MYOTO (thanks, Rachael Ray)

I made a recipe the other night, which would easily be a fabulous stand-in for my usual Chinese take out. It's a "Make-Your-Own-Take-Out" meal (aka MYOTO, a term coined by Rachael Ray of Food Network). I am a bit obsessed with the Food Network, and Mizz Ray, so don't be surprised if you see a bunch of their crap peddled around this blog. It's a sickness for which I wish no cure.


I found this recipe in a recent Cooking Light issue, and fell in love with it. It's a Chicken Kung Pao, minus the fried greasiness. I love spice, so we ended up putting in twice the amount of red pepper flake that was called for! By using red pepper flake, the spice quota can be tailored to anyone's taste, simply by changing the amount. This recipe did not disappoint! I highly recommend it. My broccoli loathing hubbie didn't even mind the broccoli. That's how bomb it was. Take that!

Kung Pao Chicken
courtesy of Cooking Light

Prep Time: 9 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup chicken mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World), divided
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 2 teaspoons ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.
Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.