Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

Last week I cooked dinner for the roommates and the menu called for Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry (thanks, Karen for the recipe).

Servings: 4
Prep time: 0:40
Total time: 0:40
Calories: 225
Categories: Chicken & Other Poultry

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 10 ounces mushrooms, halved or quartered
• 1 cup diagonally sliced carrots (1/4 inch thick)
• 2 cups snow peas (6 ounces), stems and strings removed
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Directions

Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside. Juice the lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of the juice with broth, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs. Add mushrooms and carrots to the pan and cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, scallion whites, garlic and the reserved lemon zest. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add to the pan; cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add scallion greens and the chicken and any accumulated juices; cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.


Recipe Nutrition


Per Serving: 225 Calories; 6g fat (1g saturated fat, 3g mono unsaturated fat); 63mg cholesterol; 14g carbohydrates; 27g protein; 3g fiber; 448mg sodium; 796g potassium


Here's the broth after the ingredients were mixed together. I think I had too much lemon juice which didn't allow the corn starch to do its job.

Everything is prepped and ready to cook.

Mushrooms and carrots cooking down.

Enter all other ingredients... smells so good at this point. 

The plated masterpiece.

Cuban Mojo Chicken with Mango and Avocado

So this weekend I had the pleasure of cooking a real meal (something other than plain grilled chicken, rice and green beans). In an attempt to keep the meal relatively healthy and clean, I searched AllRecipes.com for a new way to prepare chicken - behold, Spicy Cuban Mojo Chicken with Mango-Avocado Salsa.

Let it be known that I screwed up my grocery shopping and didn't cook the recipe exactly how it's listed...

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 fresh red chile pepper, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 teaspoons orange juice
• 5 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 (8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
•  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup diced mango
• 1/2 avocado
• chopped fresh cilantro to taste
• chopped fresh parsley to taste

Directions

1. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Place the cumin seeds, garlic, chile pepper, salt, olive oil, orange juice, and lemon juice into the bowl of a blender; grind to a coarse paste. Toss the chicken with the marinade, then place into the refrigerator, and allow to marinate for about 2 1/2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until browned. Place into the oven, and cook until the juices run clear, about 8 minutes. When the chicken is done, remove, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. While the chicken is in the oven, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, lime zest, honey, and soy sauce in a skillet over medium-high heat. Simmer until the orange juice has reduced to 1/3 of original volume and is beginning to get thick and syrupy. Once thick, remove from heat, and whisk in the butter pieces one at a time until melted; set aside.
5. To serve, place chicken on the plate and sprinkle with mango and avocado. Drizzle with the sauce, and garnish with cilantro and parsley.   

My Deviations

1.  I couldn't find cumin seed at the store so I "toasted" ground cumin. NOTE - this will make your kitchen stink.
2. I don't think I had enough lime zest, but I think I had enough to have a hint of flavor.
3. I did NOT use butter.

The result is pictured below.

Also pictured, baked asparagus, balsamic roasted red potatoes, a side salad with walnuts, craisins and blueberries. Not pictured - homemade strawberry lemonade, guacamole and a very flavorful mix of shrimp and roasted red peppers.