A stir fry with easy prep ingredients done in under an hour

Quick-cooking stir-fries are a natural choice for weeknight dinners. (File Photo: Hideya HAMANO/Flickr,CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Quick-cooking stir-fries are a natural choice for weeknight dinners. This one combines easy-prep ingredients with a levelled-up sauce made from Asian pantry staples.

To save on time, use precut broccoli florets rather than fussing with a whole head of broccoli. For a crisp-tender texture and bright green colour, we steam the broccoli slightly in the skillet before sauteing it. You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

Note that you’ll need 1/2 cup of basil, so shop accordingly. Long-grain white, basmati, or Texmati rice can be substituted for the jasmine rice.

STIR-FRIED CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI WITH HERBS AND SCALLION RICE

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 45 minutes

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce

1 tablespoon fresh ginger

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup fresh mint

4 scallions

12 ounces broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Rinse rice in fine-mesh strainer until water runs clear. Bring rice, 2 1/4 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove pot from heat, lay clean folded dish towel underneath lid, and let sit for 10 minutes.

While rice cooks, whisk 2 tablespoons water, oyster sauce, vinegar, and chili-garlic sauce together in small bowl; set aside. Peel and grate 1 tablespoon ginger. Chop 1/2 cup basil and 1/4 cup mint. Slice scallions thin.

Cut broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces. Stem and seed bell pepper, then slice thin. Trim chicken, slice each breast in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook chicken until no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and increase heat to high. Add broccoli and cook for 30 seconds.

Add 1/3 cup water, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Steam broccoli until just tender, about 2 minutes.

Uncover broccoli, stir in bell pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender and most of liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Push vegetables to sides of skillet. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and ginger to centre and cook, mashing ginger into pan, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Return cooked chicken, with any accumulated juices, to skillet and toss to combine. Stir in oyster sauce mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in basil and mint. Fluff rice with fork and stir in scallions. Serve stir-fry over rice.

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Nutrition information per serving: 503 calories; 92 calories from fat; 10 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 83 mg cholesterol; 940 mg sodium; 67 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 34 g protein.