CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH BROCCOLI & CASHEWS

Necessity really is the mother of invention. I purchased far too much lemongrass last weekend, as of my best friends has raved about how amazing it tastes and I wanted to try it out. Never one to waste food, I decided to use up this entire herb by making it an ingredient in every dish I made this week (bar one, the chicken curry pizza). My partner was not amused by this, and by the closure of the week he had taken to pelting me with the lemongrass he found in his dinner followed by  ‘not this shit again!’. Love really is blind.

Regardless of whether you use lemongrass for this dish, the cashews and marinated chicken make the dish. I felt like I was eating a Chinese dish, albeit with much less oil and sugar. Cooking the chicken stock with the rice was just an idea I had to intensify the chicken flavouring. Make sure that you choose a good quality stock though, as many can be filled with lots of crap. I use Massel stock, which is gluten-free, lactose free, cholesterol free, trans-fat free and contains no animal content and no msg. Massel can be found at any major supermarket.

INGREDIENTS 

• 500g chicken breast, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce 
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely diced
• 1 cup doongara rice
• 2 cups chicken stock 
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped3
• 1 head of broccoli, including the stalk, cut into florets
• 10cm fresh stick of lemongrass, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Combine the chicken strips, vinegar, sweet chilli sauce, garlic and sesame oil in a medium bowl and toss well. Heat a medium frying pan or wok on medium heat and add the chicken, stirring constantly, until the chicken colours and no pink flesh remains. 

2. Meanwhile, pour the rice and chicken stock in a medium to large saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer, covered, and cook for around 10-12 minutes or until the rice is absorbed. 

3. Remove the chicken from the pan when is has cooked and cover to keep warm, placing in a large serving bowl. Adjust the heat to medium- low and add the red onion, broccoli florets and lemongrass. Stir fry for 4 minutes or until the onion is cooked and the broccoli is almost tender. 

4. Remove the vegetables from the pan and add to the chicken in the serving bowl. Add the cooked rice and chopped cashews and toss well to combine. Serve warm. 

Serves / 4

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