalapenos, and the chicken to the wok. Stir-fry for about a minute. Add the sugar and cook until the sauce has thickened and the mixture is heated through.
(Makes 2 Servings)