Thai Basil-Ginger Chicken

Prepare Your Ingredients
Wash and dry your produce.
Remove the thin string from the concave side of the sugar/snow peas.
Trim and discard the ends and then cut in half at an angle.
Thinly slice the red bell pepper and then cut strips in half.
Finely chop the shallot.
Mince 2 garlic cloves.
Cut off and discard the stem end of the eggplant and slice into ½" thick rounds (only use half if large).
Grate the ginger to make 1 Tbsp.
Roughly chop the basil to make about 2 Tbsp.
Cut the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces.

Cook the Rice
In a medium pot combine the rice, 1.5 cups water, 1 tsp. olive oil and a little salt; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat and set aside covered.

Cook the Eggplant
While the rice cooks, heat ½ Tbsp. olive oil in a large pan over medium-high until hot.
Add the eggplant, sugar/snow peas, and bell pepper, and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, tossing occasionally, 3 - 5 minutes, or until eggplant is softened and browned (add oil if pan dries).
Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger and cook stirring occasionally, 1 - 2 minutes (add oil if needed).
Transfer veggies to a plate.

Cook the Chicken
In the same pan you cooked the veggies, heat ½ Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high.
Place the chicken in the pan and cook 2 - 3 minutes per side.
When the chicken is just about done, add the cooked veggies back to the pan.
Next, mix in the ponzu sauce, sweet chili, 1 Tbsp. water, and ½ the basil leaves.
Mix to coat everything evenly and cook an additional 1 - 2 minutes.

Plating
Fluff the rice with a fork and divide evenly between your plates.
Place the veggies and chicken alongside the rice and drizzle any remaining sauce over the chicken.
Sprinkle remaining basil leaves over the chicken. Enjoy!