Stir Fry Chicken & Veggies
Stir fry is such a versatile dish that you can easily cater to the tastebuds of whoever you are entertaining. There are hardly any veggies or meat options that won’t pair well for this dish. Chicken and beef seem to be the standard, however pork and seafood are both great options as well. One of our favorites though is stir fry chicken & veggies.
The other awesome thing about stir fry is that you can make it as easy or intricate as you wish. Easy would consist of frozen veggies and store bought sauces, which does indeed make a quick but wonderful meal. However, this stir fry recipe is a little more on the time consuming side…and well worth the time put into it!
Prep Work ~
The prep is definitely what consumes most of your time when making this recipe. However, you can do it in advance and store in the refrigerator if you wish. The main thing you want to consider when prepping your veggies is that some vegetables cook through quicker than others. Therefore, cut the thicker vegetables, such as carrots and celery a bit smaller.
I personally love that this recipe calls for sliced cabbage. It is a vegetable that gets overlooked a lot (at least in our family) yet it is packed with so many wonderful nutrients. In fact, we cook cabbage and potatoes every year as a New Year’s tradition and find ourselves saying, “I love cabbage, why don’t we cook it more throughout the year?”
Cooking Meat & Veggies Separately ~
Cooking the Chicken ~
It really does make a difference if you cook the meat separately from the veggies and add them together at the end. Many recipes don’t call for this, but if you are taking the time to follow this recipe, don’t ignore this step!
I prefer to cook the meat first. We prefer crispy edges on our meat, so you will see from the picture that it is cooked longer. You can obviously cook it to your liking. Obviously, the longer you cook it the crunchier it becomes. If you prefer a chewier chicken, then cook less time making sure to cook it completely through.
While the meat is cooking you can prepare the delicious sauce. Mix all the ingredients up in a small bowl and set aside for later!
Cooking the Veggies ~
Move the cooked chicken to a separate bowl and get ready for those vegetables! I prefer to add the veggies that take a bit longer to cook in first. Then just start layering all of the other veggies. There is something about the beauty of a bunch of veggies all mixed together….doesn’t it make you feel healthy just looking at it? Yum! And let’s not forget about that wonderful aroma!
While those veggies are cooking, you need to cook your rice noodles in a separate pan. Not all stir fry recipes call for noodles to be mixed in, but this is another reason I love this particular recipe so much!
Combining the Meat, Veggies, Noodles and Sauce ~
Once your veggies are cooked, you can add the meat back in and top them off with this yummy, yummy sauce. Seriously, you are going to love this sauce! In fact, we are typically very heavy seasoners, but only salt and pepper were used during the cooking process as the sauce brings out all the seasoning you will need.
Necessities for Good Stir Fry ~
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First off, you need a good wok to cook in. We own a couple of different ones (because we love stir fry that much!), however, the cast iron is our favorite. They just seem to cook very evenly and retain heat very well!
However, not everyone likes cooking with cast iron….mostly because the clean up is a little more involved. Therefore, we love ones like this as well. I love that this one comes with so many important utensils that are used when cooking in a wok. Not to mention that beautiful wooden lid! Be sure to pay attention to size as well… there is a range of sizes available for you to find what suits your family best.
You will find through other cooking posts of mine that I use generic brands when possible. I find it important to save Money where you can, however, sometimes you just need a specific name brand condiment or spice that is perfect for your recipe. This Sambal Oelek Chili Paste is one of those times. This little jar packs flavor and heat. Not the super hot heat (as I am not a spicy flavor girl as most of my family is), but a good flavorful heat.
Summing It Up ~
As you can see, there are several steps to this recipe:
- Prepping the chicken and veggies
- Cooking the chicken
- Making the sauce
- Cooking the veggies
- Preparing the noodles
- Mixing it all together and warming through
As mentioned at the beginning of this post, it is a more intricate recipe. Not a hard recipe…..just more time consuming….AND OH SO WORTH THE TIME SPENT! (*Tip: Wash your dishes as you go because this does utilize several different bowls and pans.) This chicken & veggie stir fry is an absolutely delicious meal that everyone is sure to enjoy!
Happy Cooking ~
Mimi
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