Frugal Family Feast: Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

A sizzling, scrumptious stir-fry is a great way to feed a hungry crowd. This week’s Frugal Family Feast features a fast and easy chicken and vegetable stir-fry.

Chef Rey De La Osa, resident chef at Publix Aprons Cooking School, shared his recipe with Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson. Watch the video and read on for the recipe.

Getting dinner on the table in a hurry can be a hassle, and it’s easy to give in and order out, which can take a bite out of your budget. But this economical chicken and vegetable stir-fry recipe cooks up quickly and easily. You can even prepare the ingredients ahead of time and have them waiting in the fridge, ready to cook. Bonus: Chef Rey prepared this dish to feed four or more for $13.74.

Start by making some rice. Long-grain white or brown rice works best with this recipe. Rice is a great staple to have in the pantry, as it goes with tons of dishes, costs pennies per serving and is filling.

The stir-fry cooks very quickly over medium-high heat. So the key is having all of your ingredients cleaned, chopped and ready. Start by cutting the chicken into bite-sized strips. Next, prep the vegetables.

You can use fresh or frozen veggies of your choice in this dish. Chef Rey used peas, carrots and water chestnuts to provide color, body, crunch and texture. Some supermarkets sell frozen stir-fry blends. If you’re using fresh snow pea pods, snap off the ends and pull the stringy fibers off. You’ll want to add pea pods at the end of the cooking time to preserve their color and prevent overcooking.

Now you’re ready for the speedy stir-fry cooking. Chef Rey used a wok, but you can also use a regular skillet or frying pan.

This chicken stir-fry with vegetables takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Chicken and vegetable stir-fry – courtesy of Publix Aprons Cooking School

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked rice.
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, divided.
• 1/2 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas and carrots.
• 1 (6-ounce) package snow peas.
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts (drained).
• 1 (12-ounce) jar stir-fry sauce.

To prepare rice:

• Follow package instructions.

To prepare stir-fry:

• Cut chicken into bite-sized strips. Set aside and wash hands.
• Preheat large saute pan or wok on medium-high for two to three minutes.
• Place 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Add chicken and stir for two to three minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (and is 165 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Place remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, then add vegetables. Stir for five to seven minutes or until tender but still crisp.
• Stir in enough sauce to evenly coat the chicken and vegetables. Stir three to five minutes or until everything is thoroughly heated.
• Serve over rice.

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