One Skillet Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry Over Noodles

 One Skillet Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry      Over Noodles

This is one of those "people who know me Know I am obsessed over Chinese food" blog posts.  Sometimes, we just don't have schedules that jive together so we cannot go out for dinner or pick it up.  So, I am working on making homemade Chinese-inspired meals. This dish is my Hoisin chicken stir fry. We eat a lot of rice and pasta, so I decided to use noodles as the base of this dish.  Normally, I use Ichi-Ban noodles or Udon noodles, but we picked up a bulk package of noodles so we will be using these for a heck of a long time. 😂

This is one of the packages of noodles. I used three packages.  One was a regular ramen noodle package and the other two were Shin. Let's get to the recipe, shall we?

Ingredients

2 or 3 packages of your favorite Asian noodles or angel hair pasta (this will feed 2 to 4 people easily)

2 large chicken breasts or 4 - 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped

4 cloves garlic, sliced into slivers or finely chopped

1 large onion cut into thick slivers

3 scallion greens, cut on a bias or, angle

3 tablespoons Citrus Ponzu (shoyu)

2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons Garlic Chile Sauce

3 tablespoons smoked sesame oil

salt and pepper to season the chicken

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add the noodles. 

This is an easy meal to make.  Prep is the hardest part, but, there are a lot of working parts.  Don't stress, it's easy.  

Add the Garlic Chile sauce and smoked sesame oil to a large, wide skillet.  Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Add half of the garlic to the skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, it's hot enough for the chicken. Stir the chicken after a couple of minutes and allow it to get a crust.  At that point, add the coarsely chopped onion, garlic and the Hoisin and Ponzu sauces. Stir to incorporate fully. After about five minutes, the noodles will be done.  Using a spider or like utensil, add the noodles and a 1/2 cup of the starchy water to the skillet and stir thoroughly.  Turn up the heat to high. When the mixture begins to bubble, stir thoroughly and reduce the heat to simmer. Allow to simmer about 15 - 20 minutes to reduce the liquids. 

Turn the heat up to high and reduce the sauce. 

When the sauce reduces, add the noodles and incorporate thoroughly. 

Add Ponzu and Smoked Sesame Oil to the bottom of your bowl.

Add halved hard boiled eggs and garnish with scallions and red pepper flakes.

Now, time to eat! Your noodles are soaking up all of the rich flavors!

As always, I Thank You for your visit. I am grateful. I hope you make this or your version of it. Enjoy! Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love❤

~Martin 

In-House Cook

Arizona:  My homeland ❤

"Growed Up" Mac and Cheese (Revamped)

 

"Growed Up" Mac & Cheese

(Revamped)

It is January 2024 and it is foggy and chilly.  Not as much rain thus far, as I had hoped there'd be, but such is life. Tis the season for nice, gooey, hot, rich, flavorful comfort all-in-one meals, and I have just the one! Almost everyone loves mac and cheese. Not me. I am one of the few who cannot stand the boxed powdery instant mac and cheese thingamys.  My oldest son loves them; good for him. I do not make this often, but when I do, I go all out. My "Growed Up" Mac & Cheese is a meal to feed up to eight on a cold, foggy or rainy winter's night. It can be a side dish to something grander, even! Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

 

1 box Elbow Pasta (macaroni)

2 cups mozzarella (smoked, preferably)

1 cup smoked White Cheddar 

1 cup Fontina

salt and pepper

 

six andouille sausage links, bias sliced

1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 head roasted garlic, mixed

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1/2 cup fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano

2/3 to 1 cup flour

1 cup buttermilk

2 full tablespoons evoo 

1 cup or half a can or bottle of beer

*Any other spices you might want to add, such as nutmeg or coriander, your favorites!

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.  Spray a 9 by 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a pot, bring four quarts water and half a beer to a boil.  Generously salt the water.  You know the drill.....it's the only chance you get to season the pasta. In a separate skillet, add a drizzle of grape seed or vegetable oil, or, your favorite oil that can take high heat. Add the sausage slices to the hot skillet. Sear until the sausages have a good crust on them. THAT's more smoked flavor you want in your meal! As the water boils, set the sausages aside., Add the pasta and cook until al dente, just before done. Strain the pasta into a colander or use a spider to place it in a large bowl.  

Get a good crust on the andouille sausages.

Add two rounds of evoo into the now empty pot over medium heat along with half a stick of butter to start a roux. I used garlic infused evoo (extra virgin olive oil). I had roasted a head of garlic (halved, first) prior to the start of this.  I oozed out half of the garlic cloves and mashed them into the butter and oil. I added buttermilk (my Grandma P taught me that) and the flour. I also added half of a beer.  THAT'S what makes it "Growed Up".  Use a whisk to vigorously stir the mixture to get rid of any lumps and to make it thicken. *Add any spices you may want to add at this time, the paprika and onions, and continue stirring.  Then, except for the parmigiano-reggiano, add the rest of the cheeses. This will be an arm work out, so square your shoulders! Stir the cheese to blend it with the roux and melt it thoroughly. The aroma will devastate you, it'll be so good! Now for the fun part. Add the sausages into the cheese and incorporate it throughout. Finally, and whew!, add the macaroni to the mix.  One final massive stir-fest!

Add the mixture to the cooking spray ready pan. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to level it out. Add a nice layer of the grated parmigiano-reggiano and drizzle a little bit of evoo over it; just a tiny amount.  Place the pan into the preheated oven for 35 minutes. 

I have a confession.  I took photos of the pan ready to go into the oven, and i deleted them by accident.  My apologies.  Forgive me. 😑

Once it is done baking, remove the pan.  Let it sit for about 30 minutes, maybe a little less time, but it needs to rest and congeal.  OR.....you can just serve it hot out of the oven.  That's the way I do it. Garnish with whatever you like. I garnished with scallions, which I grow in my indoor garden. 

As I mentioned earlier, this will serve six to eight people quite easily, maybe with some leftovers! Also, this can be the main meal or it can be a side for even more than eight hungry eaters! 

As Always, I am so grateful for your visit!  Please let me know if you use this recipe or use this as a base to make your own.  I'd LOVE to hear about it!  

Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!!!

~Martin

In-House Cook

 We spent Christmas and almost New Year's in Vegas and Arizona (Sedona and Tucson).  The best days Ever. Foley went with us, too!