Flying by the Seat of my Pants Tonight

Just minutes before dinner, A. and I were discussing what to have and how we might prepare it. We settled on chicken breasts baked in teriyaki sauce with a side of butternut pumpkin (left from the vegetable tart) roasted with apples and honey inside. This resolution lasted all of about 3 minutes, when suddenly, simultaneously, and without speaking, A. and I came to the conclusion that it was too damn hot to bake anything. Instead, we would have chicken teriyaki, stir-fried.

So, this is what I did, all on my own with hardly a glance at the internet to guide me (all measurements are guesses, I went by eye):

2 plump and lovely chicken breasts, cut up into bite-sized chunks
@ 2/3 Cup teriyaki sauce, separated
a couple teaspoons of olive oil
a couple teaspoons of cornstarch
@ 1/2 C chicken stock
1 chunk of bok choy
a handful of cremini mushrooms
a handful of bean sprouts

This recipe is in two parts--first the sauce: heat the chicken stock and about 1/3 C of the teriyaki sauce in a sauce pan. Slowly stir in the corn starch until it dissolves, and you have a thick sauce. Put that aside for now, and stir fry your chicken bits in the olive oil (in a nice wok if you have one), until the chicken is just about cooked through. Add the remaining 1/3 C of teriyaki sauce to the wok and stir. Add the mushrooms and the bean sprouts (n.b.: A.'s mom snaps off the root end of each dag-blasted little bean sprout. This is time-consuming and tedious, and I think unnecessary. Do this only if you are totally in love with someone whose mom does it, too). Stir fry until everything is cooked nicely. Add the bok choy last because it cooks very quickly. Give it all a good last stir and serve with a little of your thick sauce poured over it. I also served rice noodles on the side, and some jasmine or brown rice would have also been good side dish options.

I know nothing about teriyaki, so I recommend this recipe not from a place of superior knowledge, childhood experience, or deep understanding of the nuances of teriyaki sauce; but rather because A. asked me if I'd make it for her again. Success!