Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Thai Chicken & Noodles


I saw this salad featured on one of my favorite food blogs, Dinner: A Love Story last week & knew immediately I had to make it. First, because it's reminded me of an Asian salad I used to eat on a very regular basis when we lived in Brooklyn. It was my favorite item on the menu at a place called Cambodian Cuisine, in Fort Greene, BK...about a block from our old apartment. Unfortunately, the restaurant no longer exists...which, makes my memory of this dish nothing more than a memory at this point.
Secondly, the marinade is similar to the marinade I use for Chicken Satay, which is a favorite with the Bozos...so, I knew they would love this. The fact that the veggies are raw in this salad was something I knew would also meet their approval. They both love cucumbers & carrots...but do not like cooked vegetables. For anyone else out there with picky eaters, meals like this are great because you can pick & choose what elements you add...and, each person can make their own salad to suit their taste.
Finally, this meal is healthy & quick...making it an ideal weeknight dinner.

Begin by marinating the chicken. You'll need about 1 1/4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast for 4 people. Slice the chicken in thin strips & place it in a resealable container, or baggie. For the marinade, to a mixing bowl, add 4 sliced scallions {white & light green parts}, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 cup tamari {or soy sauce}, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar,

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice.

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste & 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes {use less for kids!}.

Whisk it all up & pour 1/2 of it over the chicken {save the remaining marinade to use for a sauce on the finished salad}. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or leave it marinating overnight.

When you're ready to cook the chicken, prepare the rest of the salad. You'll need 1/2 an English cucumber {cut in half lengthwise & thinly slice}, 2 carrots {cut into ribbons with a veggie peeler} & a 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil.

Next, cook 3 1/2 ounces of Chinese rice noodles, according to the package instructions. Drain & transfer to a serving platter.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, in batches, for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until cooked through & golden brown.


Transfer the chicken to the platter with the noodles & top with the carrots, cucumber & basil...or, let people make up their own salads.
{There was chicken on his plate, but it was so good it disappeared before the camera made it to the table.}

Garnish with any of the optional toppings you desire. Some things I used, which are pictured above were some additional sliced scallions, chopped peanuts & lime wedges. Serve with the remaining marinade on the side.

Thai Chicken & Noodles

Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4
I used tamari for this recipe, rather than soy sauce. I prefer using tamari, as it's naturally processed, contains no MSG & has a more mellow, less salty flavor. But, you can certainly use soy sauce, if that's preferred. The rice noodles can be found in Asian markets, or in most specialty food shops. If needed, you can substitute spaghetti for the noodles.

1 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast {cut into thin slices}
4 scallions, thinly sliced {white & light green parts}
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tamari {or soy sauce}
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes {or, to taste}
3 1/2 ounces Chinese rice noodles
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 carrots, peeled & sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
optional toppings: chopped peanuts, sliced scallions, sliced limes, bean sprouts & red pepper flakes

Begin by making the marinade for the chicken. Add the scallions, garlic, tamari, rice vinegar, light brown sugar, lime juice, anchovy paste & red pepper flakes to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Place the chicken in a storage container, or resealable plastic bag & add 1/2 the marinade {save the remaining marinade to use for a sauce on the finished salad}. Stir to coat all the chicken, seal & chill for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the noodles, according to the package instructions, drain & transfer to a platter.
Add the oil to a large skillet & heat over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, in batches, for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until cooked through & golden brown.
Transfer the chicken to the platter with the noodles & top with the carrots, cucumber & basil. Garnish with any of the optional toppings you desire & serve with the remaining marinade on the side.
Click here for the printable recipe.

22 comments:

Randa said...

Mmm - looks tasty!

Joanne said...

Thai flavored anything is basically the obsession of my life! In love with this salad! Too bad that place in BKLYN closed...I was about ready to hop on the train and go down there!

Jacquie | After Words said...

Funny--I made this Monday too. I used fish sauce instead of the anchovy paste and only 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes but I loved it. My picky kids were unimpressed but it was so easy that I'll definitely keep trying with them.

Jane @ Sweet Basil Kitchen said...

Good tip about tamari, haven't tried it yet, but sounds like a better alternative. Your photography is stunning!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photographs...clearly you found your calling!

Dee D. said...

Wow, that looks amazing! You photos are especially beautiful:)

Anonymous said...

Wow, I love those noodles...this whole recipe looks extra crazy delicious! Pictures are mouth watering!

All That's Left Are The Crumbs said...

What a yummy looking salad. I can see why it would be a favorite and I am looking forward to trying it soon. Great pictures too!

Jessica said...

Gorgeous salad, and actually perfect for those of us living in Thailand! :) These flavors go wonderful together - thank you for sharing!

Lisa said...

I'm so bookmarking this recipe. I know I'd enjoy eating this and I usually have all these ingredients on hand too.

kate said...

thanks for this! my chicken is marinating for dinner tonight!

Kankana said...

landed in your blog from foodgawker . Loving your space here .. and this dish if full of awsm goodness :) Saving it to give a try ! Connecting with you in twitter!

Anonymous said...

the colors in this dish are so bright and the veg looks like it'd add such a great crunch and freshness. definitely going to make this sometime.

Mary @Delightful Bitefuls said...

Ohh my! Another incredibly beautiful dish!!

Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls

Anonymous said...

great photos! The dish looks so colorful and delishus!

Nadine said...

I will make this dish this week. A question about tamari, I bought packaged tamari..it is the flesh of the fruit, how do you incorporate it in the recipe, do yo make a paste?

Unknown said...

yummy! looks divine!

Alina---Explora Cuisine said...

Looks amazing to me, I have a new obsession with Thai grilled chicken!!! I've already bookmarked the recipe, thank u!!!

Carol Milstein said...

I made this. The flavors were really good, but I couldn't sautee chicken to get brown - too much marinade.
Should you blot the chicken before sauteeing? Maybe. Flavor was awesome, however.
Carol

katie said...

Hi Carol-
Can I ask what kind of sauté pan you used?
For mine, I used a non-stick skillet (I finally invested in a really nice one that browns everything perfectly!)
As you can see from the pics I was able to get it to brown nicely. I didn't blot any marinade off.
But...if you did use a non-stick and still had trouble browning you could certainly try blotting some of the marinade off.
Glad you liked the flavors :)

Anonymous said...

shouldn't you cook the marinade after raw chicken has been in it (before you then use it on your salad??

katie said...

Anonymous -
Only half the marinade is used to actually 'marinate' the chicken. The other half is used as a 'dressing'.
The dressing portion is reserved until ready to use and does not come in contact with the raw chicken. Therefore - No, it does not need to be cooked.
The process is clearly explained in the post and in the recipe itself.

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