Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Stir Fry

Blame it on my local 99c only Store that I keep coming up with Brussels sprouts recipes. They're too easy to get cheaply these days. So here comes another recipe with them called Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Stir Fry

I've cooked Brussels spouts every which way, from an appetizer of Baked Bacon Wrapped (click on any name to see the recipe) to sauteed in a Buttery Pasta, and just plain Roasted. About the only way I've yet to do it is deep fried - hmmm...that's gotta be next.

If you are not so lucky in finding these flavorful mini-cabbages, then just substitute with half a head of cheaper cabbage -- it's all good.

Brussels sprouts need minimal preparation: slice off woody stem ends and discard yellow leaves, that's it. If they are extra large, you may want to slice them in half. 

Chicken is the cheapest of protein that I always find on sale, especially in local Latin markets. I used skinless and boneless dark meat for less than a dollar per pound, now that's the right price.

It's cheapest to work with leg quarters or dark meat, while white meat is easiest for removing skin and bone. But once you've deboned legs and thighs a few times, it's gets easy enough.

When I'm in a hurry, or just too lazy to think too much by dinnertime, I go to a quick Chinese stir fry. All you need is some soy sauce and a sweetener. And if you have a bottle of stir fry sauce or oyster sauce for extra flavor, then you are ready to go.

By the time a pot of rice is cooked my average stir fry recipe is ready, like this Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Stir Fry.

Ingredients (2-4 servings)

• 10 ounce package Brussels sprouts - okay to substitute with half a head of cabbage, roughly chopped.
• 2-3 pieces of chicken - boneless and skinless. I used dark meat. Okay to use leaner white meat chicken. Okay to add as much chicken as you like.
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce - I used low sodium.
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce - okay to substitute any favorite stir fry sauce.
• 1 teaspoon honey - or favorite sweetener.
• 1 tablespoons corn starch - okay to substitute with flour. Mixing in corn starch or flour will make the sauce thicken.
• Pepper to taste - optional. I left out salt as soy sauce has plenty for me.
• Oil for stir frying - about 3 tablespoons total.
• 2 cups of cooked rice - white or brown rice. Okay to make more rice.

Directions
Cook rice according to package directions. One cup of uncooked rice makes about 2 cups when steamed.

Remove skin from chicken pieces and slice out the bone. White meat is easiest to remove bone from. I bought skinless and boneless dark meat chicken for this recipe.

Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle on corn starch to coat the chicken pieces.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a medium/hot pan. Add chicken and stir fry it until cooked all the way through, about 3-5 minutes. Slice into thickest chicken piece to make sure there is no pink juices when done. Chicken doesn't need to brown, just cook through. Remove chicken when done.

While chicken cooks, rinse off Brussels sprouts, if necessary. Next, slice off the tough stem ends of each Brussels sprout. Make a very thin slice, no need to take off too much.

Remove any yellow leaves. If some green leaves detach, just add them to the pan for stir frying.

Slice Brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise. If the sprouts are small then you can leave them whole. In the package I bought Brussels sprouts were about 1 to 2 inches tall.

Add another tablespoon of oil to pan if necessary. Cooked chicken may have left some liquid in the pan - that's extra flavor so don't pour it out. And the veggies will help steam loose any charred tasty chicken bits.

Stir in cleaned and sliced Brussels sprouts. Saute until tender. Should not take more than 2-4 minutes. It's up to you how well done the cooked veggies become.

*Regular chopped cabbage is a cheaper substitution (almost the same flavor too, and takes a similar amount of cooking time as Brussels sprouts.

Spoon on 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and oyster sauce. Add a teaspoon of honey or any favorite sweetener.

Click on any image to see larger.

Finally add the cooked chicken pieces and mix all ingredients. Heat through until hot, about another minute or two.

Serve Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Stir Fry over rice. It's delish without rice for the carb-averse.

Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts - Video Recipe

I know, it's cheating, wrapping veggies in bacon - too easy. But, this kind of cheating has never been so right! My latest recipe video, Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts, is a perfect party appetizer.

Decadent as all get out, just put out a platter of these delectable nuggets and watch them disappear in a flash, so be sure to squirrel away a couple for yourself.

These bacon-wrapped veggie orbs are losagens for the soul - a  smokey, salty, sweet and savory bite. A roasted Brussels sprout is the ideal size for an appetizer.

The 10 ounce package, I bought at my local 99c only Store, held a bunch of various sizes, from about 3/4 of an inch to 2 1/2 inches tall.

So, it's best to look the package over, and pick one with that holds Brussels sprouts with more uniform proportions.

Bacon is not cheap anymore. I can get a package, again at the 99c only Store for $1.99, but for this recipe I'm only using half a package, so it's still within my self-imposed price point.

However, I've also found $1 packages of extra lean Jennie-O turkey bacon at my local Dollar Tree, now that's more like it.

While turkey bacon has low-calorie going for it, the texture and crispness is different. Turkey bacon crisps evenly, but, I miss the way bacon has strips of meat and fat. This brand of turkey bacon, right out of the package, has the texture of baloney. When fried or baked, it has the familiar bacon flavor. So it's not a bad substitution for the real thing.

 Turkey Bacon

Depending on the size of each Brussels sprout, I used half a slice of bacon per sprout. Ideally, you want to wrap each Brussels sprout one and a half times. If the bacon slice is too small, it will shrink too much and work it's way off the sprout (but, since you serve this appetizer with toothpicks, just reattach any bacon that shrinks off the sprout.)

Of course, if the sprouts are large, and your guests are bacon lovers, then wrap with a whole slice of bacon.

Roast these appetizers about half an hour, until the bacon is crisp and Brussels sprouts tender. I used a roasting pan with a wire rack, so the excess grease drained off, and the bacon browned evenly. Of course, use what you've got. If it's a flat roasting surface then rotate the Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts half way through baking, for even browning.

Porcine wrapped mini-cabbages are a tasty way to start any party, or just please yourself and make a snack of my Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts.

Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts  - VIDEO

 Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 14 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (12-20 bacon wrapped)

• 10 ounce package of Brussels sprouts - amounts and sizes will vary in each package. Try to find a package with uniform sizes. Okay to halve largest sprouts once they reach 2 inches tall. Okay to use as much Brussels sprouts as you like - just increase amount of bacon to use.
• 1 package of sliced bacon - okay to use low calorie (and sometimes cheaper) turkey bacon.

Directions
Prep the Brussels sprouts by giving them a quick rise, if necessary. Make a thin slice and remove the root/stems. Remove any yellow or wilted leaves.

If the sprouts are really large, over 2 inches tall, then slice them in half. (Of course, you can roast them whole, just increase the baking time by 10 or 15 minutes, watching closely that the bacon doesn't burn.) Set aside Brussels sprouts to drain and dry.

For this recipe I used half slices of bacon. What you want is each Brussels sprout to be wrapped, at least, one and a half times with bacon. If you are feeling indulgent, then use a whole slice of bacon on the largest Brussels sprouts.

Place each Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprout with the bacon seam side down. The weight of the Brussels sprout will help keep the bacon from peeling off the sprout during baking.

My roasting pan has a wire rack, so the grease drains and each appetizer browns evenly. For a roasting pan without a wire rack, be sure to rotate the Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts half way through cooking, so bacon roasts evenly.

Add Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts to a roasting pan - into a 350 degree oven. Roast about 30-45 minutes, depending how large the Brussels spouts.

When done, pierce the largest Brussels sprout with a toothpick, it should go in easily. Or, reward yourself and try one to check for doneness.

Allow the Bacon Wrapped Brussles Sprouts to cool for a minute before serving - they will be very hot right out of the oven. If bacon seperates from any of the sprouts, then reattach with a toothpick. For a party, go ahead and serve Bacon Wrapped Brussles Sprouts speared on toothpicks.

Buttery Brussels Sprouts & Pasta

Butter's back! Sure why not. Used judiciously, it's a good fat (click here to read about benefits and here, too.) At least you know where it comes from, unlike margarine.

When Brussels sprouts are cooked they take on a slight nutty flavor and they do taste like cabbage. I was not a fan of them as a kid, but I love them now. I'm sure my recipe of Buttery Brussels Sprouts & Pasta will please anyone in your family.

And any veggie tastes even better sauteed in butter. When fresh cooked pasta is mixed in you have a hearty meal that comes together very quickly.

Just get a pot of water going for the pasta, and by the time it's done, the buttery sauteing Brussels sprouts should be ready. The whole meal only takes about 10 minutes to do.

 I slice each Brussels sprout in halve to cook quicker, plus that's more surface for butter to coat. Packaged Brussels sprouts contain various sizes, so if you get some extra small ones go ahead and saute them whole. Most are in the 2 inch tall range.

They take almost no prep, just slice of the brown stem end and remove any yellow leaves.

And 10 ounce bags of Brussels sprouts are still showing up at my local 99c only Store, so I'll keep coming up with recipes for this tasty mini-cabbage - make sure to come back for more.

Butter is not as cheap as it used to be. I get mine from the 99c only Store. It's over my price point, but you get 2 sticks per package, and I seldom use more than a tablespoon at a time. So, it's still a good value purchase.

Dried pasta is always cheap. I used spaghetti, but you can use any type you have on hand.

If you are butter averse, or vegan, then it's okay to substitute with a favorite flavorful cooking oil (like coconut) or extra virgin olive oil. It all about lusciousness. And if you don't care for Brussels sprouts (or they are too hard to find and expensive) then try florets of broccoli or cauliflower. Just about any veggie will do, like: carrot, squash, spinach and green beans.

I'm bringing butter back into my life, but not too much, just enough to make tasty dishes like Buttery Brussels Sprouts & Pasta

Ingredients (2 servings)

• Brussels sprouts - I used a 10 ounce package.
• Pasta - I used about 1/2 package of spaghetti. It's okay to use any favorite pasta. If you like a lot of pasta then add  more (add another tablespoon or two of butter, though.)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter - I used salted butter. Okay to use sweet butter. You can substitute any favorite cooking oil or olive oil, to keep recipe vegan.
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic - optional. I use chopped garlic from the jar.
• Black pepper to taste - no salt necessary if salted butter is used. For sweet butter, then salt to taste.
• Water - to boil pasta. Reserve a 1/4 cup to add when all the ingredients are finally mixed together.
• Parmesan cheese - optional. Fresh shaved or dried from a container (it's cheaper.)

Directions
Start a pot of water to boil for pasta. Prepare pasta according to package directions (I usually shave off a minute of cooking time for al dente.) While water heats up you can start prepping and cooking the Brussels sprouts.

Rinse off Brussels sprouts, if necessary. Next, slice off the tough stem ends of each Brussels sprout. Make a very thin slice, no need to take off too much. Remove any yellow leaves. If some green leaves detach, just add them to the pan too.

Slice Brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise. If the sprouts are small then you can leave them whole. The package I bought each sprout was about 2 inches tall.

Add butter to a medium heated pan. Once it melts add the Brussels sprouts and any loose green leaves. Each side needs about 2-3 minutes of cooking time. They will tenderize and get softer.

Once they are done then add a teaspoon of chopped garlic (optional.) Stir and saute one minute.

If pasta is not done yet, then turn the sauteing Brussels sprouts pan heat to low, until the pasta is ready.

Now time to bring it all together. I take out the cooked pasta right from the boiling water. (Of course, try a spaghetti strand to make sure it's done to you liking.) Next, add a 1/4 cup of pasta water. Pasta tends to dry out as it cools down, so a little pasta water keeps the pasta moist, and stretches out the butter sauce.

Mix the pasta and Brussels sprouts together. Serve hot and with parmesan cheese (optional.)