The Mooses’ Spicy Hot & Sweet Thai Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1¼ -1½ lbs. boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 medium sweet red pepper julienned, ¾ to 1 cup
  • 1 medium onion sliced into coarse strips, about 1 cup
  • 1 large stalk celery sliced at a sharp diagonal, ⅛ inch thick, about ½ cup
  • 2½ ounces bamboo shoots, matchstick strips half of a 5-ounce can, drained
  • 2 8-ounce cans pineapple chunks drained
  • 15-ounce can whole straw mushrooms
  • 6 ounces Thai sweet chili sauce
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • ⅓ cup cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons light olive oil
  • 1 heaping teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • 3 cups Jasmine rice cooked

Instructions

  1. Clean the red pepper and cut into ¼ x 2 inch strips. Slice up the onion similarly. Cut the celery at a sharp diagonal into ⅛-inch thick slices.
  2. Trim the chicken breasts and cut into ¾-inch pieces. Into a gallon-size zip-lock storage bag place cornstarch, salt and pepper, and shake to blend. Add the chicken, seal the bag and shake until all the chicken pieces are well coated.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the coated chicken pieces and sauté until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Toss in red pepper, onions and celery. Sauté an additional 5-7 minutes over high heat, continue stirring frequently.
  4. Stir in the mushroom and bamboo shoots. Add the chicken stock, and the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes. Mix in the pineapple chucks and sprinkle on the sesame seeds just before serving over the rice.