Skip the Takeout

Skip the takeout and get back to the basics by making Chinese cuisine in the comfort of your own kitchen. Conventional stir-fries can be high in fat, sugar and sodium. The recipe featured this week is a healthful version of a restaurant favorite. A medley of vegetables offers a broader range of phytochemicals, which laboratory studies have shown could reduce cancer risk. Added nutritional value comes from substituting brown rice, a source of fiber and B vitamins.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
with Brown Rice

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 tsp. minced ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cups frozen vegetable mixture
1 can of sliced water chestnuts, drained
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Prepare rice according to package directions. Set aside. Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small mixing bowl and set aside as well.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium – high heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until starting to brown, about 2 additional minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil, ginger and garlic to skillet and cook over medium-high heat, about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add frozen vegetables, reduce heat, cover and simmer under vegetables are thawed, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook vegetables.

Return cooked chicken to pan. Add water chestnuts. Whisk reserved sauce and add to skillet. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired. Simmer, stir occasionally until sauce thickens and chicken is heated through. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 490 calories, 9 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 66 g carbohydrates,
33 g protein, 6 g dietary fiber, 470 mg sodium.

To see more healthy recipes, click HERE.