1 to 2poundsboneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed or cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper
8ounces(227 g)baby bella or white button mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
1 to 2red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into strips or bite-size pieces
1medium yellow or red onion, halved and cut into thin half moon slices
3cupsfresh broccoli florets
2clovesgarlic, finely minced
2teaspoonsgrated fresh ginger (see note)
Sauce:
½cupBBQ sauce (see note)
⅓cuplow-sodium soy sauce
2 to 3tablespoonspure maple syrup
¼cupchicken broth, veggie broth or water
Hot cooked rice or quinoa, for serving
Instructions
In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Add it to the skillet in a single layer, and let it cook without stirring for 30 seconds so it browns nicely. Flip the chicken pieces, and stir until cooked through, 4-5 minutes (less if the chicken is in really thin strips or small cubes).
Remove the chicken to a plate, keeping any excess oil or juices in the skillet.
Add the mushrooms, peppers, onions, and broccoli to the hot skillet; add another teaspoon or so of oil if the skillet is dry. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then add the garlic and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 5-7 minutes (longer if you like the vegetables softer).
Add the chicken back into the skillet.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken/veggies. Cook, stirring, until well coated, hot and bubbly. Serve over hot, cooked white or brown rice.
Notes
BBQ Sauce: here is my favorite homemade version. Ginger: for the ginger, my favorite tip is to cut large knobs of fresh ginger into 1-inch pieces, toss them in a freezer ziploc bag and pop them in the freezer. When you need fresh ginger for a recipe, take out a piece of ginger and grate it, frozen, on the small holes of a box grater or on a rasp grater. Works like a dream! Also, ginger paste, if you can find it, works great in this recipe, too.Soy Sauce: I highly recommend low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe; regular soy sauce might make the overall dish too salty, especially with certain brands of BBQ sauce.Sauce: if you want your sauce a little thicker, try stirring in a couple teaspoons of cornstarch before adding it to the stir fry. Vegetables: also, it goes without saying that this recipe is easily adaptable to vegetables of your preference or what you have on hand. Meat: you could also change up the chicken for beef, shrimp, or leave it meatless.