Brainless Chicken Stir-fry Stew

Rather odd, don't you think, that a lot of my recipes are "brainless," for "morons", or "easy" and so on? Probably because a) I like to cook with a glass of wine in my hand, and b) I'm often just winging it - "What's in the pantry? Geeze, I've gotta get THAT out of the freezer...."

So, for this contribution to the Carnival of the Recipes, the first ever "Stir-fry Stew."

OK, OK, there may be more out there, but *I've* never seen one!

Ingredients:

• About 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed.
• Two tablespoons, give or take, of McCormick's Carribean Jerk Seasoning. Yes, you'll be able to find it. If *I* can get it at the Food Lion in my teeny tiny little town, YOU'll be able to get it at your supermarket!
• One can of Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilis. I used the regular, but if you want to use the extra hot, you go right ahead!
• Oil for cooking
• Cooked rice - about 6 cups. I used brown rice, but white is OK.

Method:

Mix the chicken and the Jerk Seasoning together and let marinate for a while. Have a glass of wine. Maybe a beer. Have another. When your vision is just a bit fuzzy, then you can heat up the skillet.

I tease - you are not required to drink alcohol to prepare this! But, you ought to let the chicken marinate for about an hour. Let it go longer if you like, but try for that hour, at minimum.

All right. Heat up that non-stick skillet. I hope it's fairly large so you can fit all this in. After the skillet is hot, add a little oil... Just a LITTLE, because this is a non-stick skillet, right? When the oil is hot, add the chicken (in batches, if you like - I just dumped the whole shebang in) and stirfry it over medium-high heat.

When everything is browned - although in the case of chicken, it's really "whited" - or no longer pink, dump in the Ro*Tel, lower the heat to, um, LOW, and cover. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Serve over rice and enjoy. This is another one that the Beloved Husband really enjoyed. I guess he likes it when I go into Mad Scientist-mode...

If you want to make things more complicated, you could certainly add onions and garlic and green bell peppers (not me - I hate green bell peppers!). But recipes like this really ought to encourage you to experiment with what's in stock in your own kitchen, and have some fun, besides. Who knows? You might discover something which becomes a family favorite!

Comments

[David]

1.

All I need to get is some chicken. Have the rest of the ingredients on hand.

Don't have a "non-stock" frying pan, unless I coult my very well-seasoned cast iron skillet, but I think that'll do.

Stir fry, though... peanut oil? (I have some, reserved almost exclusively for stir frying).

Sounds like a winner. May I add diced onions and garlic?

;-)

[Romeocat]

2.

David, this is about what you have on-hand, and what looks good to you, LOL. Add onions and garlic to your heart's content (actually, next time, I think I will, too) (just no green bell peppers, heh).

As for the oil... Sure, use peanut oil, if you like. Since it's not exactly a stir-fry, I used a little olive oil. Mainly, I just wanted to brown the chicken, and toast the spices coating it.

Well, mainly, I was just lazy that night, LOL

-- R'cat

[lINDA]

3.

Just a quick comment---loose the "MCCORMICKS" for "WALKERS JAMACIAN JERK SEASONING". From your friends in VT. HHS & LLB

[Romeocat]

4.

Hey, Linda!

(She's a family member, people!)

Yeah, I bet Walker's is better, but don't forget, *I'm* living in the boonies, and the best I've got is Food Lion, LOL

I swung by hhs.net, but I see y'all don't have anything up yet. Fix that!!!! ;-)

Luv ya, sis!

-- R'cat