Recipe A Day

Takeout is perfect for those nights when you just don't feel like cooking. But we've all had that one night -- er, okay, several nights -- when we've ordered out and ended up kinda disappointed. Felt like we could have totally cooked something much tastier and fresher. That's why I always love recipes that help you create "tastier than takeout"-style dinners.

And that's exactly what this new CafeMom Studios' Dinner Boot Camp recipe for Teriyaki Chicken with Grilled Pineapple, Stir-Fried Noodles & Chinese Long Beans is. What's more, it's fast and easy. Read on to check out Chef Rene Marquis' tricks for stirring up restaurant-quality food at home!

Teriyaki Chicken with Grilled Pineapple, Stir-Fried Noodles & Chinese Long Beans

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Teriyaki chicken with grilled pineapple

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ½ cups teriyaki sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
• 8 slices fresh pineapple
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. In a small shallow baking dish combine teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger.
2. Add chicken; cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
3. Preheat grill pan over high heat.
4. Meanwhile, remove chicken from refrigerator, let stand 5 minutes.
5.  Strain chicken marinade into a small sauce pan. Bring to boiling, reduce to a simmer.
6. Place chicken on grill pan. Cook 6 minutes each side while basting with marinade, or until chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer; or transfer chicken to a sheet pan and finish cooking in the oven.
7.  Transfer chicken to a plate; cover and keep warm.
8. Place pineapple slices on grill pan. Cook 2 minutes each side or until slightly caramelized.
9. Transfer pineapple to a separate plate; set aside, keep warm until ready to serve.
10. Garnish with green onion and serve with stir fried noodles and Chinese long beans.

Stir-fried noodles

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• ½ onion, julienned
• 16 snow peas, julienned
• 8 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 julienned red bell pepper
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 cup julienned carrots
• 1 cup julienned bamboo shoots
• 1 pound Lo Mein or Oriental Noodles, cooked
• 1 cup prepared oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Directions:

1. In a wok pan heat oil over high heat until shimmering.  
2. Add onion, snow peas, mushrooms, bell pepper, bean sprouts, carrots and bamboo shoots. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
3. Add cooked noodles, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Toss together until heated through, about 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat, garnish with sesame seeds. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Chinese Long Beans

• 1 pound Chinese long beans
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
• ½ lime, juiced

Directions:

1. In a stock pot blanch beans 1 minute.
2. Transfer beans to an ice bath to shock; let stand 2 minutes.
3. Remove beans from ice water and tie into a bow; set aside.
4. In a large skillet heat peanut oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
5. Add beans, soy sauce, chili sauce and peanuts. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve family style.

Tools that make dinner fast and easy:

• Grill pan
• Wok pan

Cooking terms to brag about:

• Chinese long beans: a type of green bean, often half a yard long.
• Stir fry: a cooking technique used to quickly cook food over high heat with a small amount of fat.

Episode tips:

• How to grill fruit
• How a grill pan can save dinner, every time
• How to core a pineapple

To see more great cooking lessons with Sgt. Marquis, subscribe to CafeMom Studios.

Image via Geoff Peters/Flickr