Stir-Fried Chicken with Wilted Spinach & Tamari Walnuts

From EatingWell: Winter 2003, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004) — Subscribe Now!

The joy of stir-frying is that an interesting dish like this cooks in mere minutes. The only trick is to have all the ingredients prepped and ready to add. Once you start stir-frying you can't afford to lose time mincing and measuring.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Wilted Spinach & Tamari Walnuts Recipe

4 servings, 1 cup each

Active Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

2 teaspoons tamari, or reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, then cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

Stir-fry Sauce & Vegetables

1/2 cup Tamari Walnuts, (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon tamari, or reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 cup slivered red bell pepper, (2-by-1/4-inch pieces)
2 tablespoons slivered fresh ginger, (1-by-1/8-inch pieces)
2 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 ounces spinach, (8-10 cups), trimmed
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, (1 bunch)

Preparation

To marinate chicken: Combine 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce), 2 teaspoons rice wine (or sherry), 2 teaspoons honey and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Make Tamari Walnuts. Set aside.
To prepare stir-fry: Stir cornstarch, 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce), 1 tablespoon rice wine (or sherry) and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth; set stir-fry sauce aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, a few pieces at a time, and stir-fry, turning up the heat as necessary to maintain a steady sizzle, until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken and any juices in the pan to a plate. Repeat with another teaspoon oil and the remaining chicken; transfer to the plate.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the hot pan and heat briefly over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add spinach, about half at a time, turning to combine with the seasonings. Cover and cook just until wilted, 30 to 60 seconds.
Add the reserved chicken (and any accumulated juices) to the pan, along with scallions. Stir the sauce and add it to the pan; stir-fry over high heat until the sauce has thickened, 30 to 60 seconds. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Tamari Walnuts.

Nutrition

Per serving: 314 calories; 17 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 3 g fiber; 400 mg sodium; 563 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (70% daily value), Vitamin A (60% dv), Potassium (28% dv), Folate (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 3 fat