Food Monday ~ Quick Lemon Chicken with Broccoli, Carrots & Spring Onions
I first tasted this recipe at my friend June’s house some years ago, she only used broccoli in it. In the interim I have tried many variations and this is now how I serve it.
Quick Lemon Chicken with Broccoli, Carrots & Spring Onions
Serves 2
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil.
340g chicken breast cut in strips 2 garlic cloves crushed.
100g broccoli florets.
100g carrots cut in batons.
100g chopped spring onions.
1 heaped teaspoon cornflour/starch.
1 tablespoon clear honey or 2 teaspoons golden caster sugar.
grated zest of half lemon plus juice of 1 lemon.
A quick splash from the open bottle of wine (optional).
large handful of roasted cashew nuts.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add chicken and fry 3-4 minutes until golden, do not burn. Remove from the pan and add the garlic, broccoli, carrots and spring onions. Stir fry for a minute or so, then cover and cook 2 minutes more until almost tender Mix the cornflour, honey or sugar with the stock and booze if using, then pour into pan and stir to thicken. Tip the chicken back into the pan and let it heat through, then add the lemon zest and juice and the cashew nuts. Stir and serve straight away with rice or new baby potatoes.
** On one frazzled day I rushed in to make this for a late dinner. I prepared the rice to cook, prepped the veg, and put the wok on to heat before returning to the fridge for the chicken.
Major disaster, no chicken!
I had forgotten I eat it the night before. What did I do? I went back to my veg box of course. I added some sliced French beans, mushrooms, frozen peas, canned sweetcorn and red kidney beans. It made a lovely colourful veggie alternative.
UPDATE: Rhyleysgranny has a a very nice variation of this recipe on her blog, I urge you to take a look
steph said,
July 27, 2009 at 10:53 am
Yummy!
When will it be ready
Veggies are a big disappointment here and I miss them greatly. Oh, for a crunchy homegrown lettuce with radishes etc.
Grannymar said,
July 27, 2009 at 11:09 am
Steph,
My meals are determined by my tummy rumbles, no way near a hospital timetable. You should try a window veg box!
Baino said,
July 27, 2009 at 11:18 am
I used to work at this place with a Greek cafeteria in the building and they made the most amazing lemon chicken. Now I know you don’t eat dairy but it was in this lemony creamy peppery sauce. I’ve never had anything like it since.
Tonight I didn’t have time to shop so it was a hotch potch of vegetarian ravioli and tomato, pepperoni and spinach . .I really should have written down what I put in it cos it tasted ballistic. I want to go cook for Steph, if hospital food over there is anything like it is here, it’ll give you the runs before you’ve swallowed.\
I made beef stroganoff once because I forgot the beef! Tasted OK actually.
steph said,
July 27, 2009 at 11:24 am
GM,
The windows are bolted to make sure we can’t escape
Geri Atric said,
July 27, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Lovely! There are vegetarians in my family - I’ll pass it on.
Nancy said,
July 27, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Steph,
A nice big chocolate cake is on the way with a BOLT CUTTER baked inside so you can escape…
Grannymar said,
July 27, 2009 at 1:44 pm
@Baino - ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ was a favourite quote from my mother, as we added items to extend a meal for the hoards, or to substitute a missing item!
@Steph - You managed rightly to escape yesterday for a few hours.
@Geri - Glad you like it!
@Nancy - Are you misbehaving again?
Kate said,
July 27, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I love lemon chicken! I usually put a little ginger in with the zest - will definitely be trying it this way!!
steph said,
July 27, 2009 at 4:05 pm
@ Nancy
I knew I could rely on you
chrisb said,
July 27, 2009 at 4:21 pm
That’s similar to my Broccoli Lemon Chicken I might give your version a try, I have have all the ingredients including chicken in the fridge!
Grannymar said,
July 27, 2009 at 5:14 pm
@Kate - I love ginger, and yes I sometime add it, although many of my friends not fond of it.
@Chrisb - I love these dishes where we can change them as the mood takes us.
Nancy said,
July 27, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Steph,
Yes, and the getaway car will be parked in the alley behind the hospital with Humphrey Bogart at the wheel.
Jump in and he will whisk you to Key Largo where he and Lauren Bacall will regale you with stories of their exploits and will wine and dine you to your heart’s content!
Wait a minute! This is starting to sound pretty good to me. I better go first and make sure everything is OK and then I’ll send Bogey and the car for you.
Grannymar said,
July 27, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Nancy & Steph,
do I get to come along?
Nancy said,
July 27, 2009 at 6:57 pm
You can come on one condition, Grannymar. You have to be Peter Lorre’s date. Wear you flats.
Bogey’s car is a 1937 Packard. It’s in pretty good condition. Just a few bullet holes in the side and a cracked windscreen (That happened when Edward G. Robinson and George Raft borrowed it to make the story of Dillinger’s escape from the FBI.)
Can you believe we remember all this stuff?
Steph: Bring the camera….And a bottle of Bailey’s. And ice, we will need ice. It’s hot in Key Largo….
Grannymar said,
July 27, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Nancy,
I think Steph is busy with her visitors, or making up for lack of sleep last night.
Lily said,
July 27, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I’m back to cooking so thank you for Monday food posts. I need inspiration! I made your lemon cake which came from you, through Steph. It’s wonderful
Grannymar said,
July 27, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Welcome home Lily, did you remember to bring the sunshine?
Happy cooking.
Magpie11 said,
July 27, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Late again… I’ve made a Sussex pond pudding for Steph with a file and hacksaw in place of the lemon…there are brown rusty marks all over it!
Sorry Steph!
Magpie11 said,
July 27, 2009 at 11:00 pm
PS When I last heard Bumpy Gocart was dead!
Grannymar said,
July 27, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Magpie,
I think that Nancy has been sharing Steph’s drips!
Rhyleysgranny said,
July 28, 2009 at 12:43 am
MmmHmmm I think I’ve found a little something for my blog Just off to rummage in the fridge. I don’t expect I’ll find Lauren Bacall or Humphrey B there but one never knows what lies amongst the wilting salad leaves
Alice said,
July 28, 2009 at 5:37 am
Delightful! I’m always on the lookout for new veggie ideas! And I was planning a stirfry for this week anyhow. Many thanks.
Grannymar said,
July 28, 2009 at 8:47 am
@Rhyleysgranny - I look forward to testing your ‘inspiration’!
@Alice - Enjoy!
Rhyleysgranny said,
July 28, 2009 at 9:35 am
Magpie I hope he’s not lying dead in my fridge. That would mean I’d need to clean it ………groan