Homemade classic chicken noodle stir-fry

I’m not sure I’ve eaten a lot of classic Japanese street food in my time, but I stumbled across this dish recently and wanted to give it a go at home. It’s a noodle stir-fry, but it’s the sauce that really makes this a stand-out. The mix of sweet, savoury and tangy make for a rich umami flavour, and I realise I’m channelling the folk of MasterChef in my language here! If you like things a little spicy, consider adding a dash of Sriracha to the sauce.

The wonderful thing about this recipe is how versatile it is in the types of vegetables you can use. I recommend steering clear of any that have a high water content though. If you need to get the dish plated in a hurry, save yourself the hassle and grab a pre-shredded bag of coleslaw mix.

To feed the family, you’re looking at just over $5.50 for the recipe, or less than $1 per serve (assuming you have the vegetables in the fridge). It’s a great one for those living on a budget, but also trying to maintain healthy eating.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2.5cm piece fresh ginger
• 2 carrots
• 1/2 head green cabbage
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 head broccoli
• 1 large chicken breast
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 x 85g packages ramen noodles
• 1 tsp sesame oil, optional
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp Sriracha (optional)
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method

1. Peel ginger with either a vegetable peeler or the side of a spoon and then grate it with a cheese grater. Peel and grate carrots with a large holed cheese grater. Remove core from the cabbage and cut into thin strips. Slice onion into thin strips. Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Slice chicken into thin strips.
2. Boil a medium pot full of water for the noodles.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add grated ginger and sauté for about 30 seconds to 1 minute (don’t let it burn). Add chicken strips and cook until they are no longer pink (about 5 minutes).
4. Once chicken is cooked through, add all the vegetables. Stir and cook until wilted (about 5-10 minutes). Meanwhile, once water boils, add noodles and cook just until tender (2-3 minutes). Drain, return to the pot (with the heat turned off) and toss with sesame oil to keep from sticking.
5. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, Sriracha (if using) and sugar. (Use only 1/2 teaspoon of Sriracha if you don’t want it too spicy, or use up to 1 tablespoon if you like it hot.) Stir until tomato sauce and sugar are dissolved. Pour sauce into the skillet with the chicken and vegetables with the heat still on medium high. Add noodles, stir to coat everything in the sauce, and heat through (just a few minutes).