Chicken and Apple Stir-Fry

Chicken and Apple Stir-Fry

6 dried mushrooms (such as shiitake or wood ear mushrooms)
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons frozen orange, apple, or pineapple
juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium green, red, orange, and/or yellow bell
peppers,cut into thin strips
2 medium apples, thinly sliced
Hot cooked long grain or brown rice


In a small bowl cover, cover mushrooms with warm
water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze
the mushrooms to drain thoroughly. Discard stems.
Thinly slice mushrooms. Set aside.

Meanwhile, rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels.
Cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the cold water,
juice concentrate, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger,
cinnamon, and red pepper. Set aside.

Preheat a wok or large skillet over medium-high
heat. Add almonds; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or
until golden. Remove almonds from wok. Let wok cool
slightly.

Add cooking oil to wok. Preheat over medium-high
heat (add more oil if necessary during cooking).
Stir-fry mushrooms, sweet peppers, and apples in
hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes or until peppers and
apples are crisp-tender. Remove apple mixture
from wok.

Add chicken to wok. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes
or until tender and no longer pink. Push chicken from
center of wok.

Stir sauce; add to center of wok. Cook and stir
until thickened and bubbly. Return apple mixture
to wok. Stir all ingredients together to coat.

Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until
heated through.

Stir in toasted almonds. Serve immediately with
hot cooked rice.

Makes 4 servings.