Gluten-Free Ginger-Lime Chicken Stir-Fry over Rice (with Vegetarian Option)

Do you need more quick and easy gluten-free meals to feed your family? This one packs a punch with plenty of fresh veggies and a delicious ginger-lime flavor that is sure to have them begging for seconds. If you’ve been following along for the past few weeks, you will know to get out the rice cooker first. For a family of four, two cups of dry rice will be sufficient. To make this dish especially healthy, use brown rice, which will add a pleasant, nutty base.

You will need:

two boneless, skinless chicken breasts

one cup chopped fresh mushrooms

one green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

half cup chopped green onions

one and a half cups bean sprouts

one third a head of green cabbage

tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)

the juice of two large limes

ginger

two cloves of garlic

cooking oil (such as peanut oil, safflower oil, or canola)

Cut chicken breasts into small pieces.

Warm 2 tablespoons of cooking oil at medium high heat in a large skillet or wok.

Add chicken, sear.

Add mushrooms.

Chop and add bell pepper and onion.

Lower heat to medium. Stir occasionally.

Slowly add 2 tablespoons of tamari and the juice of one lime.

When chicken is thoroughly cooked, add 1 tablespoon ginger and two cloves garlic, diced.

Add bean sprouts and juice of second lime.

Mix thoroughly over heat.

Coarsely chop and add a third of a head of cabbage.

Mix thoroughly again. If the mixture is dry, add small equal amounts of tamari and oil.

I usually serve the stir-fry directly from the skillet or wok, letting individuals serve themselves. Most of my family and dinner guests enjoy it over a bed of rice. Unfortunately for my readers, my hungry family crept in while my back was turned and had most of the stir fry eaten before I could snap a picture of the dish. I'll be sure to add one next time I make this recipe (which, judging by the greedy gobbling of it this time around, shouldn't be too long, if I know how to keep them happy).

This delicious gluten-free dish can easily be altered for vegetarians. To replace chicken with tofu, marinate 12 ounces of plain, firm tofu in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1 tablespoon of tamari, and the juice of 1 large lime. If you prefer, you can do the same with various mushrooms. Then begin the cooking process by sautéing bell pepper and green onion on medium heat in the remaining tablespoon of cooking oil. Then add tofu, complete with marinade, and proceed as per instructions above.

I make this dish with my favorite fresh vegetables. Other good stir-fry vegetables include fresh snow peas, bamboo shoots, red and yellow peppers or broccoli. Depending on the season, you can also replace green onions with white or yellow onions. Be careful to properly calculate the cooking time for each vegetable so as not to overcook or undercook any element.

Keep this recipe as-is or tweak it to fit your own family’s taste. Either way this meal should score high with even the pickiest eaters.