ORIENTAL CHICKEN WITH COURGETTE, PEPPER & NOODLES, Healthy, Easy-peasy

Another quick, yummy, satisfying meal - and affordable, too

Oriental Chicken, Courgette & Pepper Noodles, Easy-peasy
(this photo is half a recipe)

This is a wonderfully satisfying dish, packed with protein and crisp fresh vegetables.  There are noodles, too, all bathed in light flavoursome chicken juices.

It's very easy to make.  There is a bit of waiting time as the chicken cooks but the preparation is ridiculously easy.  67 used chicken wings but the recipe works just as well - if more expensively - with chicken thighs or chicken breasts sliced across the grain into 3 cm/ 1.5 in fingers.  Feel free to keep the skin on. 

Cost: about: £5.00
Feeds: 4-6
     
Ingred:
    750 gms chicken wings/thighs/breasts
    1-2 peppers (any colour will do)
    1-2 courgettes
    groundnut or light vegetable oil
    min 1/2-max 1 tsp each grated ginger and grated garlic
    1/2-1 cup/120-240 ml water or stock 

    min 1-max 2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce (not low-salt)
    2 tbsp dry sherry/white wine/grape juice
    2 tbsp cornflour

    4-6 nests medium or fine egg noodles 

    Garnishes: sesame seeds OR finely sliced spring onions AND/OR toasted sesame oil

Method:

1. If using wings, remove tips and freeze for stock
2. Cut pepper into 1/2 in/1 cm vertical strips
3. Cut courgette into slightly wider fingers the length of the pepper (see photo)
4. Heat a large heavy-bottomed non-stick frying pan or wok over high heat until very hot; spray lightly with oil
5. Add the pepper and courgette strips; stir quickly for not more than a minute; the veg should be barely cooked but slightly brown.  Remove and set aside
6. Add chicken, brown on one side (3-4 mins); turn over, seal for a minute; add water/stock, ginger and garlic. Cover and turn heat down to medium; leave to cook through, probably 15-20 minutes for wings and thighs, 10 mins for breast.  
7. Meanwhile, place egg noodles in a deep heat-proof dish; cover with boiling water; stir; leave 5 minutes; drain; separate any clumped noodles with a fork or chopsticks  
8. Mix cornflour, soy sauce & sherry; it should be white and runny; if not add a tiny bit more water; set aside
9. When chicken is done (there should be no pink in the centre) add veg & any juices plus noodles; raise heat to high
10. Add cornflour/soy/sherry mix, stirring rapidly, distributing chicken, vegetables and noodles evenly as the gravy begins to thicken 
11. Turn off heat
12. Tip into a warmed serving dish and serve as is, or garnished

Tip: If you are in a frugal mood, replace peppers and courgettes with a handful of quartered mushrooms and sliced celery plus bite-sized florets of broccoli or cauliflower - the total equiv to a large coffee mug.  The broccoli and cauliflower will need to be stir-fried 3-5 minutes more before resting.  

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.