Description
A vibrant and flavorful dish featuring tender ground chicken simmered in a spicy, sweet, and savory chili sauce, tossed with al dente noodles and topped with fresh basil and crunchy nuts for added texture. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner with bold flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Chicken and Sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
- 3 tablespoons hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
- 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cup water
For the Noodles
- 10 ounces ramen noodles (or spaghetti, fettuccine, or rice noodles)
For Serving
- Fresh chopped basil (basil ribbons)
- Chopped roasted cashews or peanuts (honey roasted preferred)
- Extra red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Add sesame oil to a large pot and place over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, breaking it into medium-sized chunks.
- Add aromatics: Stir in grated ginger, sliced garlic, and coconut sugar. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes until chicken is nearly cooked through and fragrant.
- Build the sauce: Mix in tomato paste, chopped basil, and hot chili paste. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water. Bring to a simmer.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.
- Cook the noodles: While sauce simmers, cook your noodles in boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Combine and serve: Add the drained noodles to the sauce, stirring well to coat. Divide into bowls, garnish with basil ribbons, chopped nuts, and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Feel free to omit the nuts for a nut-free version.
- For vegetarian/vegan, substitute with crumbled or cubed tofu or chickpeas.
- Use gluten-free noodles if needed to make the dish gluten-free.
- Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-5 days and reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 400g)
- Calories: 473 kcal
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 1050 mg
- Fat: 12.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 63.4 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 28.5 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
