THAI-STYLE STIR-FRIED NOODLES WITH CHICKEN



I love browsing the Asian market and am always anxious to use some of the ingredients I can’t seem to resist when I am there.  Once I had all the ingredients lined up this dish was easy and the flavors were spot on with a salty-sweet soy-based sauce.  You will need  a variety of condiments, but the layers of flavor make it all worthwhile.  As my son Logan says, my refrigerator has more condiments than it sometimes has food!  I don’t often stir-fry with chicken breasts because they generally get dry, tough and chewy, but by briefly soaking the chicken in the baking soda/water solution, it raises the meat’s pH and the chicken cooks perfectly.  Also by cooking the different components one by one, without the usual constant stirring, each ingredient has enough direct contact with the pan to brown nicely.  Then simply toss everything back into the pan to warm through together.   Thanks to Cook’s Illustrated for these two techniques I will use any time I am doing a stir fry.

1/3 c. distilled white vinegar
1 serrano chile, stemmed and slice into thin rings
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut against grain into ¼” thick slices
1 t. baking soda
8 oz (1/4” wide) rice noodles
¼ c. peanut or vegetable oil
¼ c. oyster sauce
2 TB packed dark brown sugar
1 TB plus 2 t. soy sauce
1 TB distilled white vinegar
1 t. molasses
1 t. fish sauce
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
3 large eggs
10 oz. broccoli, cut into 1” florets and stalks cut into ½” pieces (about 5 cups)

Combine vinegar and serrano in bowl.  Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes.

Combine the chicken with 2 TB water and baking soda in a bowl.  Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Rinse chicken in cold water and drain well.

Bring 1-1/2 qts water to boil.  Place noodles in large bowl.  Pour boiling water over noodles.  Stir, then soak until noodles are almost tender, about 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through soaking.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Drain well and toss with 2 t. oil.

Whisk oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, molasses, and fish sauce together in bowl.

Heat 2 t. oil and garlic in 12” nonstick skillet over high heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is dep golden brown, 1-2 minutes.  Add chicken and 2 TB sauce mixture, toss to coat, and spread chicken into even layer.  Cook, without stirring, until chicken begins to brown, 1-1/2 minutes.  Using tongs, flip chicken and cook, without stirring until second side begins to brown, 1-1/2 minutes.  Push chicken to one side of skillet and add 2 t. oil to cleared side of skillet.  Add eggs to cleared side and using a rubber spatula, stir eggs gently and cook until set but still wet.  Stir eggs into chicken and continue to cook, breaking up large pieces of egg, unti eggs are fully 30-60 seconds.  Transfer chicken mixture to bowl.

Heat 2 t. oil in same skillet until smoking.  Add broccoli and 2 TB sauce and toss to coat.  Cover skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through.  Remove lid and continue to cook until broccoli is crisp and very brown in spots, 2-3 minutes, stirring once halfway through.  Transfer broccoli to bowl with chicken.

Heat 2 t. oil in same skillet until smoking.  Add half of noodles and 2 TB sauce and toss to coat.  Cook until noodles are starting to brown in spots.  Cook until noodles are starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes, stirring halfway.  Transfer noodles to bowl with chicken mixture.  Repeat with remaining 2 t oil, noodles and sauce.  When second batch of noodles is cooked, add contents of bowl back to skill and any remaining sauce and toss to combine.  Cook without stirring until everything is warmed through, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes.  Transfer to platter and seve immediately, passing chile vinegar separately.

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