Chicken with Lemon Grass and Chili (Ga Xao Xa Ot)

Ingredients

• 1 pound boned, skinned chicken thighs
• 2 stalks fresh lemon grass (each 10 to 12 in. long)
• About 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon salad oil
• 1/2 cup sliced shallots
• 1/3 cup fat-skimmed chicken broth
• 3/4 to 2 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh hot red or green chili, such as Thai, serrano, jalapeño, or Fresno
• Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Preparation

1. 1. Rinse chicken thighs and pat dry. Remove and discard any excess fat. Cut chicken into 1/4-inch-thick strips 2 to 3 inches long.
2. 2. Rinse lemon grass. Cut off and discard tough tops and root ends; peel off and discard tough, outer green layers of stalks down to tender white portion of bulbs. Finely chop tender portions; you should have 5 to 7 tablespoons.
3. 3. In a bowl, mix chicken, lemon grass, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, sugar, and garlic.
4. 4. Set a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat; when hot, add oil and shallots and stir until shallots begin to brown, about 1 minute. Add chicken mixture and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 3 minutes.
5. 5. Stir in broth and sliced chili to taste; bring mixture to a boil. Taste, and add more fish sauce if desired. Spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with cilantro.