There’s no real need to repeat how much of a fan I am of putting a healthier and/or cheaper twist on a beloved takeaway – but there I go. Fried noodles are one of those things that we all associate with a treat when we get it in on our Chinese takeaway order on the weekend. It doesn’t have to be just a treat when you have what’s needed to throw it together in the kitchen. This recipe takes no more than 20 mins to make from beginning to end, half of the ingredients will probably already be in the fridge, it stores very well and it contains enough veg to include a fraction of your five-a-day. This is a meat-based version but it can simply be made vegetarian by eliminating the chicken and bulking it up with more broccoli and mushroom or by substituting the chicken for a firm, baked tofu.
This recipe serves 4.
Ingredients:
- Diced chicken, 3 breasts
- Chopped mushrooms, 1 punnet
- Udon noodles, 200 g
- Head of broccoli
- Spring onions, 3
- Garlic cloves, 2
- Chili flakes, 2 tsp
- Cajun spices, 3 tbsp
- Veg stock, 200 mL
- Soy sauce, 2 tbsp
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Oil of choice (I chose olive oil), 4 tbsp
- Begin by breaking your broccoli up into florets, add to a preheated pan drizzled with a drop of oil. Stir for 2 mins.
- Add the chopped garlic (1 clove), chopped spring onions, and mushrooms. Fry for 5 mins.
- Quickly marinate your diced (or stripped if you like) chicken by adding it to a sandwich bag with 2 tbsp of oil, 1 tsp chili flakes, 1 tbsp cajun spices, salt & pepper, and 1 chopped garlic clove. Close the sandwich bag and massage the seasoning into the chicken.
- Fry the chicken alone, turning constantly, for 5 mins on a separate, preheated and oiled pan. Take the heat off the other pan while doing this as you don’t want the broccoli to become charred.
- Mix the veg stock with boiling water and dissolve it. Place the first pan over heat again, add the veg stock, 2 tbsp cajun spices, 1 tsp chili flakes, udon noodles, salt & pepper, soy sauce and the chicken to the pan. Mix well and carefully using a tongs.
- Place the lid over the pan and allow to cook through for another 10 mins.
- After this time, slice the largest piece of chicken down the middle and ensure it’s fully white. You’re good to serve if it is.
- The chicken can be substituted for tofu or you can bulk up the veggies to make this vegetarian.
The Food Anatomist 