Kumquat Chicken

This sweet and savory dish tastes every bit as succulent as it looks. Sweet-and-sour kumquats pair perfectly with hoisin sauce and sesames seeds for a delectable sauce that offsets the chicken perfectly and goes beautifully over steamed rice. For extra flavor, swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs.

Ingredients:

20 oz. chicken breasts, cut into ¼” thick slices

3 Tbsp. canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

6 kumquats, thinly sliced

½ tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

2 green onions, thinly sliced

For the marinade:

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. ground Szechuan pepper

¼ tsp. salt

For the sauce:

2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. corn starch

¼ cup water

Directions:

  • Marinate chicken in soy sauce, Szechuan pepper, and salt for 20 minutes.
  • Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Pre-heat wok or large frying pan. Add 2 tablespoon of oil. Place chicken in a single layer in pan. Fry until golden brown and cooked through (3-4 minutes each side).
  • Arrange cooked chicken on plate and cool, then slice into ½” strips. Cover with aluminum.
  • Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in wok or small saucepan. Sauté minced garlic 20 seconds. Pour in sauce mixture (the sauce will become thick and bubbly very quickly).
  • Stir in sliced kumquats and immediately turn off heat. Add sesame oil.
  • Pour sauce over cooked chicken. Sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onions on the top. Serve immediately with steamed rice.