Sunday, November 20, 2011

Chicken Pomegranate Stir-Fry

The pomegranate in this recipe makes the sauce extra tangy sweet and delectable! It's perfect for this time in the season. Pomegranate makes a wonderful alternative to cranberry sauce at the Thanksgiving meal as many of us can't have some of the ingredients in the sauce, not to mention it looks so beautiful. So, don't let the extra pomegranate go to waste! Introduce it to your family if they've never tried it before. Most pomegranates, like pineapples, come with carving instructions. I hope you like it as much as I do, considering it's one of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet. Enjoy!

4-5 chicken tenderloins, cut into bite size pieces
1 shallot
1/2 each yellow, orange, green bell peppers, cut into 1/2 strips
1 fresh broccoli stalk, crown removed, stems cut into pieces
1 shredded carrot
8-10 pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups white rice, steamed or prepared as directed on package
sunflower seeds, if desired

Place chicken pieces in a wok or large sauteeing pan and brown all sides while stirring occasionally over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed or until chicken is no longer pink in the center, approximately 8 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except rice and sunflower seeds and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes to let juices flavor and soften the vegetables. Top rice with vegetables and sauce. Top with sunflower seeds, if desired, for extra crunch.