Stir Fry & Sauce

This week I think we're on a theme of quick and easy meals. There is no requirement of a lengthy preparation or laundry list of ingredients for a recipe to be good! Grandma would pull out her George Foreman or a plain old electric skillet to prepare some of her finest meals!

This chicken stir fry is an example of one of those fine dishes...cooked right in a skillet, not a fancy wok or anything like that. Grandma used to tell me that today's popular small appliance is tomorrow's garage sale fodder--and I know only too well how true that is! So no wok. Just a skillet.

The real secret behind a tasty stir fry is to get the freshest vegetables possible and a high quality (homemade preferred) sauce, although too much of a good thing isn't necessarily good either.  Limit the sauce, since the vegetables should be the real star of the show! 

As for the noodles, Grandma didn't use them in her stir fry but our kids love 'em so they're mandatory! 

Prefer no meat? Meatless is certainly do-able and the healthiest option of all. Use vegetable broth when making the sauce.

Modify, modify, modify to your liking, but the sauce is definitely a keeper and you can control the MSG, gluten or sodium by what goes into it. Prepare it the night before so the flavors have time to "ripen." You'll have plenty sauce for at least 2 stir fry meals. You can also use it for a regular marinade even if you're not making stir fry.

Stir Fry Sauce:

1-2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ tsp ground ginger

1/3 cup soy sauce (whatever variety you prefer--gluten free, MSG free, low sodium)

1/4 cup cider or white vinegar

1/3 cup water

1 cup chicken broth (use beef if you are preparing beef stir fry or vegetable if meatless)

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight so the flavors are enhanced.   Mix well before using.

Grandma's Chicken Stir Fry

¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

2 large boneless chicken breasts

4 cups of fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots, bok choy, onion, pea pods)

1-2 packages yakisoba noodles (or your preferred variety)

1 cup sauce (recipe above), divided

Prepare noodles according to package directions (they may have to be rinsed and separated).

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.

Wash chicken and pat dry. Cut into cutlets, strips, or chunks and place in bowl. Pour ½ cup sauce over chicken until oil is heated; brown chicken in heated skillet. Prepare vegetables and add to skillet with cooked chicken. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in noodles with remaining ½ cup of sauce and stir to combine for 1-2 minutes. Stir fry is done when vegetables are heated through and have bright color.