This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lipton. The opinions and text are all mine.
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a bright and festive impromptu theme dinner, especially in the winter months. This fun and easy Chinese “Take-in” dinner features homemade chicken chop suey along with brown rice and glasses of refreshing Lipton iced tea. Enjoying a simple yet festive meal like this with my daughter brings me back to what is important in life, spending cherished time with loved ones.
Don’t worry, this is an easy meal to put together. You can even make it on a weeknight. The chicken chop suey is a simple Chinese dish to prepare. It is really just chicken, veggies and a sauce of stock, soy sauce, and cornstarch. I use instant brown rice to save time, and thanks to Lipton’s convenient Cold Brew bags, freshly brewed iced tea is ready in a flash as well. Everything for the meal can be ready in less than a half hour right down to the little paper umbrellas.
My daughter (like most kids) seems to think a beverage with a fancy paper umbrella is just “the bomb”. I must say I’m sort of keen on it too. It is such an uplifting touch, that takes mere seconds.
I tend to cook more Asian food in the cold of winter anyway. Much of the produce used in this type of cooking is still in season throughout the winter. It is a great way to provide fresh veggies in our diet this time of year. Making simple Chinese dishes like this myself, also allows me to make the meal a bit lower in sodium, which we prefer in our home.
Lipton Cold Brew
The iced tea I made for this meal was the first time I’d tried Lipton Cold Brew. It will now be a staple in our home. Both my daughter and I like iced tea and this is so quick and easy to make. I don’t need to plan ahead to brew it. Look how easy it is to make a 2-quart pitcher:
- Pour 8 cups COOL water over 2 tea bags.
- Cold brew 5 minutes dunking frequently, stir, then remove tea bags.
- Sweeten to taste with your choice of sweetener. Add ice and ENJOY NOW, no need to wait! (Keep refrigerated.)
Easy homemade Chicken Chop Suey Recipe
- 2 tsp oil 1 for vegetables, 1 for chicken
- 3 stalks celery sliced
- 2-3 stalks bok choy chopped
- 1/2 sweet onion large, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 7 oz bean sprouts fresh
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 8 oz chicken breast sliced
- 4 large button mushrooms sliced
- 1 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbs cornstarch
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Preheat skillet to med-high. Add 1 tsp of oil, then toss in the celery, bok choy, and onions. Toss together then add grated fresh ginger, Stir well and continue stirring until the vegetables are just starting to soften, then add the bean sprouts. Toss and continue stir frying until the sprouts are translucent, but still a little crisp. Dump the vegetable mixture in a bowl and set aside.
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Put 1 tsp of oil plus 1/2 tsp of sesame oil in the skillet and add the sliced chicken. Stir fry until pink isn't showing on the outside of the chicken, then add the mushrooms, Stir fry until mushrooms are cooked just on the outside.
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Whisk together chicken stock, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the pan. Stir well and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetables. Mix well and cook for another minute or two (while frequently stirring) until the sauce has thickened to the point of a thin gravy.
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Serve with rice.
While I’ve brought you a simple fun twist on mealtime, Food Network has all sorts of creative twists for winter meals; from recipes to fun meal themes. Check out their Bright Bites page to get in on all the fun!
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