Spicy Rice Noodles with Chicken, Basil and Lime

We all need more recipes like this one. Pantry staples, a pound of ground chicken, and dinner is on the table in about 20 minutes.  And the best part is that it’s not a boring “I didn’t have time to think about dinner” dinner.  It’s sweet, tart, spicy and light.  Interesting enough for the adults yet familiar enough for the kids.

Here’s a thought about rice noodles.  You want to be careful not to overcook them lest they turn to mush.  For this particular recipe, soak them in hot water until they are just as you would like to eat them, tender all the way through but still a nice silky bite.  Then toss them with the hot chicken and sauce and serve right away.  If you let them sit around waiting, they will soak up any available liquid and dry out the dish.  That being said, this stir fry is tasty enough that you will still want to gobble up the leftovers the next day straight out of the frig, mushy noodles or not.

Adapted from one of my favorite chefs, Ming Tsai, and his recipe for Crazy Chicken RIce Noodles, in Simply Ming.

 

Spicy Rice Noodles with Chicken, Basil and Lime

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

  • 4-6oz pad thai rice noodles
  • 3 tablespoons asian fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoon sambal ((asian chili sauce))
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 shallots (thinly sliced)
  • 1lb ground chicken
  • bunch scallions (white and light green parts chopped)
  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves (chopped)
  • lime wedges (for serving)

Directions

1. Soak the rice noodles in hot water until tender, about 15 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and samba and stir to combine.
3. Heat a wok or heavy skillet over hight heat. Add the oil and the shallots and stir fry until they are golden brown. Add the ground chicken and stir fry, using a spoon or metal spatula to break up the meat into small pieces, until cooked through. Add the noodles and the fish sauce mixture and toss well. Add the scallions and basil, toss again and serve immediately.
  • thursday things - sunsets, new toasters, and rotary phones | wee eats
    March 27, 2014 at 11:49 am

    […] spicy rice noodles with chicken, basil, and lime from The Right […]

  • Sylvia @superfoodista.com
    March 9, 2014 at 2:10 am

    This looks absolutely amazing!! And I can almost taste it, love the combination of fish sauce, lime and sambal!! I must give this a try sometimes – delicious!