It’s Tuesday night, I’m wiped out and so is my grocery budget!  What do I make for dinner?  Bet you’ve encountered this dilemma and if you haven’t, I’m jealous.  I rummaged around in the fridge, vegetabled drawer, pantry and freezer and whipped up a tasty chicken stir fry.  Considering I prepared this meal on the fly, I’m reciting it to you in much the same way…..cuz I have to go to the store!!!

 

 

 

 

So, here’s what I had hanging around and here’s what I did with it.  I wouldn’t even consider tossing out a roasted chicken carcass, but wasn’t interested in Chicken Soup either.  However, the asian flavor profiles I used for a quick stock added tons of zip to my steamed rice and helped to flavor the base for my stir fry.  You could add all sorts of whatever you’ve got lying around…chiles, dried fruits, lemon grass – get jiggy with it!!!

 

For the Stock:

  • Left over roasted Chicken carcass – picked clean
  • 1/2 Onion – halved
  • 1 Carrot
  • 2 Stalks Celery
  • 2 Sprigs Parsley
  • 4 Sprigs Cilantro
  • 1 in fresh ginger – peeled and smashed
  • 2 garlic cloves – peeled and smashed
  • 1/2 Cup Frozen Corn (adds a little sweetness)
  • Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Put all the ingredients into a large sauce pan and just cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat – let simmer for an hour or so.

I only got about 2 1/2 Cups of liquid – use 2 Cups to steam your rice (2 parts water, 1 part rice) and save the rest to flavor your stir fry.

 

For the Stir Fry:

  • Left over roasted chicken – torn or cut into bit size pieces, about 2 Cups
  • 1/2 C. Oyster Sauce
  • 2 T. Vegetable Oil
  • 1/2 Onion – thinly sliced
  • 2 Cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 zucchini – halved and sliced
  • 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 T. Soy Sauce (low sodium)
  • 2 t. freshly sliced ginger (or 1 T. dry)
  • 1/2 Cup Stock

Cut up the chicken and put in a bowl.  Pour oyster sauce over it and mix well, set aside.  Since the chicken is already cooked, you will add it to the wok in the final steps.

Heat a wok to medium high and add the oil, onions and garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant.  Add the mushrooms, zucchini and ginger, stir constantly.  Put the chicken in the pan and reduce the heat, add the 1/2 Cup of stock and soy sauce (taste to make sure it isn’t too salty – don’t add the soy if it is).  You shouldn’t need to make a slurry (corn starch and water) to thicken this as the oyster sauce does a good job of that. 

Serve chicken over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.  Goes very nicely with a Sauvignon Blanc….Oh ~ I never run out of wine…..

 

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