Chexican Chicken Stir fry |Ever heard of Chexican food?

Chexican food is the fusion of Mexican and Chinese cuisine and this stir fry recipe seriously hits the tastebud spot. Hot, sticky, smokey, crispy – what’s not to like?! This is my first Chexican recipe.

Chexican food; the sweet and sharp of Chinese food combined with the seductive warmth of Mexican cuisine (think: smoky chipotles and fried okra).

I like to use deep-fried crispy chicken pieces to add some crunch and give the sauce something cuddle.

I’ve made this Chexican recipe with fish aswell as chicken and it works great with both. A rich Chinese stir fry sauce taken up a notch with the introduction of hot smoky chipotle paste – you’ve hit the Chexican jackpot!

I’ve been lucky enough to have a good Mexican friend of mine cook me some amazing and utterly authentic Mexican food and I’ve come to appreciate the sheer breadth of Mexican cooking so much more. There are a ton of Mexican recipes that just don’t get the airtime as much as the ubiquitious fajitas or chilli con carne..

Equally I’ve travelled for a few months around China and there is a point where the two worlds of Mexican food and Chinese food collide in perfect harmony. And I think this is one of those rare collisions of flavour.

Chexican food = Mexican recipe combined with a Chinese recipe.

You’ll notice this isn’t just a Chinese chicken stir fry with chipotle paste added; it uses things like okra and radishes to really combine the two cuisines.

I should point out, albeit it is probably very obvious, I’m by no means an expert in either cuisine; but I know when something tastes good.

And this Chexican stir fry recipe does.

Chexican Chicken Stir Fry Recipe – as featured on BBC 3CR Weekend Kitchen Show with Nick Coffer

In fact it was on Nick’s radio show that my Chexican chicken stir fry was described as streetfood – I hadn’t really thought of it like that, but it really works as smash-n-grab streetfood recipe.

Especially if you make one of my no yeast flatbreads to wrap the Chexican chicken in would be delicious!

After I invented this recipe I started thinking about what to call it and suddenly came up with the name Chexican. I literally thought I had invented the gastronomic equivalent of the wheel!. Turns out if you search Google the word ‘Chexican’ has already been invented… who would have thought?

…if beer mats are the incubator of ideas, Google is the sobering morning-after cup of coffee..

The okra (ladies fingers) and chipotle paste are available in all supermarkets, but worse case you could try runner beans instead of okra but you really do need the chipotle paste..

Chexican Chicken Stir Fry Recipe.

Ingredients – how to make crispy fried chicken:

200g chicken breast (about 1 large)

3 tbl plain flour

3 tbl corn flour

1 tbl sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbl dried chilli flakes

1 tsp milk

Vegetable for frying

Ingredients – Chexican sauce

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbl honey

1 tbl soy sauce (preferably half light, half dark)

1/2 tbl sesame oil

1 tbl shaohsing rice wine (or sherry)

1 tbl rice wine vinegar (or regular vinegar)

1 tbl tomato puree

2 tbl chipotle paste (taste as some are hotter than others!)

Ingredients – other:

8 okra (ladies fingers) sliced 2 inch intervals

1 large clove garlic chopped

1 inch ginger finely chopped

Fresh coriander to garnish

Slices of radish to garnish

2-3 whole dried chillies (optional)

2 tbl olive oil

Method:

1. Chicken; cut chicken into 2 inch cubes and mix with milk. Mix all other ingredients for chicken together in a bowl (or a zip lock bag) and coat chicken thoroughly. Once coated, fry chicken in medium hot oil until golden on both sides (I add enough oil to a frying pan to cover half the chicken once added, fry for 4 minutes and turn).
2. You know when the oil is hot enough by dropping a pinch of the flour into the oil and it should sizzle immediately but not burn (about 180c). Place the chicken on a paper towel once cooked.
3. Now make the sauce – Add all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Reserve.
4. Pour away the vegetable oil and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and on a low/medium heat fry the whole dried chilli’s (if using) for a few minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger and okra and fry for a 4-5 minutes until fragrant (don’t burn the garlic).
5. Now add the sauce and stir thoroughly to combine with the garlic, ginger and oil, then add the fried chicken into the pan and coat in the sauce.
6. Pour onto a serving dish and garnish with chopped fresh coriander and slithers of radish, serve with rice.

Goes well with your new membership to the Chexican food movement… you heard it here first…well, almost first…