Lemongrass Chicken

Lemongrass Chicken
Serve with a fresh green salad with radishes and vinaigrette dressing.

Servings: 4

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass (about 1-2 stalks)* or use 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Wash and dry the chicken and trim off any excess fat. Cut the chicken breast across the grain on the diagonal into 1/8-inch strips. Combine the chicken, honey, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce in a bowl and stir to mix. Let marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.

Trim the green leaves and root end off the lemongrass stalk and strip off the outside leaves leaving a light colored core 4 to 5 inches long and 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Mince the core finely: You'll need about 2 tablespoons.

Heat wok over high heat and swirl in the oil. Add the garlic and lemongrass and stir-fry until fragrant but not brown, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until the pieces turn white, about 1 minute. Move the chicken to the sides of the wok and add the onion to the center. Stir-fry until the onion about 1 minute. Mix the chicken back in the center of the wok, add the remaining fish sauce and continue stir-frying until the chicken is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Correct the seasoning if needed, adding honey or fish sauce to taste. The dish should have a slightly sweet and salty taste. Sprinkle the chicken with chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve at once.

*Can be found at Asian Markets.

Per Serving: 252 Calories; 7g Fat (25.0% calories from fat); 1g Saturated Fat; 33g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 84mg Cholesterol; 95mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.