Chicken Stir-Fry

I've been making this recipe since I was about seventeen.  This is the first meal I ever made for a boyfriend.  It varies a little every time but in the end the results are the same, the plates are empty and the diners are happy.

The options for variation are nearly endless.  What I'm posting here is the base recipe and the most common incarnation that graces our dinner table.  You can absolutely substitute a bottled teriyaki sauce and use that in place of the marinade/sauce.

Chicken Stir-Fry

3 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (fresh grated ginger is great if you happen to have it on hand)

1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 onion, quartered and sliced about 1/4-inch thick

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup honey

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 cup white long-grain rice

3 tablespoons cooking oil, separated

3 cups water

2 (approx. 16-ounce) bags of mixed vegetables (California mix or a stir-fry mix works best)

Cut each breast into quarters lengthwise.  Then cut each of the four strips into slices that are about 1/4-inch thick.  You want the chicken slices to be thin so that they will cook quickly and ensure that they are cooked through.

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl: soy sauce, bouillon, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, cornstarch and 1 cup water.  Place the chicken in a large zip bag or a shallow dish and cover with the marinade.  If using a zip bag squeeze out as much air as you can before closing the bag.  If using a dish make sure the chicken is coated well and submerged in the marinade, cover tightly.  Refrigerate the chicken for at least an hour.  I like to begin marinating in the morning or even the night before.

When ready to begin cooking, start by preparing your rice.  Add three cups of water to a sauce pan along with a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil (or margarine).  Bring the water to a rolling boil and add the rice.  Immediately turn the heat down to medium-low and cover.  Let the rice simmer for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

While the rice is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinade.  When the oil is screamin' hot, almost to the smoking point, add in the chicken.  Stir the chicken as it cooks in the hot oil.  You want to keep the heat high and the chicken moving, that is the essence of stir-frying.  When the chicken is about halfway cooked, add in the onion and continue to fry until the chicken is nearly completely cooked.  Add in the frozen veggies and the marinade.  When the sauce begins to boil place a lid on it and reduce the heat to about medium.  Give the whole thing a stir every few minutes until the veggies are heated through.  Remove from heat and let stand uncovered a few minutes to let the sauce thicken up.

Check on the rice.  If it's cooked through and evenly remove it from the heat.

If all has gone well the rice and the stir-fry will get done about the same time.  I like to serve the rice separately most of the time but it tastes just as good mixed right in with the chicken.  You could also serve this over cooked ramen noodles instead of rice.

Serve with soy sauce and sriracha (okay, the sriracha is optional and not for the faint of heart).

Mix it up, add in bean sprouts, water chestnuts, or pepper.  Try it with pork or beef.  This marinade/sauce is great for a lot different recipes.  So experiment.  That's what it's all about.

Click HERE for the printable version of this recipe.