- For a little extra spice, try adding 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or 1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg.
- 2 tablespoons olive, avocado, or peanut oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 bunches (about 1 pound) asparagus (may substitute 2 small to medium bunches–about 1 1/2 pounds total–broccoli*)
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, Tuscan kale, or tatsoi**
- 1/3 cup white wine or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use a gluten-free variety, if necessary)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Optional garnish: 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and/or 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews
- Optional for serving: rice, whole grain or rice noodles, or black bean spaghetti***
Green Stir Fry
Ingredients
Steps
- Remove any tough ends from the asparagus and cut the spears into 1-2-inch pieces. If using broccoli, cut the florets into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Remove any tough, dry stems from the broccoli rabe or kale; the rest of the stems will be used. If using tatsoi, slice off the root end. Chop the broccoli rabe, kale or tatsoi, placing the florets and stem pieces in a pile with the asparagus spears. Place the chopped leaves, which will cook more quickly, in a separate pile.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar or honey, and sriracha. Set aside. (As mentioned in the notes section, if you plan to toss in pasta, you may wish to double the sauce.)
- In a large (12-to 14-inch) skillet (cast iron works very well), heat 2 tablespoons of the oil, and sauté the chicken over medium-high heat until it is well browned and beginning to caramelize. Chicken thighs won’t dry out like breast meat, so you can really cook them until they are golden. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Pour the wine or broth into the pan to deglaze, scraping up all those little crusty bits on the bottom of the pan. (There’s serious flavor there!) Add the asparagus, florets and stem pieces–everything except the leaves–to the skillet. Sauté until crisp tender, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. You may add another drizzle of oil if your pan seems dry. Add the chopped leafy parts, and sauté until the leaves begin to wilt but are still bright green–this won’t take long.
- Add the chicken back into the pan, and pour the sauce all over. Toss to incorporate, and cook another minute or two or until the chicken is thoroughly heated.
- If desired, garnish with sesame seeds, peanuts or cashews. Serve as is or with rice or noodles.
Notes
- *When I use regular broccoli (as opposed to broccoli rabe) I like to steam or blanch it for 2-3 minutes (until a knife can be pierced easily into the stem but the florets are still al dente) and add it to the stir fry at the end along with the cooked chicken. This is helpful if you prefer your broccoli a little more tender than it will become with a quick stir fry, and the precooking step may be done earlier in the day. Simply drain and refrigerate the broccoli until ready.
- **I have enjoyed all of these dark, leafy greens in this stir fry. Broccoli rabe is the most bitter. Any type of kale may really be used, but Tuscan is the most tender and its stems can be included. Tatsoi is harder to come by, but if you see it, buy it! The edible stems are similar to celery and the leafy ends are much like baby spinach.
- ***Black bean spaghetti can be found in many larger grocery stores. I’ve also seen it at Costco. The only ingredients are black beans and water, and it’s surprisingly tasty–I think it pairs especially well with Asian flavors. A typical bag weighs 7.05 ounces, and I usually toss in about half to two-thirds of a bag (after cooking it). When tossing pasta into the stir fry–no matter which variety–I recommend doubling the sauce.