Chicken with Papaya

The first thing I do to settle into a new place is start cooking.  Creating something beautiful in the kitchen helps me feel at home while nourishing each of my senses.  Using the cookbook that my kindergarten teacher gave us for a wedding gift, this is what I made for supper earlier this week using our lovely local ingredients:

Chicken with Papaya

from "Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook" (1989 edition)

1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (I use lime peel)

1/3 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons grated gingerroot (I double this amount)

2 whole medium chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds total), skinned and boned

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 cup thinly bias-sliced celery 

1 small papaya, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into bit-size pieces (1 cup)

1/2 cup macadamia nuts or toasted blanched whole almonds 

2 cups hot cooked rice

For marinade, in a bowl stir together orange (lime) peel, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, and gingerroot.  Rinse chicken; pat dry.  Cut into 1-inch pieces.  Add chicken to marinade, stirring to coat.  Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

 Drain chicken, reserving marinade.  Combine cornstarch and reserved marinade.  Set aside.  Preheat a wok or large skillet over high heat; add cooking oil.  (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.)  Stir-fry celery (which is hard to find and expensive here, so I don't use it) in hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes or till crisp tender.  Remove celery from the wok or skillet.  

Add chicken to the wok or skillet; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or till no longer pink.  Push chicken from the center of the wok or skillet.  Stir marinade mixture; add to center of the wok or skillet.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  (I like more sauce, so I double the ingredients.)  Return celery to the wok or skillet; add papaya.  Stir to coat well.  Cook, covered, about 1 minute or till heated through.  Stir in nuts (we use our favorite local nuts, havu, or ngali nuts).  Serve with hot cooked rice.  Makes 4 (generous) servings.