Sunday, November 17, 2013

Chicken Yakisoba



My husband and I have been cooking food with a lot of Asian flavors lately and one of our favorite ways to do this is in a stir-fry! This recipe is great because (unlike most Asian recipes I've found) it doesn't require you to go out and buy 5 different kinds of sauces and oils that will most likely sit it the back of your fridge unused for the foreseeable future.

Another thing I like about this recipe is that it uses a few ingredients that I have come to know as 'staples' in the college kitchen and elevates the flavors to another level. Can you guess what they are?  Ramen noodles and Sriracha hot sauce of course!

To make my twist on a chicken yakisoba you will need:
  • 2 medium CARROTS
  • 1 large crown of BROCCOLI
  • 1 medium ONION
  • CHICKEN BREAST
  • 2 Tbs VEGETABLE OIL
  • 2 (3 oz.) packages RAMEN NOODLES (Discard the seasoning packets! We will find flavors in other ingredients!)
  • Optional: 1 tsp SESAME OIL
  • SALT
  • PEPPER
For the sauce you will need:
  • 1/4 cup SOY SAUCE
  • 1/4 cup WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
  • 2 Tbs KETCHUP
  • 1/2 Tbs SRIRACHA HOT SAUCE (if you like a lot of spice you could add another 1/2 Tbs)

Ok, before you start cooking anything you are going to have to spend some time chopping veggies. Peel the carrots and then grate them using a cheese grater with large holes. Next, cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Then slice the onion into strips. And lastly, cut the chicken into thin strips and then cut the strips into bite-sized pieces. (I do the chicken last, so I don't have to use more than 1 cutting board and knife.)

In a medium bowl whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1/2 tablespoon of sriracha. Then set it aside for later.

Once you are ready to start cooking, bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil and cook the Ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes or until they are just barely under-cooked. Then drain the noodles and mix in 1 tsp of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.

Next, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Sprinkle chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the chicken is cooked through set it aside in a small bowl. (Ideally you could just keep adding things to the skillet and not have to take the chicken out, but unfortunately my large skillet is not bottomless...)

Add another tablespoon of oil to the (now empty) large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook it for 1-2 minutes, continuously stirring, until the strips start to get tender. Then add in the broccoli and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Don't forget to keep stirring! The broccoli will start to turn a beautiful bright green! Next, add the grated carrots and cook, still stirring, for 1-2 more minutes.



Now, that the veggies are almost cooked through and tender, add your chicken back in to warm it back up. Once all of the ingredients are hot, slowly start adding the sauce while continually tossing the ingredients in the skillet to keep everything hot. Lastly, add the noodles and continue tossing everything is the sauce. Once everything is well mixed together and hot serve it up!


 Close up!





Chicken Yakisoba
Ingredients:
  • 2 medium CARROTS
  • 1 large crown of BROCCOLI
  • 1 medium ONION
  • CHICKEN BREAST
  • 2 Tbs VEGETABLE OIL
  • 2 (3 oz.) packages RAMEN NOODLES (Discard the seasoning packets! We will find flavors in other ingredients!)
  • Optional: 1 tsp SESAME OIL
  • SALT
  • PEPPER
  • 1/4 cup SOY SAUCE
  • 1/4 cup WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
  • 2 Tbs KETCHUP
  • 1/2 Tbs SRIRACHA HOT SAUCE (if you like a lot of spice you could add another 1/2 Tbs)

      Directions:
      1. Peel the carrots and then grate them using a cheese grater with large holes. Next, cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Then slice the onion into strips. And lastly, cut the chicken into thin strips and then cut the strips into bite-sized pieces. (I do the chicken last, so I don't have to use more than 1 cutting board and knife.)
      2. In a medium bowl whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1/2 tablespoon of sriracha. Then set it aside for later.
      3. Once you are ready to start cooking, bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil and cook the Ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes or until they are just barely under-cooked. Then drain the noodles and mix in 1 tsp of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.
      4. Next, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Sprinkle chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the chicken is cooked through set it aside in a small bowl. (Ideally you could just keep adding things to the skillet and not have to take the chicken out, but unfortunately my large skillet is not bottomless...)
      5. Add another tablespoon of oil to the (now empty) large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook it for 1-2 minutes, continuously stirring, until the strips start to get tender. Then add in the broccoli and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Don't forget to keep stirring! The broccoli will start to turn a beautiful bright green! Next, add the grated carrots and cook, still stirring, for 1-2 more minutes.
      6. Now, that the veggies are almost cooked through and tender, add your chicken back in to warm it back up. Once all of the ingredients are hot, slowly start adding the sauce while continually tossing the ingredients in the skillet to keep everything hot. Lastly, add the noodles and continue tossing everything is the sauce. Once everything is well mixed together and hot serve it up!



      I based this recipe on the one I found on this website: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/03/chicken-yakisoba/

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