Hoisin Chicken with Ramen Veggie Stir-Fry

This, again, is an outcome of my trying to use everything perishable in my refrigerator before the move commenced! This could only be more simple if you are one of the Jetsons and simply have to push a button for the meal of your choice, wait 0.5 seconds, and have a delicious, hot meal ready for your gastronomical pleasure! Oh, how I miss that show!

Tasty, yes? Let's begin!

For the lovely chicken;

This takes roughly 12 minutes to make!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise

salt

2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice powder

cooking spray

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup Hoisin sauce

green onions, bias sliced

roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and 5 spice on both sides. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray and oil, cook chicken for two minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer skillet to the oven and cook for three minutes. Baste with Hoisin and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, until cooked through. Garnish with green onion and peanuts.

This recipe serves 4.

Here's how to throw together the stir fry!

This recipe takes 10 minutes to prep and cook.

2 packages Ramen noodles, any variety you choose (I used Oriental this time.)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 green onions, bias sliced, divided

salt

2 carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into short strips

2 teaspoons chinese 5 spice

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

black sesame seeds

In a small pot of boiling water, stir in the seasoning packet from the noodles until dissolved and add the pasta. Cook until tender, about 3 or 4 minutes, breaking the block apart with a spoon as it softens up. Drain, reserving a little liquid (I usually keep about a cup), add back to the pot, toss with oil, and cover to keep warm (I know the seasoning packet sounds pointless, since you drain it away, but it helps season the ramen,).

Meanwhile, in a large skillet prayed with cooking spray over medium heat, add the onion, reserving enough for garnish (I would save one onion) and garlic. Season with a little salt and cook until they begin to soften, about a minute. Add in carrot, celery and bell pepper, a touch more salt and 5 spice, cook, stirring often, until crisp tender, about three minutes. Add the pasta in (adding some of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed) and stir-fry another minute or two until warmed through. Garnish with reserved green onion, peanuts, and black sesame seeds (I know there are none in the picture. It was an afterthought!).

This recipe serves 4.