During the long, cold and often hectic winter, I dreamed of a relaxing stress-free summer, filled with beach visits, vacations and long lazy days where I'd whip up wonderful and imaginative meals night after night to my adoring family. Yeah, right--what fantasy world was I living in?!! Not that I'm complaining (well, maybe only a little bit) but this summer has been downright hectic--the lying around on the beach times have been few and far between and we all seem to be on entirely different schedules that change from day to day and even moment to moment. So finding time to make and eat any sort of dinner together has been somewhat of an unexpected challenge. That's where this quick, easy and yummy Mango Chicken and Peppers Stir-Fry comes in. Think of it as a dinner lifesaver!!

I haven't always been a mango lover--in fact, until a couple of years ago, I really didn't like them very much at all, but then we ordered a mango chicken stir-fry at a local Asian-fusion place we sometimes go to and I wound up hogging the dish! Since then I've been looking for a way to recreate it at home so that we can enjoy it whenever we like and I think I've found a pretty good substitute. Plus, I'm sure my version is a lot healthier than the restaurant one!

There's virtually no cooking time here--maybe 7-8 minutes--all of your time is really in the prep work, chopping up the veggies, the mango, and the chicken, so if you put on a pot of rice before you start, you can do the whole thing in under 30 minutes!

The chicken is tender, the peppers are soft but sort of crisp too and the mangoes are juicy and give the dish such a tasty, tasty flavor. And the rice does a lovely job of sopping up all that delicious sauce.  Plus, it's so pretty and colorful and light--perfect for warm, sultry, busy nights! And it reheats well too, which is handy when someone tells you they're going out to play a quick round of golf just as you're finishing up the stir-fry!!

Mango Chicken and Peppers Stir-Fry

Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 7-8 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized strips or chunks

• 2 tablespoons dry white wine, divided

• 2 1/2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 3 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

• 1 teaspoon salt, divided

• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

• 2 bell peppers, seeded, cored and thinly sliced (I used 1 yellow and 1 orange--use whatever you like)

• 1 large ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices

The Recipe

1.  In a medium sized bowl, mix together the chicken, 1 tablespoon of the wine, 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well until no cornstarch is visible. Set aside.

2.  In a small bowl, mix together the chicken broth, remaining wine and remaining cornstarch. Set aside.

3.  Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates quickly when you drop it in. Add the oil, swirl it around and then add the chicken in one layer. Cook for 2 minutes without turning or moving the pieces to let the outside sear. Then turn and stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink, but not entirely cooked through either. Add the remaining salt and the peppers and stir.

4.  Give the broth mixture another stir and pour it into the skillet. Stir it into the chicken and peppers and let everything cook for another few minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the peppers are softened but still slightly crisp. Stir in the mangoes and cook for about a minute or two, letting them soften a bit and start to break down. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

5.  This reheats well in the microwave or quickly re-stir-fried in a skillet. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from the May/June 2015 issue of Weight Watchers Magazine. I tampered with the a lot of the proportions and cut the ginger and Sriracha.