Chicken stir-fry with a twist
Dried cranberries are a surprising addition to this quick and easy dish
This combination of lean chicken, bright-coloured vegetables and a sweet-sour sauce that includes dried cranberries will light up a dinner table.
The recipe is from an easy-reading nutritional cookbook called Broccoli, Love and Dark Chocolate ( Whitecap), written by Toronto nutrition journalist Liz Pearson. Its more than 60 recipes are only part of the story as Pearson reports on all our familiar foods and where they should fit in a healthy diet.
The author’s belief: “food, love and life should be delicious!” and her informed enthusiasm radiates from the book’s pages.
Superfoods such as blueberries and kale, tips on dining out healthfully, making vegetables delectable, and treats including a chocolate cake with coconut icing are all part of this cheerful, informative book. She recommends serving this stirfry with whole-grain brown rice or quinoa.
CHICKEN STIR- FRY
Serves 4
Sauce: ½ cup (125 mL) orange juice 2 tbsp (30 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce 2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch 2 tsp (10 mL) balsamic vinegar ½ cup (125 mL) dried cranberries 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh rosemary ½ tsp (2.5 mL) dried red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
Stir-fry: ¾ to 1 lb (340 to 454 g) boneless, skinless, chicken breast meat, in strips or chunks 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced ginger root 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 bunch broccoli, cut in florets and chunks 3 carrots, chopped
1. Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, cornstarch and vinegar. Add cranberries, rosemary, red pepper flakes and garlic, stirring until combined.
2. Stir-fry: Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Spray with non-stick vegetable oil. Add chicken and stir-fry until cooked and no longer pink inside, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
In the same pan or wok over medium heat, add oil and sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger, red pepper, broccoli and carrots, and stir-fry until vegetables are tendercrisp, about 3 minutes.
Add the prepared sauce and chicken, and continue stir-frying until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Serve at once.