Mandarin Chicken
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, undrained
1/3 cup thawed orange juice concentrate, undiluted
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons apricot preserves
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon chili oil (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound skinned, boned chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
1 cup (1-inch) diagonally sliced asparagus (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup (3-inch) julienne-cut red bell pepper
1/2 cup (3-inch) julienne-cut zucchini (about 1 small)
1/2 cup (3-inch) julienne-cut carrot (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 cup diagonally sliced celery
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and diagonally sliced
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 cups hot cooked rice
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
Drain oranges in a colander over a bowl, reserving syrup.
Combine juice concentrate and the next 6 ingredients (concentrate through garlic) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken; cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour.
Heat canola oil in a stir-fry pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and the next 6 ingredients (asparagus through green beans); stir-fry for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add mushrooms, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove vegetable mixture from pan. Add chicken mixture to pan, and stir-fry for 4 minutes or until chicken is done. Return vegetable mixture to pan. Combine reserved syrup and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add syrup mixture to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until slightly thick. Stir in oranges. Serve over rice and almonds.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture, 3/4 cup rice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons almond)writeNutrient();NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 434(11% from fat); FAT 5.5g (sat 0.7g,mono 2g,poly 2.1g); PROTEIN 21.9g; CHOLESTEROL 33mg; CALCIUM 94mg; SODIUM 313mg; FIBER 5.5g; IRON 4.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 76g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2000