Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry

Yum

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with fun, laughter, and LOTS of great food! 

As I am completely beefed and turkeyed out, I thought I’d share something today that contains simple ingredients, totally non-Christmas related.  Also, because I would like to take a little break in cooking, this dinner is all in one pan!  On top of that, you can have this on the table in 16 minutes!

CHICKEN, GREEN BEAN & MUSHROOM STIR FRY

If you haven't noticed I love stir frys.  They are simple to make, and they a quick to cook.  I use the same formula every time.  (cook the meat, remove from pan, cook the vegetables, add flavors/nuts, add back the meat, add the sauce...done!)  Once you have this down you can make a gazillion variations of stir fry. 

Most times I make my own sauce, but on days like today where I want to save even more time, I use a bottle stir fry sauce that I find works well as a base.  I use this one here.  This sauce along with a couple of flavor add-ins works perfectly with this stir fry combination of chicken and vegetables.  I chose green beans and mushrooms, as both were on hand from our Christmas dinner.  You can certainly change up the vegetables to fit what you have on hand.  Bell peppers, carrots, celery, and zucchini, are all good ones to choose from.

So if you are trying to slow down after the holiday, do yourself a favor and forget the takeout.  Make this wonderful stir fry at home tonight.  It tastes 1000 times better than takeout, and you can control what goes in the food (mainly sodium ) and make this a healthy meal for your family. 

Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry is a favorite in our house, and hopefully will be a favorite of  yours too!  Remember, another celebration weekend is around the corner.  We'll be taking a look at some great New Year's Eve ideas in the next several days.

Enjoy!






Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry

Serves: 4 servings

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 c cornstarch
2 Tbls canola oil
1 Tbls sesame oil
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
30 French green beans, cut in half
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 c stir fry sauce

On a plate toss the chicken with the cornstarch.

Heat the canola and sesame oil in a large skillet.  Add the chicken and cook on medium-high until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken from the pan, and turn the heat up to high.

Add in the mushrooms and cook until they start to brown.  Add the green beans and allow to cook 2-3 minutes more. .Add the garlic and ginger and cook/stir for 30 seconds.  Return the chicken and any juices back to the skillet.  Add the stir fry sauce and toss to coat.  Serve.

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

Yum

Boy did I have a craving today!  Do you ever get those?

Out of the blue I started to crave chicken strips.  You know the kind.  The ones that kids are so fond of.  The ones that you dip in some tasty sauce and gobble down with a grin on your face?  Oh yea, those!

So what do you do when a craving is so strong?  Stop by the local fast food joint....I think not!  You make your own wonderful crispy juicy chicken strips.  That's right, they are simple to make and they taste 1000 times better.  Why bother with those deep fried things that may or may not be all chicken when you can have the real deal, only better.  I'll show you how...in under 16 minutes!

Grab your chicken breasts and cut them into strips.  Or if you have chicken tenders that's perfect as well.  We're going to turn these babies into some wonderful tasty Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips.

All you need is a skillet, oil, chicken and a coating mixture (eggs, flour, panko, and Parmesan)  You'll have a nice lunch or dinner on the table in no time.  A quick pan fry ensure tender yet crispy results.  And don't forget the dipping sauce.  It's crucial in my book.  Honey mustard, or in my case a nice ranch sauce is a must. 

This is one dish the kiddos will love and ask for more...even the whole family will enjoy them.

And if you happen to have leftovers (possibly not with these) they are the perfect take along for picnics or roll them up in a wrap with some lettuce and carrots, or even cut and tossed into a salad.  Heaven!

One last note:  I hope that everyone is enjoying their Father's Day and honoring those that are still with us, and thinking of those that are not.  I love my dad and miss him dearly.  Happy Father's Day!




Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

serves 4

½ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1½ cups panko bread crumbs
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips, or chicken tenders
¼ cup vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce:  honey mustard, BBQ, or Ranch sauce (optional)

Add flour to a shallow pan, eggs beaten to another pan, and the panko bread crumbs and Parmesan into a third pan.  This will become your dredging station.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Take your chicken strips and place them first into the flour, 1 or 2 at a time, coating both sides.  Dip them into the egg, and then finally into the panko mixture.  Add them to the hot oil and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.  Repeat with all remaining chicken strips.

Remove cooked chicken and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess oil.  Serve warm with dipping sauce.