• 2 Chicken Breasts, about 12 ounces
• 4 stalks celery, leaves included, sliced into 1/3″ pieces
• 4 carrots, sliced diagonally into 1/3″ pieces
• 1 small onion, sliced pole to pole, 1/3 inches
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/3 inch pieces, then cut into thirds
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3 1/2 cups of water
• Your choice of other vegetables, mix or match, to measure about 2 cups: A small can of Chinese “fancy” vegetables, well-drained, a can of sliced water chestnuts, a can or bottle of mushrooms, or fresh mushrooms, sliced and sautéed in oil or butter, bamboo shoots or baby corn.
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (or more, to desired thickness)
• thinly sliced green onion for garnish, if desired.

In a saucepan, add chicken breasts, celery, carrots, bell pepper and onion and garlic salt. (see note, below, on controlling the degree of doneness for the vegetables.) Cover with the water and bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan partially with a lid, and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. Cook until chicken is done and vegetables tender, but still have some body. Remove chicken and shred, set aside.

In a small cup, place the cornstarch and add the soy sauce, slowly, stirring to form a slurry. Add a small amount of water, if needed.

Bring vegetables up to a gentle boil and add the cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly. Cook for about a minute until sauce thickens. If you prefer a thicker sauce, simply make a bit of additional slurry and add. If you feel the sauce is too thick, add a little water. Make a note of this so you can make it just as you wish in the future.

Add the shredded chicken back in, along with the two cups of the vegetables you’ve picked as your choice. Taste and adjust the amount of Soy Sauce to your liking. Turn down the heat and simmer a moment to warm through the chicken and additional vegetables. Serve over rice, noodles, or store-bought fried Chow Mein noodles.

Notes:

• I often add the peppers a few minutes later than the carrots and celery as I prefer them a little more crisp.
• If you prefer, you may cook the chicken and remove, then add the vegetables so it is easier to control to what degree of crisp/tender they are cooked.
• Depending on whom I’m serving, I adjust the thickness of the sauce and the types of vegetables, as well as how long the vegetables are cooked. Below, the same recipe, but the sauce is a bit thinner as I prefer it.