I love this recipe. It can be modified to suit your children's individual preferences, as well as your own. Serve it hot or cold, inside at the dinner table, or outside on a picnic bench. Chop sticks add a fun twist to this versatile meal. You'll want to make plenty for leftovers!

Ingredients:

3 large boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" X 3" inch strips
24 ounces dry Udon noodles (found in Asian section) or whole wheat Fettuccine
1/2 cup sliced green onion, white bulb and greens
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated peeled ginger
1/2 of each medium red, yellow, green bell peppers~ julienned
2 tablespoons Grape seed oil or olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 cup sweet baby peas
3 tablespoons raw honey
juice of ½ lime, squeezed fresh
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (Kikkoman tastes best)
4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup washed and dried fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, stems removed
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice, no pulp
3 teaspoons Asian red chili-garlic paste

Directions:

1) In a large stockpot, cook Udon or fettuccine noodles according to package directions. While you are waiting for the water to boil, whisk the following ingredients together in a small bowl: rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, lime, & green onions. Set bowl aside so that the flavors can absorb each other.

2) While noodles are boiling, Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add all of the Grape seed oil to the pan, and allow to heat for 35 seconds. Add raw chicken strips to pan, and sauté over medium heat until cooked through, stirring constantly to avoid over-browning. Stir fry the chicken strips for about 8-10 minutes, until juices run clear (test a piece by cutting it in half to check for no inside pinkness).

3) Noodles will probably be done boiling before chicken is done sautéing; take a moment to drain noodles in a strainer in your sink, and then get right back to sautéing the chicken. You'll come back for your drained noodles shortly!

4) When chicken strips are cooked thoroughly and are no longer pink inside, add the julienned bell peppers strips to the skillet. Stir fry for an additional 4 minutes (peppers should be cooked, yet slightly crunchy). At this point, turn off the heat, and add the rice vinegar/soy sauce marinade and baby peas to the chicken & pepper mix, right inside of the skillet. Stir well to incorporate sauce with all ingredients in the skillet.

5) Go back and grab your noodles/pasta. By now, they will be dry and cool. Place all of the noodles/pasta into a large bowl. Drizzle the 4 tablespoons of sesame oil right over the cooked noodles, and mix gently with a pair of tongs until pasta is coated nicely with the sesame oil. Add the coated noodles/pasta to the skillet with the chicken. Incorporate well, mixing the chicken/veggies/sauce with the noodles.

6) Transfer 1-cup servings to individual bowls, and top with chopped cilantro (or parsley) and sesame seeds. You can also chill this noodle mixture before serving for a delicious cold lunch or dinner.

*Serves 6-8 people, based on 1 cup serving sizes. Some pasta's/noodles vary in size after cooking.

*380 calories per serving


*Next time, mix it up a little:

For alternative variations, try substituting or incorporating the following veggies into your next skillet of homemade Chinese Chicken & Noodles recipe:

Green cabbage, thinly sliced
Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
Carrots, julienned
Onion, julienned
Zucchini, green or yellow
Snow peas
Bean sprouts
Bamboo shoots
Baby corn
Eggplant, diced
Celery, thinly sliced
Broccoli, broken into small pieces
Red cabbage
Sunflower seeds sprinkled on top