Stir Frying 101 - Sweet and Sour Chicken

I had the opportunity to attend a Stir-Frying Technique Class at the Williams-Sonoma store recently.  This class was very informative as all their classes are, and the chef, Monique, is very skilled, and a great teacher.  

Here we are all watching her cook!

She made several different dishes; Pork with Snap Peas and Soba Noodles, Chicken with Ginger Garlic sauce (one of their bottled stir fry sauces, which was yummy!) and Skirt Steak with Oranges in a Sichuan Sauce. 

All were delicious!

About stir-frying:
A sizzling stir-fry is a simple yet satisfying entree for relaxed dinner parties and quick weeknight suppers. Stir frying is an Asian cooking technique of rapidly frying small pieces of food in oil over high heat.  This is done usually in a wok but a deep cast-iron fry pan or heavy saute pan is a good substitute.  Almost any vegetable or meat can be stir fried as long as it is cut into small pieces.

This was such great fun I couldn't wait to whip up some stir fry for dinner.  You know, this would be a great Valentine's Dinner!

Here's my take on Sweet and Sour Chicken.

You will need light soy sauce, white vinegar, cornstarch, Splenda, chicken breasts, canola oil, mixed vegetables, garlic, ginger, peanuts, and cooked brown rice.

If using fresh vegetables, cut in to small bit size pieces or thing julienne strips.  I used frozen cause I already had a bag, but fresh is just wonderful.

To make the stir fry sauce mix the soy sauce, vinegar, splenda and 1 T. cornstarch in a small bowl.  Set this aside for later. 



Cut your chicken in to 1 - 1 1/2" pieces.

Put cornstarch in a dish and add chicken.  Stir to coat.  This gives the chicken a nice coating when cooked. (My Aunt Charlotte taught me this technique years ago and I've prepared my chicken this way ever since!)



Add oil to a wok and heat over high heat.  Add chicken and cook stirring constantly until golden brown.  About 4-5 minutes.

Remove chicken from the pan.  Add remaining 1T. of oil, and heat up.  Add cut vegetables.

Add ginger and garlic.  Heat until fragrant, 1 minute.

Add chicken to wok.  Add your stir fry sauce.  Stir until coated and heated through.

Looks pretty good huh?

Stir in peanuts, and your done!  Serve over a bed of nice fluffy brown rice.

This was sooo delicious!  Happy Eating!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

¼ c. light soy sauce

¼ c. White vinegar

¼ c. Spenda

1 T. cornstarch

½ 1b boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ c. cornstarch

2 T. canola oil

1 pound of mixed vegetables fresh or frozen (mushrooms, yellow squash, onion, bell pepper, asparagus, cauliflower, green beans, snap peas, carrots)

1 T. garlic, minced

1 T. Ginger, minced

1/4 c. peanuts

Brown Rice, cooked

Directions:

For your stir fry sauce mix the soy sauce, vinegar, splenda and 1 T. cornstarch in a small bowl.  Set aside. 

Cut chicken breasts in to 1 – 1 ½ “ pieces.  Put ¼ c. cornstarch in to a dish and add chicken, turning to coat.

If using fresh vegetables, cut in to bite size pieces or julienne strips to assist with quick cooking.

Heat  1 T. of canola oil in a wok on high heat.  Add chicken stirring constantly until brown on all sides.  About  4-5 minutes.

Remove chicken to a bowl.  Add 1 T. canola oil to the wok and heat up.  Add all the mixed vegetables to the wok.  Stir fry until crisp tender.  About 3-4 minutes.

Add garlic and ginger to the vegetables.  Cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Add chicken back and add the stir fry sauce.  Stir to coat and heat through.

Add peanuts, stir once more, and serve over brown rice.