This is one of my absolute favorite recipes and it’s so easy to make. The garlic gets the flavor going, the peanut butter adds the creaminess, and the chili paste adds the heat. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: if you haven’t used chili paste before, be careful; it’s extremely hot. You may want to start with one tablespoon and add more to taste.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

　　6 cloves garlic

　　1 teaspoon ground ginger

　　1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

　　2 tablespoons chili paste

　　1 onion

　　12 ounces rice noodles

　　1 tablespoon canola oil

　　1 tablespoon brown sugar

　　1/2 cup water

　　1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

　　2 green onions

　　

Step 1

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl. Peel the garlic, finely chop, and add to the bowl. Add the ginger, soy sauce, and chili paste to the bowl and stir until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Peel the onion, cut in half, and cut each half into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

　　

Step 3

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain the noodles in a colander and keep warm.

　　

Step 4

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade (but don’t discard the marinade), add to the pan, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the marinade and water to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peanut butter, stir until completely incorporated, and remove from the heat.

　　

Step 5

Trim the green onions, discarding the ends, and cut the white and about 1 inch of the green parts into thin slices.

　　

Step 6

Toss the chicken with noodles, garnish with the green onions, and serve immediately.

　　

VEG OUT

Step 7

Okay, this sounds like a complicated change, but it’s not. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl, but don’t marinate anything. Follow the rest of the directions, skipping the part about cooking the chicken, and add 2 cups of broccoli with the marinade. It’s easy and delicious.

　　

Bargain Shopper

Step 8

I love rice noodles in this recipe, but they can cost more than twice as much as regular pasta. If you can’t get the rice noodles on sale, vermicelli is a fine substitute.

　　College Cooking