Stir-fry is a quick week-night fix that can be made from any combination of meat and vegetables. I found this recipe for honey and ginger chicken stir-fry on marthastewart.com, tried it out, and found it was delicious!

Even though it is nice to have a recipe when cooking something, you can make stir-fry out of almost anything, especially leftovers: chicken, beef, peppers, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, tofu, soy sauce, honey, practically anything! All you have to do is add all of the ingredients to a skillet or large pan and cook them on a high heat. I was pleasantly surprised when it only took twenty minutes to prepare this dish.

One of the many health benefits of stir-fries is that vegetables are one of the main ingredients and they are prepared naturally, without added oils, sugars, or other types of fats. Another great aspect of this recipe is the combination of flavors. The honey, soy sauce, and ginger create an Asian flavor with a sweet kick.

Even though this recipe was great on its own, I made a few additions to enhance it. The first thing that I did was add tofu to the stir-fry. In my family, we add tofu to almost any meal to enhance the flavor and to add extra protein. Tofu has many health benefits such as helping to lower cholesterol and serves as a great protein. Tofu can also be used as a meat substitute, and some might argue that it is even healthier that meat. I used one whole block of tofu (it normally comes in a package with one block) and sliced it into thin strips. The next thing I did was use scallions (also called green onions) as a garnish as well as the cilantro leaves. I decided to add the scallions because they are one my my favorite garnishes and they are a popular Asian flavor, so I thought it would go well with the ongoing Asian theme of the dish. Enjoy!

Honey and Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
• 1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
• Cooked rice, for serving
• Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Instructions:

In a small bowl, stir together the honey, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Then, heat a large skillet or wok (a bowl shaped frying pan) over high until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add chicken and stir until opaque but not cooked through, about 3 minutes; transfer the chicken to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, ginger, and garlic to the skillet and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, add the peppers and stir for 2 minutes. Add the soy and honey mixture and bring that sauce to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet and toss until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro.