The chicken and shrimp pasta dish is an Americanized version of a stir-fry. The flavor of the stir-fry has a flavorful Chinese sauce, but instead of serving the mixture over rice, it is served over pasta. Kids really like it because it has pasta, and you can sneak in the vegetables that we try to get our kids to eat.

You can use any pasta that you have in the pantry. I made this one with Riccioli pasta, which is the spiral pasta. Keep the pasta dishes interesting by using the different shapes and types of pasta.

The recipe works very well in a wok. If you try to cook it in a skillet, the cooking times may have to be adjusted. A skillet is thicker and will take longer to heat up and may take longer to cook.

A wok is made out of thin metal and it is very versatile.You can use a wok for frying, simmering, braising, deep-frying, and steaming with a rack sitting in the bottom.  A wok does not have to be seasoned like a skillet to use it. Woks come in different sizes. The larger woks are used for rice and the smaller woks are used for meats and vegetables.

Ingredients

8 ounces dry Riccioli pasta, uncooked
1 can chicken broth 14oz
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup onions
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups Asian stir-fry frozen vegetables
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces (1/2 chicken breast)
8 ounces medium shrimp, thaw if frozen, peeled, deveined
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a small bowl add the soy sauce, cornstarch and ginger. Mix together until well blended. Set aside.

Put 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a wok or skillet. Heat oil on medium heat. When hot add onions and garlic. Cook 1 to 2 minutes stirring frequently until the garlic is golden brown. Remove onions and garlic from wok and set aside.

Put 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a wok or skillet. When hot add Asian stir-fry vegetables to the wok; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from wok and set aside.

Put 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a wok or skillet.  When hot add chicken to the wok. Stir frequently. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until chicken pieces are no longer pink in the center.

Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp turns pink on both side.

Stir broth mixture to make sure the cornstarch has not settled onto the bottom. Pour the broth mixture into the wok. Add vegetables. Stirring constantly, cook 1-2 minutes, or until broth mixture is thickened. Cook until sauce is thickened and the vegetables are thoroughly heated.

Drain pasta and top with the chicken and shrimp mixture.

Tip: Instead of the Asian stir-fry frozen vegetables, you can purchase many of the vegetables in the produce department of your grocery store.

Enjoy!