and the chicken comes out nice and tender!
- mixed veggies of your choice
[I used broccoli, carrots and sugar snap peas]
[I used broccoli, carrots and sugar snap peas]
- clove of garlic or garlic powder
- 2 packets instant tomato soup powder or 1 can
tomato soup
- 2 Tbs. soy sauce
- 2 Tbs. white vinegar
- olive oil
- 4 servings of white rice
(as desired)
(as desired)
1. Start the rice cooking.
2. Cut and rinse the veggies, and set them aside in
a strainer.
3. Cut the chicken breasts into strips [skip this
step if using fillets/pieces]
4. Heat a wok or large frying pan (12”) over high
heat. Add a splash of olive oil to
coat the pan and stir-fry the chicken until browned (chicken strips should turn
white but not be thoroughly cooked yet).
Remove from the pan.
5. Add another splash of olive oil and the
garlic/garlic powder for about 30 seconds. Stir-fry the vegetables until their color becomes vibrant
and they just start to become tender [be careful as the pan is already very hot
and will splatter]. Remove to the
strainer.
6. Prepare the instant soup and bring to a boil in
the pan with the soy sauce and vinegar.
Add the chicken and boil until fully cooked [about 10 minutes]. Mix in the vegetables and cook for
about a minute more.
7. Serve over the rice.
[Serves 4]
o There will be a bit of excess sauce, which is best poured over the rice.
o This recipe keeps
reasonably well. Since this recipe serves 4 rather than my usual two, you
can pack the rice and chicken/veggies separately and refrigerate for
about three days for reuse.
o Methodology:
- Browning the chicken first helps lock in the
moisture before boiling, which is what keeps it tender. And removing it from the heat while you
cook the veggies allows some of the fat and oil to collect and be poured out.
- You should always remove the excess water and
let veggies dry in a strainer after rinsing for best stir-fry results.
- Heat the wok/pan before adding the oil. This helps keep the meat/veggies from sticking and allows the seasonings to flavor the oil.
Variations:
o Use
your favorite stir-fry vegetables, but I would suggest adding white onions and Chinese
mushrooms to these.
o For
a super-quick, super-easy version, use a bag of frozen veggies and a packet of
pre-cooked chicken strips. Frozen
veggies taste relatively OK when they’re pan fried rather than boiled or cooked
in the microwave. Also, experts
say that frozen veggies pack just as many nutrients since they are typically
frozen fresh.
Recipe adapted from Campbell's Kitchen: Tomato Chicken Stir-Fry here.
*update*
ReplyDeletejust had this for a 2nd time last night and my man and I came to a nearly simultaneous conclusion: it needs cashews! Thus, while I have not tested it yet, I strongly recommend throwing some cashews into the sauce when you add the chicken.
he also thinks that the rice should be mixed into the final step like a fried rice dish, but I prefer the "cleaner" finish of the original. but that decision, of course, is up to you...