Simple Chicken Kale Mushroom Stir Fry is an easy 30 minute weeknight dinner idea! Naturally low carb (serve over cauliflower rice) and optionally gluten free (substitute GF tamari for soy sauce).
How about an easy weeknight stir fry recipe in this week’s edition of Sunday Scratchups? Simple Chicken Kale Mushroom Stir Fry is your newest recipe from scratch around grocery sales and affordable ingredients, featuring sale sliced mushrooms, clearance chicken, and affordable pre-chopped kale from ALDI.
So yeah… I forgot to plant kale in my garden this year. But I’m a big fan of this pre-chopped, triple washed, organic kale at ALDI for use year round, because although I do love fresh garden kale, I do hate stripping the leaves and getting it recipe ready. If pre-packaged convenience is what it takes to get you to eat more healthy greens? Go for it!
Simple Chicken Kale Mushroom Stir Fry
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1-1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces (see Note)
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 tsp sesame oil, optional but recommended
1/2 a medium yellow onion, halved then thinly sliced
2 tsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
6 oz chopped kale (about 5 cups)
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Directions
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about a minute. Add the chicken and season it with sea salt & pepper. Continue to saute chicken over medium-high heat for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
Remove chicken to a separate bowl and reduce heat to medium. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, sesame oil (if using), onion, and minced garlic to the pan. Cook for one minute, then stir in the mushrooms. Continue sauteing over medium heat for five minutes or until they soften and brown, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the kale. Season with crushed red pepper, ginger, and soy sauce, and continue to saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until kale is just wilted. Stir chicken back in until heated through.
Serve over cooked rice (or over cauliflower rice, if low carb).
Note: I used 1.5 lbs chicken because that was the size of my clearance package today, but next time I would probably just use one pound for a better chicken-to-veggie ratio since the kale cooks down so much.
An easy weeknight chicken stir fry recipe
Stir fry is often better when you don’t over-complicate things: You don’t need 20 different veggies or spices or sauces; just keep it simple and let your seasonings & sauce enhance the natural flavor of your protein + vegetables, rather than overpower them. Your easy chicken kale stir fry can be on the table in about 30 minutes start to finish, making it a great weeknight dinner option.
Simple chicken kale mushroom stir fry is naturally low carb (if you omit the rice), and optionally gluten free (substitute GF tamari for the soy sauce). And, it packs in a ton of flavor for so few ingredients!
Simple Chicken Kale Mushroom Stir Fry, printable recipe
- 2 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 1-1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces (see Note)
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp sesame oil optional but recommended
- 1/2 a medium yellow onion halved then thinly sliced
- 2 tsp minced garlic about 4 cloves
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 6 oz chopped kale about 5 cups
- 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about a minute. Add the chicken and season it with sea salt & pepper. Continue to saute chicken over medium-high heat for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
- Remove chicken to a separate bowl and reduce heat to medium. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, sesame oil (if using), onion, and minced garlic to the pan. Cook for one minute, then stir in the mushrooms. Continue sauteing over medium heat for five minutes or until they soften and brown, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the kale. Season with crushed red pepper, ginger, and soy sauce, and continue to saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until kale is just wilted. Stir chicken back in until heated through.
- Serve over cooked rice (or over cauliflower rice, if low carb).
I used 1.5 lbs chicken because that was the size of my clearance package today, but next time I would probably just use one pound for a better chicken-to-veggie ratio since the kale cooks down so much.
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peaches says
July 16, 2018 at 10:34 amHow much is the beg of kale at Aldi’s? It is not to late to plant kale in your garden. I had some Toscano kale in my garden last year and it was wonderful. I picked up the plants at the farmer’s market. Red Russian is also good, as well as White Russian. I don’t care for the green kale as much. It is not as tender. If you plant seeds, once they germinate, you can pick baby kale in 21 days, and full grown in 50, and they are really frost hardy.
rachel says
July 16, 2018 at 1:27 pmMaybe I’ll give it a go — I usually plant it in the spring so didn’t realize. I like Tuscan kale too, but really enjoy them both — sometimes I like the green precisely because it’s more hearty. The 12 oz bag of organic chopped kale is usually $3.19 at ALDI, but is going on sale on Weds. in Chicagoland for $2.19.
Lynn says
August 11, 2018 at 5:27 pmThis was tasty, I accidently used 1 Tbsp of Sesame oil, but we love it so it was fine. I did cook my chicken in batches so I browned the chicken, not steamed it. It was worth the extra effort.
Jodie says
January 4, 2019 at 9:16 pmAny Substitute for mushrooms?
rachel says
January 5, 2019 at 9:34 amThe texture kind of balances out the rest, but you can put anything you like in your own stir fries. Try some sweet bell pepper, or whatever your own preference is. It won’t be the same, but it likely won’t be bad. 🙂
Shelby says
March 26, 2019 at 4:34 pmLoved it. First time trying mushrooms and kale so I went a little light with both. Plus I’m cooking for one. Still tasted amazing.
Brittani says
May 20, 2019 at 1:52 pmWhat meat would you maybe try instead of chicken? Chicken and I have been fighting lately with its texture 🙂
rachel says
May 20, 2019 at 2:04 pmYou can make stir fry with any protein you like. Some thin cut pork would probably work well, but note that it will cook through faster than chicken, so modify the cooking time accordingly.
Brittani says
May 20, 2019 at 2:16 pmThanks! I was thinking some form of pork too.
Amy says
October 21, 2019 at 8:37 pmThis was tasty! I emptied my produce drawer into this one and doubled the spices and amount of soy sauce / sesame oil to accommodate more veggies. I used bell peppers, butternut squash and shredded carrot along with the veggies listed in the recipe. Winner!
Jenna says
October 28, 2019 at 10:52 amWill this freeze well (as is, no rice etc added)? Wasn’t sure with the cooked kale…like if it would turn slimy in the freezer? Please advise.
rachel says
October 28, 2019 at 11:39 amI’ve never tried but probably wouldn’t with this one.