A First Stir Fry For Toddlers

How your go-to takeout spot for Chinese food manages to get even nubbins of white meat chicken to feel, well, velvety on the tongue is precisely how you get small children to eat breast meat yourself. Velveting is the cooking equivalent of what conditioner is to shampoo: it creates a soft and silky texture while ensuring sauce sticks to your meat. Let's make it the start of this first stir fry for toddlers.

Now, you’re probably thinking that means a process; you’re not entirely wrong. But it’s so entirely elemental that the effort and expertise required is only a little more involved than the poaching method described above–in fact, not only is there poaching in this one (a briefer one) but you could stop right at the poaching and still. So it’s a bit more, but it’s also ridiculously easy to get great results. It goes like this:

• Cut chicken into small strips or cubes, then mix with oil, liquid seasoning (i.e., soy sauce), cornstarch, and a pinch of sugar. Marinate for 30 minutes.
• Bring a pot of water to boil; once bubbling, add in your chicken pieces and cook for 45-60 seconds if using thigh and/or thinly cut pieces or 60-80 seconds if using breast and/or thicker cut pieces.* Remove from heat and place chicken pieces in a colander or strainer to drain.
• Cook chicken in a wok or sauté pan for 1-2 minutes on Medium; pour sauce all over and mix.

(*To cook fully via poaching–and thus skip step #3–just leaving chicken pieces in the pot of boiling water for an additional 30-45 seconds: i.e., 75-90 seconds for small/thigh pieces, or 90-120 seconds for thicker/breast pieces.)

Let’s put velveting to work in a quick stir fry that gives your kid everything he/she needs–lean protein, vegetables, grains–in a simple and delicious way. Bright and buttery is the focus of our stir fry sauce, so it’s great for toddlers; if you’ve got older ones and/or you think your child can handle something more conventional, up the soy sauce and 86’ the butter and orange.

Recipe will produce enough food for three or four diners; halve proportions if cooking solely for one adult and one child.

Recipe Links

What to Serve With A First Stir Fry for Toddlers

• The Most Perfect Toddler Rice Recipe — A fluffy, tender rice that pairs perfectly with the stir fry for toddlers and makes scooping easier for little hands.
• Avocado and Cucumber Salad — A simple and tasty side dish to complement the protein, rice, and vegetables in the main dish.

More Toddler-Friendly Recipes Like This

• Better Than Nuggets: Cashew Chicken for Kids — The next move if your like this stir fry for toddlers.
• Toddler Beef and Broccoli — A similar Asian-style dish with soft textures and a gentle sauce built for young eaters.
• How To Serve Steak to a Toddler — A simple, soft-textured protein option that complements the flavors and helps round out the meal.