Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
The time-consuming part of most stir-fries is cutting up the vegetables. But this shortcut recipe uses a bag of frozen vegetables, saving precious minutes. You can also vary the type of jam: peach works just as well as apricot, for instance. If you like, omit the chow mein noodles and serve with brown rice for a little extra fiber. Serves 4.
What you need:
- 1 small can chow mein noodles
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon cider or white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups frozen vegetables for stir-fry (usually this contains broccoli, green beans, red peppers and mushrooms)
What to do:
- Place noodles on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. In a small mixing bowl, stir the soy sauce, preserves, vinegar and cornstarch.
- Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.
- Pour 1 tablespoon oil into a wok and set the wok over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add vegetables and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
- Remove the vegetables and add the chicken, with the other tablespoon of oil. Stir fry for 4 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
- With a wooden spoon, push chicken to the sides of the wok. Pour in the sauce and stir until thickened and bubbly.
- Add cooked vegetables to the wok and stir to coat with sauce. Cook for 1 minute more. Serve stir-fry with the chow mein noodles.
