WHOLE30 Day #21 – So last night for our main course protein, we had rotisserie chicken, AKA “the go-to fast food meal of Paleos.” It was delicious, and perhaps more important, it was convenient. But as is always the case in our household, we had more than half the chicken leftover afterwards. I suspect you’ve had a similar experience with whole chickens unless you’re serving a family of 6+ in which case my heart goes out to you! In the old (pre-WHOLE30) days, I would have easily used the leftovers to generate some sort of chicken and rice dish, but alas rice is no longer an option. So when my mother suggested I make a stir-fry for the second-day meal, my initial thought was: Ugh, impossible without rice! Then my next thoughts were of all the ways to mimic rice; how I should run to the store; purchase some cauliflower and try out that cool ricing technique I’d seen on so many Paleo blogs recently. But Hubs detests cauliflower and he’d surely see through that trick, I reasoned. Plus, I’d already pushed my luck with him only a few days ago with the fried sprouts adventure. Probably best not to force him into eating two such dreaded veggies in close succession.

After too many minutes spent pondering the issue, I went to refrigerator and stumbled upon my first tip for success when “doing” the WHOLE30.
Are you ready? Here it is:
Keep as much fresh produce in your house as you can (or have room for), even if you don’t know how you’re going to use them (that is, even if you have no particular recipe in mind for them).

Having spare fruits and veggies in the house has saved me on multiple occasions when trying to figure out dinner (see Turkey Cabbage Skillet as but one example). In this case, I rummaged through the fridge and found some fresh ginger root, extra celery, a couple of bell peppers and some colorful baby carrots (listed in the recipe as just carrots), etc. And I keep unsweetened pineapple juice on hand for making my WHOLE30-ish popsicles (see recipe here) as well as various forms of coconut – oil, aminos, etc. because I’ve become so fond of cooking with coconut (as I discussed in this post). So I decided to just give it my best shot with creating a stir-fry that would be satisfying on its own without rice.

WHOLE30 Rotisserie Chicken Stir-fry – Delicious 2nd Day Dinner Option

The result garnered rave reviews from the family and is pictured below. I’d encourage you to experiment with other veggies that may be favorites around your house. I think zucchini or broccoli would be terrific. But we had no zucchini on hand, and Hubs abhors broccoli (noticing a trend here?). One word of caution, don’t tempted to skimp on the veggies or to omit the eggs. You need the fiber, texture and crunch provided by the variety of vegetables, and the eggs provide additional protein and bulk to the mixture. Lastly, I did add a half packet of stevia to mimic the sweet and sour flavor of take-out stir-fry, which is not strictly WHOLE30 approved. You can omit it if you are a perfectionist. I think it’s better with it, but that’s your call.

Ingredients:
• 1 Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
• 2 Tbsp. liquid coconut oil (I used Carrington’s brand)
• ¼ cup unsweetened pineapple or orange juice
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh, peeled ginger
• 1 whole red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 whole green bell pepper, sliced
• 5 large carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks or thick slices
• 5 ribs celery, cut into large chunks
• 2 whole eggs, beaten
• ½ cup pineapple chunks
• 1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. coconut aminos (e.g. Coconut Secret)
• ½ packet stevia sweetener (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped cashews or sunflower seeds

Process:
1. Remove chicken meat (be sure to get both white and dark meat) from the bone and try to remove any visible fat and skin. Set meat aside.
2. Place a large skillet or wok over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and add coconut oil and pineapple juice, then add salt, garlic powder and fresh ginger. Stir to combine and allow to sauté briefly.
3. Next add peppers, carrots and celery. Cook for 3-5 minutes while stirring continuously.
4. Add chicken and eggs to the pan, again stirring continuously. You want to scramble the eggs and make sure the whole mixture is combined and the eggs coat the mixture evenly.
5. When the eggs are cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in the pineapple and the next 3 ingredients. Toss lightly to ensure even distribution of oils and seasonings.
6. Cover the mixture for a few minutes (5 minutes should do the trick).
7. Just before serving, sprinkle with sweetener (if using) and stir to combine. Then sprinkle with nuts.
Serve & Enjoy. Makes about 5 generous portions

Verse of the Day:
Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Read more here.

Resource for the Day:
Bible Gateway Plus