My first ever stir fry dish came from a Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. To this day it remains a favorite.

Everyone I’ve served it to asks me for the recipe. It doesn’t call for red bell peppers but I love the color they add to the dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 and 1/3 pounds whole chicken breasts

3 T Soy sauce

2 t cornstarch

2 T dry sherry

1 T grated gingerroot

1 t sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t crushed red pepper

2 T cooking oil (I use peanut oil)

2 medium green peppers, cut into 3/4″ pieces

4 green onions, bias-sliced into 1″ lengths

1 cup walnut halves

Hot cooked rice

DIRECTIONS

Skin, halve lengthwise and bone chicken breasts. Cut chicken into 1″ pieces. Set aside.

In a small bowl stir soy sauce into cornstarch; stir in dry sherry, gingerroot, sugar, salt and red pepper. Set aside.

Preheat a wok or a large skillet over high heat; adding cooking oil (watch it as it spatters). Stir fry green peppers and green onions in hot oil for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from wok or skillet. Add walnuts to wok or skillet; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until just golden. Remove from wok or skillet.

(Add more oil if necessary) Add half the chicken to the hot wok or skillet and stir fry 2 minutes. Remove from skillet. Stir-fry remaining chicken for 2 minutes.

Return all chicken to wok or skillet. Stir soy mixture; stir into chicken. Cook and stir til thickened and bubbly. Stir in vegetables and walnuts; cover and cook 1 minute more (I never cover it). Serve at once with hot rice.

Notes: Use a long-handled spoon or spatula to lift and turn the food with a folding motion. Be sure to maintain high heat so the food cooks quickly —