Stir-Fries Are The Secret To Turning Canned Chicken Into A Simple And Satisfying Meal

It doesn't hurt to have some canned chicken in your pantry at all times. After all, it's cost-efficient, and if you're creative, there are plenty of appealing ways to use canned chicken. One of the best uses for canned chicken is to add it to a stir fry.

Stir fries are so great, in part, because they combine a whole myriad of delicious ingredients together in a super flavorful sauce, which many would even say is the star of the show. Mixed together with fresh veggies and a bright and vibrant sauce, you'll hardly be able to tell that the chicken came from a can. It's honestly a win-win — the meal will taste delicious, and you'll get the protein from the chicken without having to spend more for a fresh cut.

The main thing to keep in mind when using canned chicken for stir-fries is that the chicken is already cooked. So, unlike with other stir-fries, it doesn't need to spend much time in the pan. While a non-canned chicken stir fry will call for you to add the chicken first, in this case, you can wait until after you've cooked the veggies to add the canned chicken. It just needs to be in the pan long enough to heat up and be mixed together with the other components.

Now that you know that a stir-fry is one of the best ways to use canned chicken, it's time to settle on a stir-fry recipe. One option is to whip up a garlic chicken lo mein recipe — the delicious noodles will be front and center when you take a bite, with the chicken simply there as a supplement, so it's the perfect use for less-than-perfect chicken.

Or, you can make vegetable stir-fry, which brings together a ton of delicious veggies and coats them in a flavorful sauce that includes soy sauce, maple syrup, and ginger. Since there are so many different veggies at play here (and always feel free to add more) you can then just add a small amount of chicken to get in a little extra protein. Serve the veggie stir fry over either noodles or rice to complete the meal. Another option is to choose a combination of your favorite veggies and simply pair them with a flavorful sauce — perhaps sweet and sour sauce or the beloved sauce from orange chicken.