Dragon Noodles

Time :25

Yield :4 servings

The Scoop

The day the noodles apparently woke up and chose chaos.

Dragon Noodles bring together chewy lo mein, juicy chicken, crunchy vegetables, and a sauce that hits sweet, salty, nutty, tangy, and spicy all at once.

Chili garlic sauce brings the fire, peanut butter gives it richness, and lime cuts through everything with a bright little kick. It’s the kind of dinner that starts with “I’ll just have one bowl” and ends with someone scraping the bottom of the skillet.

Hack it:

Use Sriracha for a smoother, slightly sweeter heat or chili garlic sauce for more texture and sharper garlic flavor. For serious heat, add crushed red pepper or a little chili crisp.

Lo mein works beautifully, but spaghetti, rice noodles, udon, or even ramen noodles can jump into the party.

Replace the peanut butter with almond butter or cashew butter for a slightly different flavor. Tahini also works if you want to skip the nuts altogether.

Broccoli, snap peas, mushrooms, shredded cabbage, or baby corn can easily replace or join the bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini.

Add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil or a splash of rice vinegar. A little grated fresh ginger is another easy way to make the sauce taste much more complex.

Skip the chicken and add tofu, edamame, or extra mushrooms. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Leftovers:

Dragon Noodle Stir-Fry: Reheat the noodles in a hot skillet with a splash of broth and an extra spoonful of chili sauce until everything is sizzling again.

Spicy Noodle Egg Bowl: Warm the leftovers and top with a fried egg, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds.

Dragon Noodle Lettuce Cups: Chop the noodles and chicken into smaller pieces and pile them into crisp lettuce leaves with shredded carrot and extra lime.

Crispy Noodle Pancake: Press the leftover noodles into a hot, oiled skillet and cook until the bottom is deeply crisp. Flip or finish under the broiler, then cut into wedges.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce, or Sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

For the noodles:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 large zucchini, cut into half-moons
12 ounces of lo mein noodles, cooked
cilantro, optional, freshly chopped, for garnish

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, peanut butter, and chicken broth. Set the sauce aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the chicken and season it with 1/2 of the garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Cook undisturbed until golden, about 8 minutes.
Flip the chicken and season the other side with the remaining garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and cook until cooked through at 165 degrees F internally, about 8 minutes.
Set the chicken aside to let rest for 10 minutes.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Add the garlic and green onions to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the bell pepper, carrots, and zucchini, and cook until soft, about 6 minutes.
Add the cooked chicken to the veggies, stirring.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies.
Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Add the cooked noodles, tossing to coat.
Garnish with the cilantro and serve.