Cholesterol-lowering rainbow chicken & vegetable stir-fry (easy dinner idea)

Guess what? If your doctor mentioned “watch your cholesterol”, you don’t need to panic about food having to be bland, boring and restrictive. And, this rainbow chicken stir-fry proves it doesn’t have to be that way.

With lean chicken, a generous variety of colourful vegetables and heart-healthy fats from sesame oil and extra virgin olive oil, this meal is naturally rich in fibre, antioxidants and unsaturated fats, all of which are key players in supporting heart health and reducing cholesterol. We strategically mixed eight different plant foods in this recipe to boost plant diversity, which matters for both heart and gut health. Serving it with brown rice or soba noodles adds whole grains and additional fibre, helping create a satisfying and balanced meal.

It’s vibrant, filling and genuinely enjoyable, because heart health isn’t about bland food. It’s about building meals that both taste good and nourish your body long term.


cholesterol lowering rainbow chicken and vegetable stir fry with broccoli, capsicum and carrots heart-healthy dinner

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 500-750g chicken breast, sliced

  • 2 carrots

  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

  • 150g sugar snap peas or snow peas

  • 1 red capsicum, cut into thin strips

  • 1 green capsicum, cut into thin strips

  • ¼ small purple cabbage, chopped

  • Handful of mushrooms

  • Brown rice or soba noodles to serve

For the sauce

  • ½ cup of chicken stock or broth (low-sodium is preferable)

  • ½ cup of soy sauce OR tamari

  • 2 tablespoons of honey

  • 2 teaspoons of sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons of cornflour or arrowroot powder

Method:

  1. In a large bowl, combine sauce ingredients with a whisk and set aside.

  2. In a large wok, on medium to high heat, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add chicken in a flat layer and cook in batches until cooked through and gold in colour. Set aside in a bowl.

  3. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

  4. Add broccoli and carrots. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.

  5. Add snow peas, capsicum, cabbage and mushrooms. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes.

  6. Return chicken to wok and toss in sauces.

  7. Serve with your choice of brown rice or soba noodles.

 

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