It already seems the season for sniffles and the rapidly cooling weather has me and my family reaching for sweaters and the occasional tissue. Before you know it, I'll be getting requests for chicken noodle soup - the cure for what ails you. But if this month has been any indication of what's in store for the cold and flu season, I'm going to want to have more than soup on hand to warm, soothe, and comfort. And that's where my Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry comes in.
Before you close the page and wander away, consider the benefits of a good noodle stir-fry: it boasts many of the same ingredients, it's every bit as salty and warm as a good bowl of soup, you don't have quite the same mess to clean if someone spills it, and it definitely breaks the monotony of same old soup, same old soup. I highly recommend making soup AND stir-fry and being ready to do battle with a case of the sniffles without having a case of the blahs.
Just like soup, this one's a meal in itself. You might want to consider making a cup or three of tea, as the one thing this one lacks is a lot of liquid. If you're looking to hit all of the right buttons, consider adding some honey to it. Then grab your chopsticks and dig into one of my favorite comfort foods!
Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy or tamari sauce (use tamari for gluten free)
- 1 tablespoons honey
- 1 large clove of garlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- 8 oz. long rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon cooking fat - I used peanut oil
- 10 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- 1 cup sliced red mini pepper
- ½ cup steamed edamame
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
Combine the one cup of water, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the ¼ cup of cold water and whisk until completely dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. Heat the sauce until it thickens to your desired thickness. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more water to thin it out. Set aside.
Prepare the rice noodles by soaking them for 15 minutes in very hot (nearly boiling) water
While the noodles soak, prepare the chicken and vegetables by heating the cooking fat of your choice over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet or wok. Add the chicken thigh pieces and stir-fry for 8 minutes or until crisp on the outside and nearly cooked through. Add the broccoli and pepper and stir-fry for an additional 7 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is fully cooked through. Add the edamame, drained rice noodles, and the warm sauce. Toss well to coat. Serve sprinkled with the chopped peanuts.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes