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I’ve talked a lot about the Instant Pot over the past two weeks. So much so that it’s probably time to give my Instant Pot some well deserved R&R. I know we’re all obsessed with the Instant Pot (I will be the first to admit that I’m bordering on the O word), but it would be a shame to forget about our stove-top and skillets. Let’s put both to use…
Today’s recipe, Orange-Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry, is a non-Instant Pot meal that was just recently added to my Favorite Meal’s List. It’s a simple, one-skillet meal that tastes like really good takeout. Besides being really tasty, this meal made my favorite list for a few other important reasons, too. Let’s talk about each one.
1. Family Winner
This meal is a major winner with everyone in the family, including my five year-old who is currently going through a very opinionated food stage. Dustin loves the fact that meat is served in this meal. I love the large amount of veggies. And the kids have a deep love for any meal served with rice. Win. Win. And win.
2. Easy
This recipe is very easy to make. And it’s a one-skillet meal, so it’s easy to clean up. The most time-consuming aspect of the whole recipe is chopping the veggies and chicken, and mixing the sauce. Once these things are done, it’s just a matter of sautéing everything together in a skillet. That’s the kind of meal that I love to make after a long day.
3. Prep Friendly
Since the most time-consuming portion of the meal is chopping, dinner can be simplified by chopping everything in advance (just store the chicken and veggies in different containers, and up to 1-2 days on the chicken). The sauce may also be whisked together in advance and stored in a container (just leave out the starch until you’re ready to make the meal). You could even freeze the sauce so it’s always available.
Making rice adds one more step to this meal, so if you’re strapped for time during the week, plan to make the rice on the weekend. To reheat the cooked rice, add the refrigerated rice to a pot, along with a small amount of water, and warm the rice until it reaches your desired temperature.
4. Lunch Prep
I recently picked up glass containers from Prep Naturals (LOVE them). Just last week, I spooned some of the leftover stir-fry (which was made for dinner on Sunday night) into the larger section of each container, and then added rice to the smaller section. What a great lunch! The stir-fry reheats well in the microwave, and I’m sure it would reheat just as well on the stove-top.
Orange-Ginger Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry
An easy-to-make, veggie-heavy chicken stir-fry meal. Make this stir-fry for dinner, or prep this recipe in advance for a grab-n-go meal option.
Ingredients
Orange-Ginger Sauce:
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 3 TB soy sauce or tamari sauce*
- 1 TB honey
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil **
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- 2 TB organic cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1/2 tsp salt
Stir-Fry:
- 2 TB extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, divided
- 1 lb boneless and skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces*** (about 2 breasts, depending on size)
- 1/2 medium red onion sliced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
- 1 medium bell pepper sliced (any color)
- 1/2 cup sliced carrots (1-2 medium carrots)
Serving Suggestions:
- rice
- sliced green onions
- sesame seeds
Special Equipment:
- medium bowl for whisking the sauce
- large skillet or wok
Instructions
For the Orange-Ginger Sauce:
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In a medium bowl, whisk all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
For the Stir-Fry:
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Add a tablespoon of oil to a large skillet.
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Add the chicken and season with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and set aside.
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Add the rest of the oil to the skillet, then add the onion. Sauté until translucent, or about 5 minutes.
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Next, add the broccoli, sugar snap peas, pepper, and carrots to the skillet. Sauté until the vegetables have softened to your liking.
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Add the chicken and the sauce to the skillet, stirring to combine the chicken, veggies, and sauce. Simmer the stir-fry until the sauce has thickened (about 3 minutes).
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Serve the stir-fry over cooked rice, and garnish (optional) with sesame seeds and green onions.
