One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai

I am a noodle fanatic. I love all types. And if you take a look around my blog, you’ll find several noodle recipes. I prefer noodles to rice with Asian dishes. There’s something so satisfying about every saucy bite. Richard bought me a pasta attachment for my mixer a couple of years ago. I made homemade egg noodles for soup and beef & noodles in no time flat. Before that, I had a Marcato pasta maker and I’d hand crank them out or make sheets of pasta for ravioli. There’s nothing like homemade noodles. And there are so many shapes of dried pasta available at the store, too. I’ve been known to loiter in the pasta aisle at the grocery just to look and see what’s new. It’s my favorite grocery aisle.

One noodle I’ve not served before were Asian rice noodles. No, I did not make them – some things are worth paying for. I’ve made dishes with udon, eaten my fair share of lo mein, and everyone’s had ramen at some point in life. But rice noodles didn’t appeal to me for some reason. They looked wimpy. They’re translucent. They looked brittle and fragile. I just wasn’t sure if rice noodles would have the same toothy bite as pasta and egg noodles. Well, I was wrong. They do. As an added bonus, rice noodles are gluten-free.

One day I was perusing one of my favorite food blogs Half Baked Harvest. Tieghan posted her recipe for Saucy Garlic Butter Shrimp with Coconut Milk and Rice NoodlesI was smitten. There was something about her rice noodles swimming in a garlicky, coconut milk, butter sauce surrounded by perfectly cooked shrimp that pushed me over the edge. I had to try rice noodles.

at mimi's table chicken pad thai rice noodlesBefore I dived into Tieghan’s recipe, I wanted to cook something simple with rice noodles first just to get the hang of preparing them and to test the texture. I hopped over to my favorite Asian market where they have the best noodle aisles. Not just one aisle, but two. Yeah, I was there for a while.

A simple pad thai recipe was the way to go for my experiment. I found this great bag of pad thai noodles that were the perfect width – not too wide and not too skinny. And I found a quick and easy chicken pad thai recipe over at Tasty – One-Pot Pad Thai. Believe it or not, I have a good supply of Asian cooking ingredients in my pantry. Really, the noodles were the only ingredient I needed to buy.

at mimi's table bowl of noodlesLet’s talk a minute about cooking rice noodles.
The package instructions were worthless for someone who’s taking the rice noodle maiden voyage. Something like “cook in boiling water until done.” Hmmm.

And I wasn’t quite sure about Tasty’s boiling instructions. Again, “cook noodles in boiling water following package directions.” Hmmm.

I finally landed on very simple instructions on the Internet. “Put noodles in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the noodles. Stir until they’re done.” Hmmm – but that’s the way I went. I figured I could check for noodle doneness without overcooking, which the instructions said would ruin any pad thai dish. The process took about 8 minutes for the width of my noodles, just a little short of al dente.

at mimi's table chicken pad thai rice noodles 2

 

at mimi's table let's cook

One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai is categorized as “gluten-free.” Soy sauce is made with fermented wheat. Be sure to use tamari or soy labeled as “gluten-free in this recipe if you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity

Any stir fry dish comes together quickly. Once you begin the cooking process, plan to be committed until the dish is finished. I don’t think the cooking part took more than 20 minutes. I get all my slicing and dicing and make the pad thai noodle sauce in advance of going to the stove.

First, boil four quarts of water. Place dry noodles in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the noodles and stir around with tongs to make sure the noodles are submerged. Every once in a while, stir the noodles to make sure they aren’t sticking together. After 6 minutes, start checking for doneness. Finished noodles for pad thai should be slightly short of al dente. Drain the noodles in a colander, rinse with cold tap water to stop the cooking, and run your fingers through the noodles to make sure it’s all cooled down nicely. Shake the colander to remove as much water as you can. Pour one Tablespoon toasted sesame oil over the noodles. And using tongs, toss them until they’re coated with oil so they don’t stick together. Set aside.

  • PREP: 
  • Cut one large chicken breast in half horizontally, slice into strips and dice into 1″ cubes. Set aside.
  • Crack two eggs into a small bowl and lightly whisk. Set aside.
  • Slice 1/3 cup of shallots or one large shallot into thin rounds. Set aside. (In a pinch, I’d sub red or sweet yellow onion.)
  • Seed one medium fresh red chile. Cut into thin slivers. Set aside.
  • Slice 3-4 green onions into 1″ pieces. Set aside.
  • Rough chop 1/2 cup fresh cilantro. Set aside.
  • In a 2-cup measure mix 3 Tablespoons each fish sauce, rice vinegar, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, brown sugar, lime juice, sriracha. Mix and set aside.

OK – you’re ready – let’s go! Time to tell your people to wash their hands, set the table, and get a beverage. Your saucy hot pad thai will be ready in minutes. In my beloved family, that process takes at least 20 minutes – just enough time to pull everything together.

at mimi's table one pot pad thai egg trio

Heat a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add lightly beaten eggs to the skillet. Scramble until very lightly browned. Remove to a bowl. Return skillet to the cooktop.

at mimi's tab;e one pot pad thai chicken trio

One large chicken breast will make four servings. I sliced the breast in half and cubed it into 1″ pieces. Over medium-high heat, brush the skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil. Add the chicken cubes, stir, and saute until there’s no more pink in the middle. Remove cooked chicken to a bowl with the cooked eggs. Return skillet to the cooktop.

at mimi's table one pot pad thai skillet due

Right now your skillet is pretty hot. You can see the beautiful brown bits of flavor leftover from browning the chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Add the shallots and peppers. Quickly saute for 1-2 minutes. Add to bowl with chicken and egg. Set aside.

at mimi's table one pot pad thai veggie bowl

Here’s what your lovely reserve bowl should look like after all that quick stir-frying. Time to move on to the star of the show.

at mimi's table one pot pad thai noodles in skillet 1

Add cooked rice noodles to skillet. Remember – your noodles are coated with toasted sesame oil – don’t worry immediately about sticking to the bottom of your pan. Using tongs, toss noodles in the skillet.

at mimi's table one pot pad thai rice noodles and veggies

Return the chicken, veggies, and scrambled egg to the skillet. Continue to toss with tongs until all is incorporated.
Pour sauce into the skillet and toss to coat

at mimi's table one pot chicken pad thai noodles with cilantro and onions

Add cilantro, green onions, crushed peanuts, and bean sprouts. Toss to combine. Divide onto individual plates or bowls and garnish with crushed peanuts, green onions, and cilantro. Enjoy!

at mimi's table one pot chicken pad thai

at mimi's table let's eat icon

 

One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai

at mimi's table one pot chicken pad thai

One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai is an easy and quick stir fry recipe with favorite Asian flavors and a nice sauce with a bite of heat. Crushed peanuts add a nice crunch.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 SERVINGS
  • 8 oz pad thai rice noodles
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 large chicken breast, cut into 1" chunks
  • 1/3 cup or 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1 red chili, stem and seeds removed and cut into slivers
  • 1-15oz can bean sprouts, drained OR 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
  • 1/2 cup peanuts, crushed
  • 3-4 green onions, cut into 1" pieces
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • For the Sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons each fish sauce, rice vinegar, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, brown sugar, lime juice, sriracha

Instructions

  1. Prepare rice noodles Place uncooked noodles in a large bowl. Pour 3-4 quarts of boiling water over the noodles. Toss lightly with tongs to make sure noodles are submerged. Let steep for 6 minutes, tossing occasionally to keep noodles from sticking together. Check for doneness - noodles should be just short of al dente - maybe 1-2 minutes more. Drain in a colander. Rinse noodles with cold water to stop cooking and shake to remove excess water. Return to bowl and add 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Toss until noodles are coated. Set aside.
  2. Over medium-high heat, brush the inside of a 12" skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add beaten eggs. Scramble until set. Remove to a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Brush the skillet again with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add peppers and shallots. Stir fry for 1 minute. Remove to bowl with eggs. Set aside.
  4. Brush the skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add chicken and stir fry until the meat is no longer pink in the middle. Remove to bowl with eggs, peppers, and shallots. Set aside.
  5. Reduce heat to medium. Add noodles and toss just to warm.
  6. Add reserved chicken, eggs, peppers, and shallots. Toss to combine.
  7. Add sauce. Toss to coat.
  8. Add bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, green onions, and cilantro. Toss to combine.
  9. Divide into individual servings. Garnish with extra crushed peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.

Notes

One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai is categorized as "gluten-free." If you have gluten allergy or sensitivity, please be sure to use "gluten-free" soy sauce or tamari.


 

Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic

at mimi's table orange shrimp broccoli garlic asian quick dish

Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic is one of my favorite types of dishes. Crushed red pepper, orange zest, and garlic lend the simple sauce a bright delicious bite. And it’s so quick and easy! Orange Shrimp any time of the year but is a fabulous dish when your schedule is tight and fast food is not an option. You know, like during the holidays!

I always have a pound or two of raw shrimp (21-25 count) in the freezer. It’s handy for lots of quick meals like Shrimp Tacos or Shrimp Scampi or Shrimp and Grits. Frozen shrimp don’t take long to defrost, either. Measure out what you need for your recipe. I use a scale for an accurate amount. Then I put them in a colander in the sink and run cool water over them until the shrimp are ready. I also use raw shrimp rather than cooked frozen ones, because raw shrimp will absorb all the lovely flavors either as they’re marinated or as you cook them. Garlic and lemon are two of my favorites, but you could use coriander, red pepper flakes, cumin or curry. Seriously delicious!

at mimi's table divider 1

 Here are a couple of things to remember when cooking raw shrimp:

  • Rinse shrimp after the shells and tails are removed. Remove the black vein at the top. Most frozen packed shrimp come deveined, but it’s a good idea to check anyway.
  • Once rinsed, place shrimp on a baking sheet lined with paper toweling. Use another layer to pat dry the top. Shrimp should be dried off to get a proper sear.
  • Don’t overcook your shrimp! It’s easy to do. Place shrimp in a hot pan with a little olive oil. As soon as they become translucent, turn them over to cook the other side. Really, 2-3 minutes per side is more than enough. You want a nice crunchy bite, not a rubbery one. It’s a texture thing.

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at mimi's table let's eat icon

 

Yield: 4

Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic

Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic

Quick and light, Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic is perfect for an easy and informal dinner with a little citrus and spice. Yummy!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound shrimp (21-25 count) peeled, deveined, and rinsed under cool water
  • 3-4 cups fresh broccoli, separated into florets
  • 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Zest of one orange
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how much spice you want, or leave it out
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Sliced green onion for garnish
  • Sesame seeds for garnish
  • 3 cups Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions

Instructions

  1. Line a sheet pan with a couple of layers of paper toweling. Place shrimp on the toweling in a single layer. Take another sheet of paper toweling and pat the shrimp dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil into the skillet. Add broccoli florets for 3-5 minutes until broccoli is tender. Remove broccoli from the skillet into a bowl or plate and set aside.
  3. Use the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Add minced garlic and let sizzle for 30 seconds or until garlic becomes fragrant. Add red pepper flakes, if using. Place shrimp in the skillet in a single layer. (You may have to cook in 2 batches.)
  4. As soon as the shrimp becomes translucent, flip over the cook the other side. Total cooking time is 2-3 minutes per side, at most. Remove cooked shrimp and garlic, pepper flakes to bowl/plate with the broccoli.
  5. Return the skillet to the stove. Add orange juice, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened.
  6. Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons cold water. Add to skillet and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce becomes shiny. Add orange zest.
  7. Pour finished sauce over shrimp and broccoli. Garnish with sliced green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over cooked hot rice.

 

 

Simple Chicken Curry with Sauteed Veggies

at mimi's table simple chicken curry

Wow!  I had no idea.  I’ve made this recipe several times, but am always amazed by the taste of a simple curry.  This recipe is not difficult.  It’s easy and quick.  It’s inexpensive.  It has become one of my and my husband’s very favorites.

Bored with the same old chicken dishes, I found this one at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.  An awesome find that widened my culinary palate in a huge way.  What a gift, seriously.

Adding vegetables, simple and traditional or non-traditional, only adds to the nutritional data.  The coconut milk may be a bit of a nutritional reach due to fat content, but what the heck.  Some dishes are worth savoring, and Simple Chicken Curry is certainly one.

This recipe also calls for Asian fish sauce.  You can buy fish sauce at any Asian grocery, or perhaps some forward thinking, amply stocked stores will carry it.  You don’t need much at all, so a bottle will last for a good long time.  It’s cheap.  If you’re running in the Asian cuisine lane, you’ll need eventually to buy fish sauce.  It’s salty and is disgusting smelling, but, trust me, you won’t regret the couple of bucks you spend.

You’ll also need to buy a curry powder.  Now, curry powder is like chili powder or Italian seasoning.  It comes many different ways.  You can make your own, which I desperately wish to attempt, or buy this sweet curry from Penzey’s Spices.  There are other curries available, but this is the friendliest for this dish.

So, let’s look at my fascination with curry at the beginning.  “Adams Rib” starring Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.  A mid-Century movie in black & white, it’s the story of two married-to-each-other attorneys.  One represents the state, the other, the defense.  It’s funny, simple humor with adult relationships – I simply love it, as did my 70’s college friends.  Take a look at the trailer:

In the beginning of the movie, Hepburn & Tracy come home after a long day’s work looking for something quick to make for dinner.  They decide on lamb curry. (Like, who has a cooked leg of lamb in the fridge?  It’s the 50’s OK? Who knows?)  In the clip, it hints at what they’re preparing, but the dish is easily identified when Hepburn cracks a fresh coconut over the kitchen sink dressed in a becoming bathrobe.  Seriously, as a junior high school student, I was wondering what the hell was lamb curry?  What was curry at all?? Although I was well versed in leg of lamb.  Gee, was this an epicurean epiphany?

According to her blog, Mel at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe has a great Asian Indian friend, Sujoo.  It is this woman who, I might say, expanded Mel’s palette, as she has done mine.  Thank you, Mel & Sujoo.

Gosh, this stuff is great.  Yes, I added some unconventional veggies, but it rounded out the meal.  We do have leftovers, and my husband and I fight over who gets the biggest portion. Guess who wins??

Shall we travel together to the land of Asian culinary mystique?  Let’s begin.

at mimi's table Asian dishes  Healthy Appetite!  Mimi

Simple Chicken Curry with Sauteed Veggies
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
If you've never tried curried recipes before, this is your introduction to the Asian flavor palette. If you're a seasoned expert, Simple Chicken Curry with Veggies won't disappoint. Move over and let a new Asian dish into your recipe box.
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger, fresh & grated, or frozen & grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder, preferable Penzy's Sweet Curry Powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 can (13.6 ounce) coconut milk. regular fat or low fat
  • ½ tablespoon light brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon fish sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
  • ¼ - ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • Hot, cooked rice or quinoa for serving
Instructions
  1. In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds, until it starts to smell fragrant.
  2. Sprinkle in the curry powder, coriander and cumin. Cook for another 30 seconds, stirring to prevent burning.
  3. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes (it doesn't need to be cooked all the way through quite yet).
  4. Stir in the coconut milk, brown sugar, fish sauce, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
  5. If you would like the sauce a bit thicker, whisk together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Once combined, stir the mixture into the simmering curry. Simmer, stirring constantly, for a minute or so until the sauce thickens a bit.
  6. Stir in the cilantro. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve the curry over hot, cooked rice, quinoa or whatever else you might like (or it can be served on its own).
Notes
I'm not sure what vegetables to serve. I opted for microwaved Green Giant frozen Brussel sprouts, and carrots slivered into strips and sauteed in 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon brown sugar.

I did not alter Mel's Kitchen Cafe recipe, except to use whole fat coconut milk. Rather than add cornstarch slurry, I just simmered the dish down for a bit for the desired consistency, which Mel offers as an alternative.

 

Vegetable Chow Mein

grannie geek, vegetable chow mein

Vegetable Chow Mein

grannie geei, hong kong style egg noodles

About a month or so ago, I was shopping at World Market and found this cute package of Hong Kong Style Egg Noodles.  I don’t know what makes them “Hong Kong Style,” but because I love noodles of all shapes and sizes and because they were reasonably priced, I couldn’t resist.  These are sweet little nests of very fine noodles.  I love shopping at World Market – I’m always surprised by something newly stocked in the international food aisles. My pantry and my daughter’s pantry are filled with many irresistible finds, but that’s another story.

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