A Uniquely Flavorful Blend of Spices, Peppers, Orange and Lime

By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press

Caribbean Chicken Stir Fry | Dara O’Brien

Sometimes you have to get past certain assumptions if you want to make a change. It’s true in just about every aspect of your life, including what you will and will not eat.

For example, at various times I have made the assumptions that I was allergic to mayonnaise, that avocados would have an unpleasant taste, that I wouldn’t like Thai food, and that salmon was yucky. Wrong on all counts.

I had my notions about fruit, too. It could be eaten plain as a snack, used for baking or beverages, mixed with cereal or pancakes, or squirted on seafood. But for the most part, fruits were not to combined with other ingredients. In other words, you don’t cook with fruit.

Yeah. Well.

Now I’m learning the myriad ways fruit can brighten up a meal—like chicken thighs roasted with grapes, pork chops sautéed with apples, or cabbage stir-fried with fragrant spices and fresh lemon juice. I’ve even tasted and enjoyed mango salad. Booyah!

So I was ready and eager to try Angela Shelf Medearis’s recipe for Caribbean Chicken Stir-fry, which features lime and orange, from her book “The New African-American Kitchen” published by Lake Isle Press,

I totally enjoyed this meal, as did my tasters, and the little bit I had leftover was just as good the next day. It has a unique and quite marvelous balance of flavors: chicken seasoned by a blend of hot peppers and citrus deepened by ginger and coriander. Spicy, yes, but it didn’t set my lips on fire.

Angela’s recipe features Pickapeppa Sauce, a Jamaican condiment that I’d never heard of. It has the consistency of Worcestershire, but it’s a little fruitier, and it packs some heat. (I couldn’t find it in stores, so I ordered a bottle on Amazon.) In days gone by I would have assumed it was too hot and hesitated to try it, but after getting past the fruit thing and mastering chili sauce, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and Sriracha, I thought I could handle it.

There are a lot of ingredients to assemble in this recipe, but once you’ve done the prep you’re close to finished. I made a minor adjustment and used chicken thighs rather than chicken breasts, otherwise stayed true to the recipe. I had never julienned scallions, but the recipe calls for cutting them lengthwise so I did; they looked so pretty before they were cooked, next time I make this I might hold off adding them until I return the chicken to the pot, so they retain a little more of their raw texture.

I chose this recipe because of the mix of spices and fresh juices; the introduction to Pickapeppa Sauce was an unexpected bonus. More proof that getting past old assumptions can lead to good things.

Caribbean Chicken Stir-Fry

Click here for printable recipe.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
4 (5-ounce) boneless and skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of all visible fat
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Grated zest 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 scallions, trimmed, leaving 2 inches green, cut lengthwise into strips
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned
1 tablespoon minced ginger
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons Caribbean-style Pickapeppa sauce
¼ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

PREPARATION

Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips. In a large bowl, combine the coriander, ginger, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and lime zest. Add chicken strips and toss to evenly coat. Set aside for 15 minutes.
In a wok or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat, heat ½ tablespoon of the oil. When hot add onion, garlic, scallions, bell pepper, and minced ginger. Stir fry 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a small bowl.
Add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil to the wok and place over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken breast strips and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, lime juice, cornstarch, Pickapeppa sauce, allspice, and nutmeg. Return the vegetables to the wok and stir in the sauce. Continue stir-frying for another minute or 2 until the sauce has thickened. Serve hot, over a bed of rice.