Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

I have the best boyfriend ever.  Now, before you vomit, I should explain.  He totally humors the weird way I eat.  Perhaps the most romantic thing ever said to me was, "I would strain the bits out of spaghetti sauce for you."  The only other people in the world who can cook for me on a regular basis are my parents, as they understand that onion powder is a perfectly acceptable substitution for actual onions.  However, my lists of picky demands are often too long for a mere mortal to attempt, leaving my poor parents frustrated.
This leads me to my manfriend, who has not yet been beaten down by years of these peculiarities.  Therefore, he offered to make me a stir fry.  Why have I never had stir fry before?!  Answer: Because it is usually offered to me complete with onions, peppers, and those intriguing tiny pea pods.  I've always seen a stir fry as a dumping ground for all the vegetables I never want to eat.  In reality, I could have been making my own version of a stir fry for years.  Duhh.

For two servings of Ajay's stir fry, you will need:
3 small chicken breasts (par-baked and cut in pieces)
   OR Quorn chicken style pieces equivalent 
3/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 cup thin-sliced mushrooms
200g teriyaki stir fry sauce
2-3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 servings udon noodles (approx 300g)

Other possible stir fry vegetables:
Peppers/Chilies
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Carrots
Onions




1. Fry mushrooms in sesame oil on a medium-high heat until cooked.

2. Add chicken/Quorn and heat.

3. Add water chestnuts, followed by the noodles.  Brown slightly.

4. Add teriyaki sauce and soy sauce.  Stir until heated.

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Mom's Chicken Marsala

This is my mom's recipe for Chicken Marsala, which she has kindly edited for me to remove bits of shallots and onion.  Thanks Mom, you're a star!  Warning, this dish takes a moderate amount of time and effort, as well as grease flying at you out of the pan.  This is why my dear mother makes it, and not me.  I watch and nom. :)

You will need:
2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
Butter and Olive Oil for frying (approx 2 Tbsp of each)
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
2 Tbsp chopped parsley (dry or fresh)
1 lb white/buttom mushrooms
Salt/Pepper for seasoning

1. Clean and slice mushrooms.  My dad cleans mushrooms with a toothbrush to brush off anything hanging out on the shrooms.

2. You will need to flatten the chicken breasts using the smooth side of a meat tenderizer (or something you've invented that will smash the chicken flatter, be creative!).  This is so the chicken will cook evenly.

3. Season chicken with salt/pepper.

4. Add the flour to a wide bowl.  Dredge chicken in flour and set on a plate.

5. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, heat 1Tbsp butter before combining with 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Once heated, fry chicken on each side for 3 minutes until browned.  Do not worry about cooking chicken through.  

6. Remove chicken and place on a paper towel covered plate.

7. Add another Tbsp of butter and another Tbsp of olive oil to the pan and fry the mushroom slices for a few minutes until slightly-brown.

 8. Add Marsala wine and let it boil for approx 1 minute before adding the chicken broth to the pan.  Stir in parsley.

9. Set chicken on top of sauce and allow to simmer covered for 2-3 minutes or until cooked.

10. Serve with flat egg noodles (or perhaps white rice or mashed or baked potatoes).

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