Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

How can you take a favourtie weeknight staple and turn it into something with a fresh new twist?

Easy! I'll show you how with this new recipe.

And yes... we're talking chicken today. It's one of the most common protein sources of a clean eating diet and for weight lifters alike (if you're a meat eater). It's lean and provides important proteins for muscle growth while being relativley low in caloric content when compared to others. I know it can get pretty boring eating chicken breast so often. When that happens to me I either go for a vegan option and/or come up with a new tasty way to cook chicken using fresh herbs and spices as my main source of flavour.

This is a fresh new way to take on your weeknight chicken dinner. It's got all the tasty flavours of Chinese take-out and it's way easier to make than you might think! It's also way healthier and faster!

Szechuan cusine is typically spicy and hot, however that's not always the case. This recipe has a nice zip of heat to it thanks to the chili paste and fresh ginger. You can always tone it down a notch if you'd like a little less heat. For example, instead of 2 teaspoons of chili paste you can cut that back to 1, or a 1/2 teaspoon if you really like things mild or don't like heat. Whatever you prefer!

This is such an easy and quick chicken dish to make on a weeknight.

Served overtop of a steaming hot bowl of quinoa for a complete meal. Clean eating at it's best!

Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

Cook Time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided
• 1/2 cup fat-free no salt added chicken broth
• 1 tablespoons low sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 - 2 teaspoons chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 cup sliced snow peas
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced vertically
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup unsalted peanut halves (optional)

Instructions

Set oven to 175˚F and place 4 bowls or plates to warm.

In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons sesame oil, chicken broth, tamari, rice vinegar, chili paste, and arrowroot powder. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil; swirl to coat the pan. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2 - 4 minutes, until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan; swirl. Add red + yellow bell peppers and next 4 ingredients (through garlic); stir-fry 3 minutes. Add broth mixture, stir, and cook 30 seconds until thick. Return chicken to the pan; cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done.

Spoon 1/2 cup cooked quinoa into each of the 4 separate warmed bowls. Divide the stir fry mix between the bowls (about 1 cup) and garnish with sliced green onions, and peanuts.

Note

Feel free to cut back on the chili paste if you prefer less heat. Instead of a full 2 teaspoons try 1/2 - 1 teaspoon. You can also cut the ginger down to 1/2 tablespoon for less heat as well. Just remember if your cutting down on either ingredient that they both add to the overall flavour of the dish.

Asian Carrot and Mushroom Noodle Soup

This soup will heal whatever happens to be ailing you. I should know. I've been trying to battle some form of cold for the last 2 weeks. Ugh! Make it go away. All I want to eat is soup and this one takes the cake.

It's a light and healthy meal that takes chicken noodle soup to a whole new level.

It starts by sautéing fresh ginger, garlic, green onions and red pepper flakes in olive oil (you could take this recipe another step further by using coconut oil instead). Just the scent of this cooking on the stove top is enough to be medicinal. It will clear your head...It will also make your mouth water. You can use as little or as much red pepper flakes as you like. I like my spice so I add somewhere between 1/4 to a 1/2 tsp. If you don't like spice then keep it tame with an 1/8 tsp.

Cilantro is stirred in right at the end to give the soup a burst of fresh light flavour that really brightens things up.

Last but not least, I used whole wheat egg noodles, which is what you see in the photos, but you can use any type of noodle you like. For a gluten free option substitute rice noodles or rice vermicelli. Be sure to add them with the snow peas at the end watch them carefully to avoid noodle mush. Vermicelli noodles will cook through in just a few minutes.

This soup also boasts a whopping 103% of you daily intake of vitamin A and 40% for vitamin C.

Time to feed my cold.

Asian Carrot and Mushroom Noodle Soup Gluten free option | Serves 4

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Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger root
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (depending how hot you like it)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 2 cups each no-sodium added chicken broth and water
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp each of low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari if GF) and sesame oil
• 2 oz whole wheat egg noodles (or rice noodles if GF)
• 6 oz /1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
• 1 cup snow peas, trimmed and halved
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat; cook garlic, ginger, onions and red pepper flakes, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and carrots; cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until moisture from the mushrooms evaporates and deglazes the bottom of the pan.
3. Add chicken broth, water, lemon juice, soy sauce and sesame oil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in noodles and chicken and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add snow peas and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

*Tip* 

• If using rice noodles, add them in when you add the snow peas and monitor the noodles closely for doneness. They should only take a few minutes to cook.

Nutrition Information 

Serving Size: about 1 cup Calories: 206 Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 1.7g Cholesterol: 45mg Sodium: 245mg Carbohydrates: 16.8g Sugar: 3.5g Fiber: 3.2g Protein: 18g Vitamin A: 103% Vitamin C: 40%