I’m always on a quest to find quick, easy, and healthy recipes for us to enjoy that won’t keep me slaving away in the kitchen for hours. You guys know this about me, and the chances are good that’s why you’re here, too. Making a stir fry is always sure to be a win because it’s one of those meals where you can do a fridge clean-out. Chicken? Perfect. Steak? That works! Shrimp? Yum! (Okay, I don’t really like shrimp, but you’re probably saying “yum!”) Tofu? Do it up Meatless Monday style! And then there are the vegetables. Basically, just grab whatever you have in your fridge and throw it in! With that being said, this sweet chili chicken stir fry is an actual recipe and the vegetables I chose are perfectly suited for the sauce I chose. So if you need a starting place, this is a really good one!
Speaking of that sauce! I like to cook from scratch when it makes a huge difference in flavor, taste, or health, but I also like to take shortcuts when I can find good quality ingredients to use. As you may or may not know, my son is allergic to sesame and nuts. These allergies very much limit the choices for stir fry sauces as many of them include sesame oil or peanuts. I’m partnering with SpartanNash again (remember the easy chicken alfredo I made with their pasta?) to bring you this post and as I was browsing my local Spartan store (we’re lucky enough to have Forest Hill Foods, Family Fare and D&W all within 30 minutes!) for inspiration for this recipe, I grabbed the Full Circle Organic Sweet Thai Chili Sauce.
I turned it around to read the label, as I do with every single thing I buy, every single time I buy it, no matter how many times I buy it (can I get an amen from other food allergy moms and dads?). I was pleasantly surprised by the ingredient label! If you’re a Fast Lane shopper, you can also check out the ingredients online! So the ingredients…first off, no high fructose corn syrup…yay! The ingredients in this Full Circle Organic Sweet Thai Chili Sauce are:
filtered water organic sugar organic white vinegar organic red jalapeño peppers organic corn starch organic orange juice concentrate organic pineapple juice concentrate organic ginger puree salt organic garlic organic soybean oil organic red bell peppers organic lemon grass xanthan gum
These are the kinds of ingredients that I’m personally looking for when shopping for pre-made ingredients for my family to enjoy. I can pronounce them all, I know what they all are, and bonus – organic! The next requirement for a store-bought shortcut ingredient such as a sauce is TASTE. Obviously, I didn’t check this one out until I was at home, but we loved the taste of this sauce. It has a great amount of heat but is balanced out by a sticky sweetness from the sugar and fruit juices. There’s a really good balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy. We love it! However, if you prefer a homemade sauce, try Chicken Stir-Fry with Ginger and Basil or Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry. Lots of great flavor in those sauces, too, and they are easy to make.
Another thing I appreciate about this sauce is its thickness. It isn’t overly thick but just thick enough to coat all the stir fry ingredients and still mingle with the bed of rice.
Make this Sweet Chili Chicken Stir Fry your own!
Like I mentioned, you could try this with different proteins. I personally would choose chicken, steak, or tofu. I don’t think the sauce would complement steak or other red meat quite as well, but if you want to give it a try, I’m not stopping you! Let us know how it is. OR, you could try this easy beef and vegetable stir fry or sesame beef and vegetables. Try different vegetables! I like this combination, but I’m also a fan of mushrooms, baby corn, and zucchini in stir fry. Celery can be a pleasant, crunchy surprise in stir fry, too! Serving suggestions – I love this with jasmine rice or long grain white rice cooked in my pressure cooker. You could serve this with cauliflower rice, quinoa, or brown rice, Or serve the stir fry on a bed of lettuce for a warm salad entree.
