Tamarind Chicken Stir-Fry
Published July 24, 2024
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 1pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾-inch pieces
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3tablespoons canola oil
- 1medium yellow onion, halved then thinly sliced
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- 1(2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
- 2medium heirloom, vine or beefsteak tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1½tablespoons tamarind concentrate (see Tip)
- 1teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2baby bok choy, roots trimmed, crisp stalks cut into 1-inch pieces and large leaves torn in half
- Fish sauce (optional)
- Scallions or cilantro (or a combination), coarsely chopped
- Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Toss chicken breast pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook until chicken is just cooked through, 3 minutes more. Remove to a plate and reserve.
- Step 2
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. When it shimmers, add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and cook until wilted and starting to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir until just tender, about 1 minute.
- Step 3
Add the tomatoes, tamarind concentrate, granulated sugar, red pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook, tossing, until the tomatoes are broken down and saucy, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Step 4
Add the green beans and toss for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy, chicken and any accumulated juices and toss until the chicken is coated and the bok choy leaves have wilted, about 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt or fish sauce, if using.
- Step 5
Turn off the heat and let mixture rest and allow flavors to meld, 5 minutes. Garnish with scallions or cilantro and serve with rice.
Tip
- Tamarind concentrate is fruit that has been simmered, softened and strained into a syrup-like consistency. You can find tamarind concentrate at your local South Asian grocer or online.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Amy
When does this ever happen: a new recipe is published and I have all the ingredients on hand - including a brick of tamarind paste and backyard tomatoes. I made it exactly as written and it was easy and delicious. Didn’t add fish sauce as it was plenty salty already for our taste. It was absolutely delicious.
Cait R.
I chose this recipe because I’m doing an elimination diet and can’t eat many tasty ingredients. This promised a lot of flavor with no allergens! I used a can of tomatoes, snap peas and cabbage. It was surprisingly good with 1 tsp of fish sauce added in at the end. Not sure this will be in the regular rotation after the diet, but right now it’s amazing.
Tom 190
Definitely a keeper going into regular rotation. Packs a lot of flavor for not much cooking time. Since the tomatoes weren’t as sweet as usual, it was necessary to increase the sugar. It is necessary to taste test. A wonderful recipe that adapts to other vegetables substituted for lacking green beans, to no red pepper, or a bit more red pepper to taste. Also scales up easily, as long as your pan is big enough. Everybody loved it!
mdj
This is very good. I made it but found it needed a "zip". Added chili crisp as a condiment and then it was awesome!
chelsea
Tamarind paste instead. Need 3x amount when subbing for concentrate
Marianne
Totally bland and not worth cooking. Nothing worthwhile here.
Mafianne
Bland and awful
Pamela
Fun to make and tasty. However, after eating it, I felt as though I’d had quite a bit of sour ingredients. Probably the tamarind and tomato. My digestive system wasn’t in the greatest shape the next day. Be forewarned.
katie
Used tamarind sauce purchased at Whole Foods. Worked. Super happy with this recipe.
Nolan
A bit bland, but not offensive.
PatC
Excellent flavor—a nice addition to the usual stir fry’s. But why load it up w sodium? 2 tsp of kosher salt yields over 600 mg of sodium on its own if the recipe is four servings. I added 1 tsp and the taste was good. Additionally fish sauce is also very high in sodium with Red Boat having 634 mg per tablespoon. I wish the NYT would make an effort to reduce sodium in its recipes. Sam—are you listening?
dd
I made this fairly close to the recipe directions and we loved it. I did omit the sugar and double the red pepper flakes. Will definitely prepare again, is healthy, fresh and the vegetables are great.
mdj
This is very good. I made it but found it needed a "zip". Added chili crisp as a condiment and then it was awesome!
Tom R.
A local store actually has fresh tamarind in stock. How much should I use in place of the tamarind concentrate?
Amy
When does this ever happen: a new recipe is published and I have all the ingredients on hand - including a brick of tamarind paste and backyard tomatoes. I made it exactly as written and it was easy and delicious. Didn’t add fish sauce as it was plenty salty already for our taste. It was absolutely delicious.
Phil S
Utterly bland. Another in “flavors are scary for white people” category. Nearly flavorless. Maybe a half cup of salt would save it; a half gallon of sriracha didn’t.
Tom 190
Definitely a keeper going into regular rotation. Packs a lot of flavor for not much cooking time. Since the tomatoes weren’t as sweet as usual, it was necessary to increase the sugar. It is necessary to taste test. A wonderful recipe that adapts to other vegetables substituted for lacking green beans, to no red pepper, or a bit more red pepper to taste. Also scales up easily, as long as your pan is big enough. Everybody loved it!
Cait R.
I chose this recipe because I’m doing an elimination diet and can’t eat many tasty ingredients. This promised a lot of flavor with no allergens! I used a can of tomatoes, snap peas and cabbage. It was surprisingly good with 1 tsp of fish sauce added in at the end. Not sure this will be in the regular rotation after the diet, but right now it’s amazing.
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