Paula's Chicken Dinner Stir Fry

I've been trying to do stir fry that was as good as what I could get in restaurants for years, but never really tried that hard because it gave me something to order when we go out. I prefer to order things that I can't (or don't) make at home for a variety of reasons.

Then I started hearing about Hoisin sauce. It's a mixture of soy, garlic and red chiles that results in a dark, somewhat thick sweet and salty sauce used for glazing meat and dipping. I hunted around for a stir fry recipe utilizing this secret ingredient and found a Paula Dean stir fry that has all the ingredients I was looking for. I substituted snap peas for mushrooms, since Irene doesn't like mushrooms, and I use a few more carrots that the recipe calls for - but other than that, I didn't mess with the recipe much.

Hoisin sauce is the mystery ingredient I've been hunting for. It imparts that distinct oriental flavor I was craving. I love the flavor of the sauce on the chicken, carrots, peas and broccoli. This dish has turned out great every time I've made it and it has become my go to chicken dish if I want something special. It also makes enough for us to have it twice in a week for dinner and I can sneak a lunch or two out of the batch. What could be better?

Chicken Dinner Stir Fry

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
1 package fresh snap peas
2 to 3 carrots, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, diced
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions
In a large skillet, heat the oils over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Add broccoli, peas, carrots, pepper, and onion and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in the water chestnuts.
In a small bowl, combine broth, hoisin sauce (the secret ingredient!), soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch.
Add to chicken mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium to medium-low, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
Serve over hot, cooked rice noodles or brown rice.

Makes 6-8 servings.