For many, ringing in the New Year comes with resolutions. And many of those resolutions involve eating better. But lest you think that means bunny food and giving up flavor, Seasoned Cooking is here to help you with great meal ideas that are brimming with flavor, great ingredients, and the nutrients your body craves. We begin with a fiery gluten free lo mein packed with vegetables, chicken, peanuts, and a chili crisp sauce that will have you packing leftovers to take to work for lunch!
Can you make this without chili crisp? Yes, though that will take the "fiery" out of the title and description. You can substitute one tablespoon of toasted sesame oil for the chili crisp if you want a more standard dish without the heat. Likewise you can use regular honey instead of hot honey. As you might guess, I used both the chili crisp and the hot honey and added more chili crisp at the table. If you don't have fresh ginger, you can add a little powdered ginger with the liquid ingredients when forming the sauce. The mix of veggies I opted for were chosen for color and texture. Choose what makes you happy, but make sure you have a nice blend of vegetables to keep things interesting.
I usually make a batch of this and spoon it into large bowls for me and my family. Then I might have a cup of hot jasmine tea with it and nothing else. It really is a meal in a bowl and chills and reheats beautifully. It's a great dish for this time of the year when the desire for healthy, easy food is chasing us on the heels of the holidays. So make a pan of noodles and dig in. It's time to embrace a simpler version of eating with a look to the beauty of your plate … or bowl. Enjoy!
Fiery Chicken & Veggie Lo Mein
- 8 oz. rice vermicelli or similar noodles
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp
- 2 cups diced leftover chicken - rotisserie works great for this
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 8 oz. baby bok choy, sliced in halves or quarters as needed
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips
- 3 whole green onions, chopped into ½-1" pieces
- ⅓ cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegarr
- 2 teaspoons honey or hot honey
- ½ cup roasted salted peanuts
- More chili crisp, for serving
Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and pour enough boiling water over them to completely cover them. Cover the bowl and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer rings, drain the noodles and keep warm.
While the noodles soften, add the chili crisp to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, grated ginger, baby bok choy, red bell pepper, and green onions. Stir fry for 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is heated through and the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the tamari, rice vinegar, and honey. Stir lightly before adding the warm drained noodles. Stir fry for an additional 4-5 minutes to fully coat everything with the sauce and warm it all together.
Add the roasted peanuts and serve the noodles with more chili crisp on the table, for those wanting more heat in their bowls.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes