It didn’t cost me much to visit  the Orient. The Chinese New Year was front and center on my mind as I prepared and cooked supper. This year, (starting Feb. 8), is “The Year of the Monkey”.

However, there was no monkey business in my kitchen. With the help of a popular over the counter spice (Chinese Five Spices), I was able to transform my chicken to an exotic and delicious dish.

Chinese Five Spices are made up anise, cinnamon, star anise cloves, ginger and sulfiting agents. These spices are very popular in the Chinese cuisine. This blend of warm and spicy-sweet flavors brought my chicken dish to another level. I used it sparingly as a little goes a long way.

I also added a small pinch to my whole-grain fried rice.  I tossed in an assortment of vegetables in the form of  broccoli, celery, shredded carrots,  onions, green peas and scallion which made my fried-rice a healthy treat.

Happy Chinese New Year to my Chinese friends and family!