Teriyaki Chicken with Noodles

When the hubby and I moved to my small hometown, we knew there would be a few trade-offs. At the top of the list are the hubby’s sisters, whom we don’t see as often as we’d like.

A distant second is running errands when the stores aren’t busy. It’s more difficult now to shop at 9:30 on a Wednesday night so I can actually look at the color of a lipstick before I buy it.

Lastly, we miss Chinese food delivery.

We didn’t do delivery frequently, but it was reassuring to know that it was always there. Spring-cleaning and you’re too tired to cook? Chinese! Surprise houseguests and you just got home from work? Chinese! Baby’s been screaming from a roseola-induced fever and you haven’t slept in four nights and it’s Thanksgiving Day? Chinese!

The hubby and I still need a regular Chinese food fix, so we make our own. This dish is healthy and quick, and you can easily change it up by using pork or beef instead of chicken, or adding different (or more) vegetables.

If you don't have sake or mirin, white wine or chicken broth are both acceptable substitutes, If you add about ¼ teaspoon of sugar or so to make up for the mirin’s sweetness.

A mushy noodle does not a happy Alyssa make, so in stir-fries, I use sturdier Chinese egg noodles, udon noodles, or soba noodles. In a pinch, you can use linguine or even ramen noodles.

Teriyaki Chicken and Noodles
Serves 3-4

1 clove garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
¼ cup mirin
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in thin slices
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 onion, cut in thin wedges
4 scallions, cut in 1” pieces
14 ounces fresh noodles, cooked according to package directions (about 9 ounces dried noodles)
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving

1. Combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sake and mirin in a bowl. Add chicken and toss until coated, and sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and ½ teaspoon sesame oil to a wok. Heat over medium-high to high heat. Drain chicken (reserving marinade) and add to pan, stir-frying until chicken is golden and cooked through.

Remove from pan.

3. Meanwhile, add reserved marinade to a small saucepan. Add sugar and crushed red pepper flakes. Boil 2 minutes and then reduce heat. Simmer until sauce is slightly syrupy. Remove from heat.

(Bringing the sauce to a boil is essential to kill off any bacteria from the chicken. For the love of Pete, do not skip this step.)

4. Add remaining oil to the wok and add onion. Stir-fry 3-4 minutes, or until softened.

5. Return chicken to the wok. Add scallions and drained noodles, tossing well to combine. Add sauce and cook 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.