A Taste of Thai

This week we made Thai Chicken and Noodles for the second time. I was reminded of how absolutely delicious this dish is. I love that this comes together so easily and is LOADED with veggies. It's so good that my husband doesn't say a word at lunch the next day because he's so involved in loving the leftovers.

First off: Make the Spicy Asian Dressing by mixing the below ingredients in a bowl.

Dressing Ingredients

• 4 thinly sliced scallion whites
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar - We used distilled white vinegar the second time and still tasted good but there was a noticeable bite to the sauce.
  
• 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 minced canned anchovy) - This may be an odd ingredient for many but I think it is important to the integrity of the dish.
  
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Main Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced crosswise
• Spicy Asian Dressing
• Coarse salt
• 3 1/2 ounces Chinese rice noodles, broken in half if long
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 2 carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
• Bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, fresh mint leaves, red-pepper flakes, and sliced scallion greens, for garnish (optional) - Any or all of these can be added, we have not used mint leaves simply for the lack of availability.

Directions

1. Place chicken and half of dressing in a resealable plastic bag (reserve remaining dressing). Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a platter.

3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd skillet) until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to platter on top of noodles.

4. Top with carrots, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing, and sprinkle with garnishes, if desired.

**I have been reading about linking and balancing foods and it's been suggested that you will feel more satisfied and have a more regulated blood sugar if you balance carbs with low-fat protein and you can add as many veggies as you desire to that. I like this idea because it fits within my belief in the guidelines of moderation in all things.