Mongolian Chicken with Noodles

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

02 - 1 tbsp cornstarch

03 - 1/2 tsp salt

04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

05 - 4 tbsp soy sauce

06 - 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

07 - 2 tbsp brown sugar

08 - 2 tbsp water

09 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar

10 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)

11 - 1 tsp sesame oil

12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

13 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

14 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Vegetables & Noodles

15 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

16 - 1 cup snap peas or snow peas, trimmed

17 - 4 spring onions, sliced (plus more for garnish)

18 - 7 oz dried rice noodles or 3 cups cooked leftover pasta

19 - 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or sunflower)

20 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Cook dried rice noodles following package instructions, drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.

02 - In a medium bowl, combine chicken slices with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.

03 - Whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, oyster sauce if using, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl; set aside.

04 - Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken in a single layer and stir-fry 4-5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.

05 - Add remaining oil to the pan; stir-fry red bell pepper and snap peas for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.

06 - Return chicken to pan, add sliced spring onions, pour in sauce, stir well, and simmer 1-2 minutes until sauce slightly thickens.

07 - Toss cooked rice noodles or leftover pasta with chicken and vegetables until heated through and evenly coated.

08 - Plate immediately, garnishing with additional spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

The sauce is addictively sweet and savory without being cloying, and it coats every noodle perfectly.
Dinner is ready in 35 minutes flat, which means you can pull this off on a weeknight without stress.
It's infinitely flexible—use whatever vegetables you have on hand or swap the protein entirely.

02 -

Don't overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken; give it space so it actually browns instead of steaming, which makes all the difference in texture.
The sauce will seem thin when you first pour it in, but it thickens as it simmers with the chicken and vegetables, so resist the urge to add cornstarch unless you've truly made an error.

03 -