THAI CHICKEN AND NOODLES

This has become one of my go to dishes for the past couple of months.  I like the different flavors, and how well the ingredients work together in this recipe.  So instead of spending good money on bad take out, I make it myself.

Thai Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin boneless chicken breasts fat  trimmed
• 8 ounces wide Thai rice noodles
• 1 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• 2 slices peeled ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 red jalapeno peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 shallots, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/4 pound green beans, split lengthwise and cut into pieces

Directions

Place the chicken in the freezer about 10 minutes to make it easier to slice. Soak the noodles in very hot water until just tender, about 10 minutes; drain. Snip the noodles with scissors into shorter lengths. Cut the frozen chicken crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.

Puree the cilantro, lime zest and juice, ginger, garlic, jalapenos, shallots, fish sauce, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor until smooth, scraping down the processor as needed.

Heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the cilantro mixture and stir-fry 1 minute. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil to the skillet; add the green beans and stir-fry until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the noodles, chicken and 2 tablespoons of the remaining cilantro mixture, cook, tossing with tongs, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining cilantro mixture to taste.