Freezer Chicken Stir-Fry

I promised you a third delicious freezer chicken meal, and I have delivered!

Day 3: Stir-Fry

Stir-fry is not a recipe, it's a way of life.  Now, there were a couple reasons I chose this last preparation for today.  One, it's a great way to use what you have around, as you can add or subtract veggies or a noodle or rice or whatever protein you have.  This way, it stays incredibly affordable and helps avoid waste.  Two, stir-fry is a great way to embrace the mantra "Eat better, not less."

I have not always had a healthy relationship with food, despite my deep love for it.  I have used food as a comfort when I've been in a bad place, and I've also gone through spells where eating is a battle in its own right.  Neither of these represents a healthy relationship with food, and this is coming from someone for whom food is the ultimate good.  I know I'm not alone in this.  Many women in college (91% in a NEDA Survey) will attempt to control their weight through dieting, and many will resort to unhealthy restrictions to food or excessive workout regimens.  And it starts sooner.  42% of 1st-3rd grade girls (we're talking about girls as young as 6, here) are unhappy with their bodies.  [It's no coincidence this post falls during National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.]  "Eat Better, Not Less" needs to become a part of the vocabulary surrounding food and body image from a young age.

Part of why I love stir-fry is that the end result is usually high in nutrients, packed full of flavor, loaded with tasty veggies, and all for a reasonable caloric value.  And I never finish a pan full of stir-fry still hungry.

So, down to the cooking!

Take a serving of your freezer chicken (thawed, obviously), cube it (this basically means cutting it into bite size pieces), and season with salt and pepper.  You'll also want to chop half a medium-sized onion or all of a small onion/shallot, and a clove of garlic.

Turn on your burner and put 1-2 tablespoons of oil (I used olive oil) into the pan, setting the heat to medium-high.  Add your onions and garlic, just until they start to sizzle.  Then add your chicken.  I then added some chopped mushrooms because I had them, and they take a little longer to cook through and get nice and meaty.

Once your chicken is white and opaque on all sides, you're going to add your vegetables.  I used frozen green beans and frozen carrots.  Then, add about 1/4 cup of water and crank the heat as far up as it will go.  You're going to cook the veggies on high heat for only 2-3 minutes, and the steam from the boiling water will also help cook your chicken the rest of the way through.

Once most of the water has evaporated, the last step is to finish with about a tablespoon of butter and 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce, tossing all of your meat and veg in the mixture!