Stir-fry dishes can be some of the easiest to prepare yet the tastiest. And you can often make a good stir-fry with just the ingredients that you have on hand.

There is no better time than summer or early fall for stir-fry, when vegetables are readily available in your own garden or at  farmers markets.

Among my favorite ingredients in a stir-fry is peppers, both hot and sweet. While people’s tastes run the gamut — some like spicy, some like mild — bell peppers usually get the nod in most households.

Green and red bells are the star of the following recipe, in which any kind of poultry could be used. (I made it with pheasant.) A snap to prepare, it’s great served over rice.

Poultry and Peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken or pheasant, cut into bite-size pieces
Kosher salt and pepper
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups chicken broth or stock
Heat oil in large cast-iron frying pan over high heat. Pat the poultry dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper.
Place chicken in the pan. Cook until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove meat to a plate. Add peppers and onions, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and cook until reduced by half. Add honey and broth, season with salt and pepper, cook for 5 minutes.
Return poultry and juices to pan. Reduce heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook until the meat is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, then remove to platter.
Cook sauce until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. If you need to thicken, mix some cornstarch with warm water and stir into sauce. Serve over rice.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6.ß