After a long period of resistance and general skepticism, I have finally discovered the awesomeness of vegetable noodles, specifically carrot noodles.
It happened kind of by accident. I was planning on doing a noodle dish with chicken, ginger, and spinach, and I––in pretty typical fashion––forgot to buy the noodles. Derp.
What I did have, though, was a big bag of carrots and a julienne peeler. Throwing caution to the wind, I decided to try the whole carrot noodle thing.
And it worked. Not only did it work, it was awesome. The carrot noodles were still a little bit crunchy, and after being stir-fried at searing high heat, they had that elusive wok hay flavor that we all try to achieve in our home kitchens. And I did not miss the “regular” noodles at all. In fact, the carrot noodles added an extra layer of flavor to the dish.
I’m not feeling particularly verbose today, so I’ll end it there. I want to tell you that we do also have a Vegetable Noodles With Shrimp dish that is also awesome and worth checking out too. Just make sure to move this carrot noodles dish to the top of your list of recipes to try first!
Stir-fried Carrot Noodles with Chicken: Recipe Instructions
In a bowl, combine the chicken with 2 teaspoons oil, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar or honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger, and fry for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and slightly crisp.
Add the chicken all in 1 layer, and allow to sear on one side for 1 minute.
Once seared, stir-fry the chicken for a few seconds…
And then add the carrot noodles. Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes, and add an additional tablespoon of soy sauce, along with the scallions. Stir-fry for 1 minute, and then add the baby spinach.
Stir in the spinach until it’s just wilted (it should only take a few seconds). Serve, and top with more chopped scallions if desired!
Recipe
Stir-fried Carrot Noodles with Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (450g, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or honey)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (plus 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 slices ginger
- 6 medium carrots (julienned or spiralized into long “noodles”)
- 2 scallions (cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken with 2 teaspoons oil, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar or honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger, and fry for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and slightly crisp. Add the chicken all in 1 layer, and allow to sear on one side for 1 minute.
- Once seared, stir-fry the chicken for a few seconds, and then add the carrot noodles. Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes, and add an additional tablespoon of soy sauce, along with the scallions. Stir-fry for 1 minute, and then add the baby spinach.
- Stir in the spinach until it’s just wilted (it should only take a few seconds). Serve, and top with more chopped scallions if desired!
