Tamarind & Lemongrass Chicken
- 15m Prep Time
- 10m Cook Time
- 1h 0mReady In
A simple stir-fry with lemongrass, garlic, and chili, balanced by tamarind's sourness and fish sauce's saltiness. Ground coriander adds warmth, and the sauce reduces to a sticky glaze.
Ingredients
- 2 lemongrass
- 3 clove garlic
- 1 1/10 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 red pepper deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 8 of 11 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 221 mg
- Iron: 5.61 mg
- Magnesium: 83.8 mg
- Phosphorus: 401 mg
- Potassium: 1009 mg
- Zinc: 3.66 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2 lemongrass
- 3 clove garlic
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
Prepare
- 1 1/10 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Remove the tough outer leaves from the lemongrass stalks and cut off the ends. Starting at the fatter end, slice each stalk into rings until you no longer see purple bands; discard the remaining tough part. Place the lemongrass slices and garlic cloves in a mini food processor and grind to a smooth paste.
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Step 2.
Transfer the lemongrass-garlic paste to a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken pieces, chilli flakes, ground coriander, sugar, and fish sauce. Mix until the chicken is well coated, then cover and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator if time allows.
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Step 3.
While the chicken marinates, combine the tamarind paste with 100ml (3½ fl oz / 1/3 cup) water in a small bowl and mix well. Let it stand for 5 minutes until the paste dissolves, then remove any lumps.
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Step 4.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok over high heat until smoking. Add the marinated chicken and red pepper pieces, and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the chicken starts to turn golden brown.
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Step 5.
Pour the tamarind water and soy sauce into the wok. Continue stir-frying for another 3–4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender, and the sauce has reduced to a sticky glaze. Serve immediately.