Moo Shu Chicken

For Christmas, I got the cookbook, Cheap.Fast.Good! It's a really great cookbook for my everyday, needs to be ready in 30 minutes, no funny ingredients, sort of cooking style. Now, I love tackling a big, complicated recipe as much as the next girl. In fact, maybe more. But, on a Tuesday night when my kids didn't take naps, the dog won't stop barking, and my living room needs to be vacuumed again. Well, on those days, I'm not busting out Gourmet. Thirty minutes will have to do.

I also appreciate that the authors of this book cook with a slant towards southern food. When my mom made gravy, it was brown. Not white like those mountain folks. Not red like those odd birds in the northeast. Brown. And it usually came alongside fried chicken. So, those are the flavors that speak to my soul. I was thinking just the other day that it's no wonder our ancestors fried so often. It's so darn easy and fast and good. And, then I thought to myself, okay, that probably totally gives away my roots.

But I digress.

This is a quick, easy meal that everyone liked. Couldn't be better.

It starts with a couple of convenience foods. Bagged coleslaw mix and hoisin sauce. I bought this at the Asian market (hence the writing that I can't read), but you can get it anywhere.

And, it ends beautifully, in what we told our boys were "Chinese tacos". Hey, whatever works, right? I served them alongside store-bought (Trader Joes) egg rolls.

Mu Shu Chicken
adapted from Cheap Fast Good by Beverly Mills
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
16 oz bag coleslaw mix
1 T oil
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 t dark sesame oil
12 small flour tortillas
extra hoisin sauce for the tortillas

Chop chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Heat the oil in an extra deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chicklen to the skillet and cook, until browned and almost cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to brown. Meanwhile, mix the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Add the hoisin mixture and coleslaw mix to the skillet. Stir well, cover, and cook for about 3 minutes. Heat the tortillas in the microwave or a cast iron skillet. Spread a little extra hoisin sauce in the center of each tortilla. Using a slotted spoon, place about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Serve immediately.