My kids don’t like stir-fry. Stir-fry involves all different kids of food touching all of the other kids of food, all of them contaminated and/or discoloured by sauce.
Ew!
So, stir-fry has evolved a bit in my house over the years. It is no longer noodles or rice under a layer of veggies and meat, overtopped with a thin sauce. Now I cook each item separately, then organize them into stripes on their plates, and allow them to eat it however they want. Healthy food for them. Less stress for me.
Win!
So, here’s how it’s done:
3 cloves minced garlic
2/3 c. chicken broth
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp. dark asian sesame oil
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 tbsps. vegetable oil
3 c. hot cooked rice
sliced veggies – snap peas, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, whatever
Whisk together the first five ingredients, and pour into a shallow rectangular dish. I use an 8×8″ oven dish with a lid. Add the chicken thighs, turning to coat, and let them marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 350º.
Heat the vegetable oil in a brazier, oven-proof wok, or sauté pan. Add the chicken thighs, and cook them for about five minutes per side – you want them to be cooked through but not too dry. If the meat is really lean, you might want to cook it for five minutes on the stove top, and then flip it, cover with a lid or a sheet of foil, and place the works in the oven for an additional five to 10 minutes. This will help ensure the chicken is cooked thoroughly, but still tender.
Place the thighs on a plate to rest for about five minutes, then cut into 1/2″ slices. Arrange a few of these on each plate, along with about 1/3 c. cooked hot rice, and 1/3 c. chopped fresh veggies. I usually do rice down the middle, with the meat on one side and the veg on the other.
Done!
My kids and my crew DEVOUR this stuff. They always eat every last bit (leaving none for me!), and beg each other to share their last slice of chicken.
Enjoy!
