Chicken Pad Thai

A month or so ago, I convinced my husband to venture out of our box and eat out at a Thai restaurant. We had such a great experience that I decided to attempt a recipe on my own. This was a perfect one to start with. The kids were skeptical at first but ended up really liking it! I'll add my variation notes in the recipe as I didn't follow it exactly. We will definitely be trying this one again. And it provided enough leftovers for one meal exactly so the serving size is accurate.

Ingredients

• 10 oz Thai rice noodles
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into small strips
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (I ran out so I subbed in apple cider vinegar- worked fine!)
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce (I did not use this as a warning from a friend that it might be a bit much as a first-timer. Might add it in later.)
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips and strips halved
• 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 green onions, whites minced, greens sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• Red pepper flakes and sesame seeds (optional)- (I did not add these this time but will next time...and Sriracha!)

Prepare rice noodles according to directions listed on package. In a mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice and fish sauce, set aside.

• While noodles are cooking, heat oil in a wok or large and deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add chicken and saute until cooked through, about 4 - 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving oil in pan. Add bell pepper and carrots and saute 1 - 2 minutes then add garlic, green onions and bean sprouts saute 1 minute longer. Push veggies to edges of pan and crack eggs into center. Cook and scramble until eggs have cooked through. Add in chicken, noodles and sauce and toss everything together and cook 1 - 2 minutes.

• Serve warm topped with cilantro, peanuts and optional red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.

• Recipe source: Cooking Classy

Servings: 5

Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)
• 3 Tablespoons sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce

      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!

 

Recipe: http://life-in-the-lofthouse.com

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

The chicken coating:

• 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
• salt + pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 tbs ketchup
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9×13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.

Serve with white rice or fried rice.

Recipe: http://life-in-the-lofthouse.com

Easy Sesame Chicken

**I modified this recipe to double the chicken and sauce.  We didn't have enough for leftovers, and that is a problem in this house! :)  I kept the same amount of rice- there was plenty of that leftover.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 large eggs 
• 4 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 pinches each salt & pepper
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used chicken breasts)
• 4 Tbsp vegetable oil (for frying)

Sauce

• 4 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 inches fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

For Serving

• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (I used plain white rice..either way is tasty!)
• 2 whole green onions

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs, then cut them into small 1 inch pieces. Toss the chicken in the egg and cornstarch mixture.
2. Heat a large skillet with 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot (it should look wavy on the surface), add the chicken and all of the egg mixture. Cook the chicken, stirring only occasionally, until it is golden brown and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes). Drain off the excess oil, if desired.
3. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and sesame seeds. (You can grate the ginger with a small-holed cheese grater).
4. Once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, pour the sauce over top. Toss the chicken to coat in the sauce. The sauce will begin to thicken as soon as it hits the hot skillet. Once the chicken is coated and the sauce thickened, turn off the heat.
5. Serve the chicken over a bed of rice and sprinkle the sliced green onions over top.

Recipe: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/08/easy-sesame-chicken/

Honey Sauced Chicken- Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound chicken (of your choice)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbs. chopped onion (or 1 tbs. onion flakes)
• 2 tbs. ketchup
• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.

To bake chicken as a 30 minute meal:

Dice chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper, place in 8x8 pan. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

Serves 2.

Recipe from: Crock Pot Recipe Card Collection