We cook a lot of Asian dishes and it is really nice to have a wide variety of stir-fry recipes on-hand to make so it doesn’t feel too redundant. This noodle dish is straightforward and a great one to have in your rotation of stir-frys because it is easy to like, even for picky eaters. Don’t be scared off by the fish sauce, which doesn’t smell amazing straight from the bottle but blends in beautifully with the other ingredients, resulting in a great traditional stir-fry flavor. If you like eating stir-frys at restaurants, then trust us – chances are pretty high that there is fish sauce in your favorites. The chicken called for here are thighs – our favorite – and ends up nice and moist and covered in flavor. The red chilis bring a touch of heat and that fresh “something extra.” This dish is done in 30 minutes and is low in calories.
Tip (unsponsored): We love fresno chilis and they are almost always available at our local Walmart.
Have your kids help you cut the broccoli and scallions (with supervision). As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:
- Fresno chilis can help speed up your metabolism a bit, helping you have a healthy weight.
- Cilantro has lots of vitamin A, which helps your kidneys stay healthy.
- Garlic helps your body have healthy blood flow.
This dish isn’t necessarily Chinese, but let’s learn a few facts about China and it’s people:
- Chinese kids usually wear uniforms to school.
- Just like taking math and science, Chinese kids also have classes about learning to be a moral person.
- The Chinese love to play checkers and chess.
Adapted from: Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
- Kosher salt
- 1 bunch broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into florets
- 1 8 -ounce package rice noodles
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 red chile pepper (such as Fresno), seeded and sliced (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for topping
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for topping
- Soy sauce, to season
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl. Add the rice noodles to the water and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and let soak while you prepare the chicken, stirring occasionally.
- Combine the sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cook, undisturbed, until the mixture is dark amber, about 3 minutes. Carefully stir in the vegetable oil and garlic and cook until the garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and fish sauce and cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chile pepper, cilantro and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Drain the noodles and add to the bowl with the broccoli. Add the scallions and chicken and toss. Add soy sauce to taste and toss. Divide among plates and top with more cilantro and scallions.
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