This is a weeknight stir-fry that turns the sauce mix into dinner in under thirty minutes. The mix does the seasoning work, so you just need chicken, a vegetable, and rice. It tastes like takeout but costs less and takes no longer.

Serves 2. 30 minutes, 25 at the stove.

About 830 calories a serving, 50 g protein, 107 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Start the rice: bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a pot, add 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.15 min
2. While the rice cooks, cut 12 ounces of chicken breast into 1-inch pieces and chop 1 medium bell pepper or onion into bite-sized chunks.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, add the chicken, and cook until the pieces are no longer pink, about 6 minutes, stirring often.6 min
4. Pour the sweet and sour sauce mix into a bowl and add 1/4 cup of water, stirring until smooth; the mixture will look thick and grainy at first.
5. Add the bell pepper to the skillet with the chicken and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, then pour in the sauce and cook until it thickens and coats the chicken, about 1 minute more.3 min
6. When the rice has finished cooking, divide it between two bowls and spoon the chicken and sauce over the top.

Note Swap the chicken for pork shoulder cut into chunks or firm tofu cubes. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water. Serve with a side of soy sauce or hot sauce if you like more heat or salt.