Spring Chicken Stir-Fry

From the kitchen of Jesse Haas, CNS, LN

There is nothing more delicious than a good stir-fry: load up on veggies doused in a flavorful sauce with minimal clean up. That's my kind of dinner!

A good stir-fry is balanced equation with which you can create a delicious, nutritious feast:
2-3 cups vegetables + 3 oz. clean protein + flavorful sauce + 1/2 brown rice = 1 delicious meal

The sauce makes the difference between rice + veggies and a stir-fry, so make it count! My favorite Stir-Fry Sauce doubles as a marinade for tofu, chicken,  beef or pork.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup tamari*
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 Tbsp sesame or olive oil

Directions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together. 

* Make it soy-free by substituting coconut aminos for tamari.

Now that you've got the secret to stir-fry success, here's a Spring Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe to give it a whirl!
Click here for a printable PDF
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 1 lb. organic chicken
• 1 batch of Stir-Fry Sauce (above)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 3-5 spring onions, sliced
• 1-2 green garlic, sliced
• 1 lb. asparagus
• 2 cups pea pods
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• tamari and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
• sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into chunks, then cover them with stir-fry sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.  
2. Bring water and rice to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer. Cook until done, approximately 45 minutes.
3. Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium-low heat. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, followed shortly by the chicken and stir-fry sauce. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Spoon chicken out onto bowl or plate and set aside. 
4. Heat remaining oil in the same pan you cooked the chicken. Add green onions, green garlic and mushrooms; cover and cook for 3 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the remaining vegetables and cook for another 3 minutes. 
5. Stir in chicken to veggies; heat through.
6. Taste and season with additional tamari and black pepper, if needed. Serve over rice with cilantro and sesame seeds (optional). 

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Jesse Haas, CNS, LN is a licensed functional nutritionist and certified health coach. She was a founding partner of Wellness Minneapolis and was an active practitioner with the clinic from 2014-2022. To connect with her regarding functional nutrition and health coaching services, please follow this link.