Tomato Chicken and Veggies

This is not the fastest recipe, but it’s easy, tasty and the chicken comes out nice and tender!

[Prep: 15min / Cook: 20min]

Ingredients
– 2 servings of white rice (~1 cup uncooked)
– 2 chicken breasts
–  mixed veggies of your choice (I used broccoli, carrots and sugar snap peas)
–  clove of garlic or garlic powder
–  1 packet of instant tomato soup powder or ½ can tomato soup
–  1 Tbs. soy sauce
–  1 Tbs. white vinegar
–  olive oil

1. Start the rice cooking.
2. Cut and rinse the veggies, and set them aside in a strainer.
3. Cut the chicken breasts into strips (skip this step if using fillets/pieces)
4. Heat a wok or large frying pan (12”) over high heat. Add a splash of olive oil to coat the pan and stir-fry the chicken until browned (chicken strips should turn white but not be thoroughly cooked yet).  Remove from the pan.
5. Add another splash of olive oil and the garlic/garlic powder for about 30 seconds. Add the veggies and stir-fry until their color becomes vibrant and they just start to become tender – be careful as the pan is already very hot and will splatter. Remove to the strainer.
6. Mix the instant soup with the amount of water specified on the packet and bring to a boil in the pan with the soy sauce and vinegar. Add the chicken and boil until fully cooked (about 10 minutes). Mix in the vegetables and cook for about a minute more.
7. Serve over the rice.

[Serves 2]

Notes

• There will be a bit of excess sauce, which is best poured over the rice.
• Methodology:
  • Browning the chicken first helps lock in the moisture before boiling, which is what keeps it tender. And removing it from the heat while you cook the veggies allows some of the fat and oil to collect and be poured out.
  • You should always remove the excess water and let veggies dry in a strainer after rinsing for best stir-fry results.
  • Heat the wok/pan before adding the oil. This helps keep the meat/veggies from sticking and allows the seasonings to flavor the oil.

• Use your favorite stir-fry vegetables, but I would suggest adding white onions, water chestnuts and Chinese mushrooms to these.
• For a super-quick, super-easy version, use a bag of frozen veggies and a packet of pre-cooked chicken strips. Frozen veggies taste relatively OK when they’re pan fried rather than boiled or cooked in the microwave.  Also, experts say that frozen veggies pack just as many nutrients since they are typically frozen fresh.

Recipe adapted from Campbell’s Kitchen: Tomato Chicken Stir-Fry here.