Low FODMAP Ginger Chicken with Homemade Hoisin and Stir-fried Quinoa

Store-bought sauces can be problematic for those with IBS due to high FODMAP ingredients like onion and garlic. I’m a fairly lazy cook so I’ve always shied away from making my own as it seemed too labour intensive. Once I got over the two extra minutes it takes to put together the food processor, I got hooked on making my own. It’s so easy and it tastes much better than store-bought sauces. This homemade hoisin sauce recipe is one of my absolute favourites! My husband, who does not have any food intolerances, even loves it and doesn’t notice that there is no garlic in it.

The stir-fried quinoa is a typical dinner that I throw together super quickly by grabbing all the veggies I have and adding a starch and some flavour. You an  use any vegetables that you have- it doesn’t have to be what I’ve listed below. Bok choy, zucchini, green beans, kale…anything would work.

Ingredients

Hoisin Sauce:

1 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Stir-fried Quinoa 

• 1/2 cup quinoa, dry
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused oil, shallot-infused oil or sesame oil, divided
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup broccoli florets, diced really finely without stems
• small handful green onion, green tops only, diced
• 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce or more, to taste
• 1.5 tablespoons rice vinegar or more, to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

Add all hoisin sauce ingredients to a food processor and process until mixed thoroughly. 

Marinate the chicken: place chicken thighs in a baking dish. Pour over hoisin sauce, enough to cover. Set aside any extra. Cover dish and place in refrigerator to marinate  for a minimum of ten minutes, up to overnight.

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator and remove cover. Place in heated oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add water and quinoa to saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer until cooked, 10-12 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a rice cooker and not have to watch it! Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon off oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add vegetables (except green onion) and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to  medium/high and add cooked quinoa and remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously. Flavour with rice vinegar, soy  sauce and black pepper. Give it a stir for a couple more minutes. Add green onion and stir one more minute. Remove from heat.

Serve chicken over quinoa and drizzle with additional hoisin sauce. Top with addition green onion, if desired.

Hoisin sauce recipe is adapted from Omnivore’s Cookbook.