Chicken Stir Fry

Today is the start of the long weekend. Thank you presidents for giving me nearly 5 days to relax...and then my normal schedule will continue.

Well, tonight for dinner I wanted to make something quick and easy, and delicous, of course.  The first thing that came to mind was chicken stir fry.

First I start out by making the sauce.  For this I used 1/3 cup of warm water, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 4 tablespoons of mango juice (I used Goya, you can also use orange juice but I prefer the taste of mangoes).

Next, I mixed them all together.  You want to mix it until all the brown sugar is disintegrated in  the mixture. You will know it is mixed well when the texture does not feel as gritty.  The warm water aids in combining the ingredients.

I mixed two types of oil to cook the chicken in.  I used 1 tablespoon of canola oil and then 3 tablespoon of sesame oil. I really like the flavor the sesame oil adds to the stir fry.

 

Then I added the chicken.  I just used plain chicken breasts which I cut it into small pieces, making it easier to cook and eat.

I cooked the chicken until it looked golden brown on medium heat.  That way you know it is cooked all the way through.  This will only take from 5-10 minutes. It should look like this.

After the chicken is cooked, it is time to add the sauce.  I stirred the sauce into the chicken and then let it simmer with the lid on for a few minutes on low heat.  Every so often, I would stir it again.  I actually added a little bit more of the mango juice, probably about a little bit more than a tablespoon.  I also added a pinch of ginger, probably about 1/2 teasponn.  The beauty of a stir fry is that you can taste the sauce in between and add as many flavors as your heart desires.  You really cannot go wrong!

While the chicken is cooking in the sauce, I whisked 4 teaspoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water. 

I let the chicken sit for about 15-20 minutes.  I watched it carefully because I did not want it to cook too long.  This would result in tough, chewy chicken. While still on low heat, I added the corn starch to the mixture to create a thick enough sauce.  It is very important that the corn starch is mixed well with the water to the sauce is not gloppy. 

After I added the cornstarch, I turned off the heat.  During the time the chicken was simmering, I had cooked some brocolli in the microwave.  I added the cooked brocolli in the stir fry.  I put the cover on the skillet and let the sauce absorb in the broccoli.

Now I am ready to serve your dinner! I also made rice, spring rolls, and pot stickers. 

I love this dish.  I think it is great for families becuase everyone will love it.  It is a great dish on a night that you are lazy and do not want to spend so much time in the kitchen.   Here is the full list of ingredients if you are interested in making it:

1/3 cup warm water

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

4-5 tablespoons of mangoes

4 tablespoons soy sauce (less if you want the mango to be stronger)

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 tablespoons sesame oil

1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breast

4 teaspoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons cold water

Please give me your feedback. I want to know how it turns out for you or what you like to do differntly in a stir fry.

Rachel