I am a big fan of stir-fry since you can add any veggies you have on hand to a skillet, add a protein, a sauce and ‘wa-la’, you have a meal! Now, sure you can buy plenty of off-the-shelf peanut sauces, but I find that when I end up buying one, using it once and then I don’t get around to using it for a while. Months later find it in the depths of my fridge and end up tossing it – what a waste. I hate wasting food. So, I started making my own since I almost always have the ingredients on hand that I need to whip up my own simple peanut sauce and with way fewer additives and for a lot less money too! Plus, I can use high quality nut butter, or sub in almond butter if I need to keep it peanut free for allergy concerns. People always rave about this one and I can’t tell you how simple and healthy this is! Plus, if you happened to just make the crock pot roasted chicken, this is a great same-week meal to use up some of that chicken you have on hand.
THE WHAT:
STIR-FRY INGREDIENTS
½ box rice noodles (I prefer brown rice, but regular will do just as well)
4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Coconut Oil
garlic powder, sea salt & pepper
Small white or yellow onion - chopped
4-5 med sized carrots – sliced (slice all about the same size so they finish cooking
at the same rate)
1 yellow or red bell pepper - chopped
1-2 cups chopped mushrooms (white button or baby bella)
2 handfuls of rough chopped spinach or kale
1 Tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 clove finely chopped garlic
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
Fresh cilantro
Chopped peanuts
SIMPLE PEANUT SAUCE
In small bowl, whisk together the following
2 heaping Tablespoon peanut butter (almond butter could work too)
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
5 Tablespoons water (basically add water as you whisk to desired thickness)
THE HOW:
- Fill a large pot with water and add 1 teaspoon of sea salt to the water – bring to a boil
- Rub the boneless skinless chicken thighs with EVOO
- Sprinkle the chicken with garlic powder, sea salt & pepper to taste.
- Grill chicken thighs approximately 6-7 minutes on each side until cooked through and they are not pink inside – Don’t overcook and dry it out
- Alternatively, you could sauté the chicken in a skillet
- After letting chicken rest a few minutes, slice chicken and set aside.
- In a skillet or wok, add approx 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil or EVOO and sauté chopped onions over medium heat until translucent (3 mins)
- Add the sliced carrots and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Cook the rice noodles for 4 minutes (or per package instructions).
- Add the chopped bell pepper and baby Bella mushrooms along with the ginger and garlic and cook another 4-6 mins (until the peppers are cooked but still crunchy)
- When all is cooked, add the chicken and chopped greens and sauté until greens are wilted.
- Add your cooked noodles to the wok with cooked veggies and chicken.
NOTE: You could also throw this mixture over rice if you don’t have any noodles on hand. - Pour the peanut sauce over the mixture in wok and toss all together. Add a little water if its too thick, or let it simmer for a couple of minutes on low to thicken it up to your liking.
Optional: Top with chopped cilantro and rough chopped peanuts
Optional: Top with 1-2 scrambled eggs (cooked separately) prior to servingServes 4
ENJOY