Ingredients

Let’s Cook!

• 1
  Trim any gristle or excess fat off of the chicken, then cut into small bite-sized pieces. Toss the chicken pieces with the baking soda. Ensure all the pieces are coated, then set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature.
  
• 2
  Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until they are smooth.
  
• 3
  Chop the onion and red bell pepper, then slice the Japanese eggplants. The eggplant slices should be about 1/2 inch thick.
  
• 4
  Rinse the chicken well to remove the baking soda. Transfer the chicken to a dish lined with paper towels. Pat the chicken as dry as possible.
  
• 5
  Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the eggplant slices for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover the pot and let steam for about 5 minutes until the eggplant is tender and slightly browned.
  
• 6
  While the eggplant is cooking, sauté the chicken in a separate pan. Fry the chicken in batches over medium heat so that the chicken cooks through completely and browns. Transfer the chicken to the pot with the eggplant.
  
• 7
  Sauté the onions and bell pepper over medium-low heat in olive oil until crisp-tender. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes longer.
  
• 8
  Transfer the onion/bell pepper mixture to the chicken/eggplant mixture. Then, pour the sauce over everything. Mix well and allow to simmer briefly (up to 2 minutes, stirring frequently) until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats everything evenly.
  
• 9
  Serve over rice, sprinkled with green onion, if desired. If you like things a little spicier, add some Chile-garlic sauce or some Sriracha. 🌶️