Saturday, November 15, 2014

Orange Chicken Stir Fry

Looking for a quick and easy recipe for busy nights? Then you'll want to make this Orange Chicken Stir Fry!


It has been crazy around here lately. I may not spend my days driving a combine, but I haven't had a chance to catch my breath in several weeks. After a busy day at the office or running around the state to farms and meetings, the last thing I want to do is spend a long time getting dinner ready because spending a lot of time cooking is really only fun if I'm cooking for other people.



Mom always had a few go-to meals for nights when she was working. Dad couldn't cook much more than a bag of popcorn, so her planning came in handy. Stir fry was one of those meals. I love it because it's fast, easy and it's so versatile. I use what I have on hand. I try to always have onions and chicken, so all I needed was a few colorful bell peppers. Marinades are also an easy way to switch up a lot of meals and I usually use one of those in this recipe. If you don't have any sauces or marinades, salad dressings work too. I've used vinegarettes in this recipe before and it turned out well. I'm not sure how some of the creamier salad dressings would do, though.


To make this into an on-the-go meal, just add some rice and stir fry to a tortilla and roll up into a burrito.



Today, I made orange chicken stir fry. In planning ahead for lunches and dinners later in the week, I usually cook more chicken than I need so I have it for those leftover meals. It's saved me more than once!


For this recipe, here's what you need:

  • bell peppers (I used red, yellow and green, but you can use whichever colors you like best)
  • onion
  • chicken
  • salt and pepper
  • rice
  • orange sauce
  • olive oil

I don't follow a recipe with this one, just a little of this and that.

Instructions: 

In a frying pan...

  • Saute the onion in olive oil first until they are almost translucent 
  • Then add the bell peppers
  • Mix those up
  • Add the chicken
  • Add some salt and pepper
  • Mix everything up
  • Cook for a few minutes
  • Then add your choice of sauce or marinade (I used orange sauce today...highly recommend it!)

In another pan, cook the rice or noodles. I try to time it so both are done at about the same time.

This recipe is super easy to switch up. Sometimes I make it with steak instead of chicken or noodles instead of rice. You can also mix and match marinades or sauces.

It's also an easy meal if you are cooking for a lot of people or just yourself. It's also great for leftovers. You could make fajitas, a fajita burrito (great for on-the-go meals) or just eat it like you did the first time with rice or noodles. I usually make extra to take to work for lunch.

I always say it looks like things are going to slow down soon, but from looking at my calendar for the next couple of months, it appears this IS the slow time and I won't have much time for anything for a long time. Stay tuned for more of those adventures...

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