Stir Fry Chicken is lighter fare

Grand Island Dispatch, January 11, 2008

Tuesday, 7 p.m., Buffalo airport! Rebecca will be with us for three-and-a-half days.

It is always special to have just one grandchild visit, all alone. Don’t misunderstand. I love whole families at a time; but one – that’s different. It lets grandparents connect in an entirely different way.

Becca is studying in a New York City design school. She loves it, even when the challenges seem daunting, but she takes it and does very well.

Coming to visit was to step back and be different for those few days – to sleep soundly and eat well. It worked just fine for Becca and for us, too.

Any pasta meal seems to satisfy, whether it is spaghetti, lasagna or even a pizza from our local outlet. Not this time, though. Instead, I made a chicken stir fry. It felt right to eat a lighter fare.

Stir Fry Chicken and Vegetables with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Serves 3

Ingredients, stir fry:

1/2 pound chicken breast
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons water
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in strips
1 stalk celery, cut thinly
1 small head of broccoli, cut bite-sized
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1/2 cup pineapple chunks, drained
Optional: 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Optional: 1 small can water chestnuts, drained and finely sliced

Ingredients, Sweet and Sour Sauce

One 10-and 3/4-ounce can chicken broth
2-3 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar

To start, I use chicken breasts that I have trimmed of all fat and tenderized with a miniature meat tenderizer machine before I freeze them.

When slightly defrosted, the chicken is easy to handle. I then slice it quite thinly.

In a wok or a 12-inch skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, put the oil. Heat until hot, then reduce heat to medium. Add chicken strips and stir until meat is no longer pink.

Add carrots, celery, pineapple, ginger and, if using, garlic and water chestnuts. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover. Cook, stirring frequently for five to seven minutes.

Add broccoli and cook three to four minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook enough rice to serve three. Of course multiply the recipe as needed, depending on how many you will be serving.

Also, mix in a separate bowl all ingredients of the sauce.

Add sauce to cooked chicken and vegetables; heat all, stirring until bubbly.

Serve over rice. Nice.