CHICKEN AND VEGGIE LO MEIN

Asian|Chicken|Pasta

Ingredients

The Marinade:

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon corn starch

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

The Sauce:

¼ cup oyster sauce

½ cup beef or chicken stock

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon corn starch

The Stir Fry and Noodles:

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1 small onion, cut into thin strips

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced

8 ounces shitake mushroom caps, sliced (stems discarded)

1 ½ cups pea pods, stringed

6 heads baby bok choy (about 1 pound), cut in half if small or leaves peeled off if a little larger size

1 pounds fresh lo mein egg noodles*, cooked to package directions

½ cup scallions, chopped (plus more for garish)

2 teaspoons black and white sesame seeds

Instructions

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 1-3 hours. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before you begin cooking.

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. You will also add any excess marinade to this bowl after you cook the chicken.

Chop and prepare all of the vegetables before you begin cooking. This dish will come together very quickly once you start cooking.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the chicken to the hot oil, letting the excess marinade drip back into the bowl (add the excess marinade to the sauce). Note – there may be some spattering when the chicken hits the hot oil, so take care. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on the first side until it is golden brown and the marinade starts to caramelize. Flip and cook for 3-4 minutes on the other side until just cooked through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and chop into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and mushrooms to the pan drippings and cook, stirring, until the veggies are soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add pea pods, bok choy, and chicken to the pan and toss for 1 minute until the pea pods turn bright green and the bok choy begins to wilt.

Whisk the sauce (including excess marinade) one more time. Add the noodles, sauce, and scallions to the pan and use tongs to toss, toss, toss for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta and the pea pods and bok choy are ‘crisp tender’.

Top with sesame seeds and more scallions. DEVOUR!!

*You can get fresh (or dry) lo mein noodles in some grocery stores or at an Asian market. You can also sub out spaghetti or linguini.