Sweet chilli sauce chicken noodles, the perfect quick & easy stir-fried dinner, loaded with peppers & bamboo shoots in a spicy sweet sauce.
Whilst it will take you around 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients for this meal, cooking it will take just 6 or 7 minutes, and it tastes fantastic.
Spicy Chicken Noodle Stir Fry
I got asked a while ago about my vegetarian sweet chilli noodle stir fry and how easy it would be to add meat... I loved the idea, so here you are, if you are the person who asked!
A quick and easy sweet chilli sauce and chicken noodle stir fry.
Rather than using egg noodles, as I did in my previous iteration, I have opted for thick, almost chewy udon noodles in this recipe. They have been a solid feature of my noodle cooking over the last year or so. I love them.
Here they are paired with red onion, peppers and tinned bamboo shoots, and of course, chicken. In this case, chicken thighs that have been quickly velveted.
The sauce is almost identical to my previous version, although I have added a little MSG to turn that umami vibe all the way up to 11.
There is a fair bit of chopping in this recipe, but you should be able to get through it in 15-20 minutes. However, cooking is lightning quick, and it is all done and dusted in well under 10 minutes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, chicken breast works just as well as thigh meat in this recipe.
Why do you add bicarbonate of soda to the chicken?
It is a method called "velveting" and it leads to beautifully soft meat reminiscent of takeaway chicken.
Is bicarbonate of soda and baking soda the same thing?
Yes.
Can I use different noodles?
Yes, you can swap and change the noodles to suit your own preferences.
Why do you soak "straight to wok" noodles?
I find that many types of straight-to-wok noodles will break up if you just throw them straight into a wok.
Soaking them loosens them up and helps the dish come together much quicker, and it helps the noodles stay whole.
Serving Suggestions
I consider these sweet chilli chicken noodles to be a light one-bowl dinner, and I would not serve them with a side dish.
If I wanted to bulk out this dish, I would add a starter rather than sides.
Something like my spicy Thai tuna fishcakes, these Vietnamese spring rolls or some chicken satay skewers would be ideal.
A light soup would also make a great starter to serve with this dish. A Chinese takeaway style chicken and chicken and sweetcorn soup or hot and sour soup would be my choice.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- Wok.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Kettle to boil water (or other method).
- A large bowl to soak the noodles.
- Sieve or colander.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen Knife.
- Small Mixing bowl.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
Stir Fried Sweet Chilli Chicken Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs 250g Total
- ½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 4 tablespoon Sweet Chilli Sauce ¼ Cup
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG
- 400 g Straight to Wok Udon Noodles 14oz
- 225 g Tin of Bamboo Shoots 8oz
- 1 Small-Medium Red Onion 100g
- 1 Medium Green Pepper
- 1 Medium Red Pepper
- 1 Red Chilli Pepper Go as hot or mild as you like!
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Spring Onions
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into thin strips, place them in a bowl and sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda. Mix well and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, sesame oil and MSG, then set aside.
- Pour boiling water over the udon noodles and let them sit for 2-3 minutes, separating them, then refresh in cold water.
- Drain the bamboo shoots and dry them on some kitchen paper.
- Top and tail the red onion, cut it in half, peel it and then cut it into 5mm (just under ¼") strips from top to bottom.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the green and red peppers and cut them into strips of the same thickness as the red onion.
- Cut the red chilli pepper into thin rounds.
- Peel the garlic cloves and dice them as finely as you can.
- Trim up the spring onions and slice them as finely as you can. This will be used for garnish.
- Just before you start cooking, rinse the chicken under cold water and dry it on some kitchen paper.
- Heat a wok over a high heat, and when it is hot, add the cooking oil, followed by the red onion and bell peppers. Stir fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
- Toss in the chicken and stir-fry for another 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
- Add the bamboo shoots, fresh chilli and garlic, stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Throw in the drained noodles and add the sauce you made in step 2, and stir-fry for a final minute or two.
- Serve sprinkled with an extra squeeze of sweet chilli sauce and the sliced spring onions. (Optional)
