What starts off as a load of vegetables and not much chicken turns out to be a balanced, sizzling stir-fry that is relatively low in sodium. Serve on its own or with brown rice. Adapted from “Eating Well: 500 Calorie Dinners,” by Jessie Price, Nicci Micco and the Eating Well Test Kitchen (Countryman Press, 2010). Makes 2 servings.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast half, trimmed of excess fat, then cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large carrots, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small red onion, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 large cloves garlic, cut into thin slices
1 or 2 small dried chile peppers, stemmed and seeded, such as Thai, cayenne or chile de arbol
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime (1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup packed mint leaves, finely chopped
Directions
Heat a wok or large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat.
Use a designated spice grinder or a mortar and pestle to grind the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds to the consistency of coarsely ground pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the cornstarch, salt and turmeric; stir to combine. Add the chicken, stirring to coat it evenly.
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil to the wok or skillet. When the oil is shimmering, add the carrots, bell pepper, onion, garlic and chili peppers (to taste). Stir-fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until the vegetables begin to brown. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-high; add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and seasoning from the bowl and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.
Return the vegetables to the wok or skillet, and add the lime juice and mint. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds or until the vegetables are heated through; they should be crisp-tender.
Divide among individual plates; serve hot.
Per serving: 370 calories, 29g protein, 22g carbohydrates, 19g fat, 2g saturated fat, 65mg cholesterol, 490mg sodium, 5g dietary fiber, 8g sugar
