Chicken and Rice Stir-Fry with Fresh Orange, Dried Cherries, and Pecans
By: Pamela Steed Hill
Published: Friday, December 16, 2011 - 10:36am

Ingredients




For the Sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ground chile paste (such as Sambal Oelek)
2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
For the Chicken and Rice Stir-Fry
1 tbsp peanut oil
2/3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked white rice
1 naval orange, peel and pith removed, sections sliced in half crosswise
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup broken pecan pieces
cilantro leaves, for serving

Preparation

1 Whisk the soy sauce, chicken broth, vinegar, sugar, chile paste, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside. 2 Whisk the cornstarch and water in another small bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside. 3 Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry 20-30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture and simmer 3 minutes. (Reduce the heat if the mixture comes to a hard boil.) 4 Re-whisk the cornstarch mixture and add to the wok. Stir well until the sauce is slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Do not wipe out the wok. 5 Add the peanut oil to the wok over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the wok. Stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through, 4-5 minutes. 6 Add the rice and stir-fry until hot throughout, about 1 minute. 7 Re-whisk the sauce and add to the wok. Simmer 1 minute. 8 To serve, divide the chicken mixture among 4 plates or shallow bowls. Top each with the orange slices, cherries, and pecans. Scatter cilantro over all and serve right away.

About

This simple stir-fry of lean chicken breast and white rice is flavored with a sweet-and-sour, slightly spicy sauce. The fruit and pecans add extra flavor for a sweet, nutty finish. 
Note: Sesame oil is not generally recommended for stir-frying because of its low smoke-point. In this dish, it is used to flavor the sauce and to quickly (20-30 seconds) fry the garlic and ginger. Peanut oil—with a high smoke-point—is used for the main stir-fry.