Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

Today we're going to talk about chicken stir-fry. Because it's really yummy. And also because I always used to mess it up, but now I have discovered how to make stir-fry without overcooking the chicken.

Here's my staple chicken stir-fry recipe with a photo tutorial. Because pictures make everything easier. :D

Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

 

 

Ingredients:
(serves 3-4)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
3 TBSP cornstarch
3 TBSP soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 TBSP olive oil (or your oil of choice...coconut oil or stir-fry oil would be my other choices)
2 cups broccoli florets (approximately 2 heads of fresh broccoli, cut into florets)
1 red bell pepper, cut into slices
1/2 cup to 1 cup sliced carrots
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1 cup chicken broth (if you don't have chicken broth on hand, you can use 1 cup water and 1 tsp chicken bullion).
Soy Sauce to taste
Peanut Sauce to taste (optional, but highly recommended!!!)
Rice (for serving the stir-fry over)

NOTE: You can really use whatever combination of veggies you like for this recipe. In a time crunch, I've used a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies before. 

First, cut your chicken breasts into strips. Then place them in a ziploc bag and sprinkle the corn starch over them. Seal the bag and toss to coat. In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, ground ginger, and garlic powder. Pour it over the coated chicken. Then place bag in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.

The next step is to cook your rice. Turn on that rice cooker!

I heart my rice cooker.

Now, take some time to chop up your veggies. If you're using frozen veggies, you get to skip this step. :D

Aren't they purdy?

Now, heat 2 TBSP of oil in your skillet/wok (making it in a wok would make you feel very sophisticated, I think). Then plop the marinated chicken in. Stir-fry the chicken until it is no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. That's the trick--it doesn't need much longer than that!

Place the cooked chicken in a bowl (I cover the bowl with a plate to keep the chicken warm).

Now heat the rest of the oil in the skillet and stir-fry your veggies for 4-5 minutes, or until tender, but still crisp.

Tip: When using fresh broccoli, I steam it in the microwave for a couple of minutes prior to tossing it in the pan. Otherwise it seems to take too long to get tender, while the other veggies turn to mush.

When the veggies have reached the desired tenderness, add the chicken and the chicken broth. Cook until everything is hot and the mixture thickens a bit (this doesn't take very long).

At this point, I add a little more soy sauce and peanut sauce to taste.

Peanut sauce, you say? Yes, peanut sauce. It's fabulous. Don't worry, they sell this stuff at Publix. It gives the dish a kick (go easy if you're easily intimidated by hot spicyness!) and really wonderful flavor. 

And you're done! Serve over rice. :)

Here is the printable version. :)

Linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Delicious Dishes, and Tuesdays at The Table.

Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry