Sriracha Chicken and Broccoli Lo Mein

Lo mein is one of my husband's favorite Chinese dishes. I can guarantee it’s his take-out choice, and when we go to a Chinese buffet (which is not often, trust me) he piles his plate high with the stuff, no matter what protein or variety they’re serving. He’ll heap those noodles with meat and veggies high on the plate with abandon. It's really funny because carbs are not typically his thing (they’re totally my nemesis) but lo mein...oh boy, he loves the stuff. With that in mind, anytime I find a new and different lo mein recipe to try I know he’ll be stoked. This must have been a really good one, though, because even as he was slurping noodles into his mouth he was saying "when can you make this again?!” Nailed it!

 In case you've never tried sriracha before (what rock have you been living under, might I ask?) let me give you some background: it is a trendy little Thai hot sauce made with chili peppers, vinegar, salt, sugar and garlic, recently making an appearance in many different products and recipes, including Taco Bell burritos, Lays potato chips, Jack Links jerky, and even Rogue sriracha stout beer. It's ubiquitous and for good reason: it is packed with flavor, appealing to the masses by bringing actual heat without going too spicy. Those guys over at Huy Fong foods know what they are doing and they are doing it well!

Now, about this recipe. Yes, it requires you to dirty up three pans and has a long ingredient list. I know, I know, part of my M.O. here at Shel's Kitchen is simple, easy recipes (which to me often equals fewer pans and ingredients) but stay with me because I think this recipe is worth it. First you have to boil lo mein noodles. That's pan number one. Your chicken mixture (including sriracha!) is in pan two. Finally, you need a third pan to sauté the veggies (with more sriracha!) for the lo mein. I would normally say to go ahead and use the same pan for the veggies as the chicken. But as the chicken cooks, the brown sugar and cornstarch reduces and turns it quite thick and syrupy, so no dice, baby. I promise when you see your loved ones slurping down lo mein (and then maybe scraping the sides of the chicken pan, scavenging for sauce remnants) it will all be worth it.

Sriracha Chicken and Broccoli Lo Mein (adapted from bakerbynature.com)

For the Chicken and Broccoli:

1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 lb. fresh broccoli cut into florets
Salt and pepper
2 T. sesame oil
2 T. sriracha hot sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch

For the Lo Mein:

1 (12.8 oz.) package lo mein noodles
2 T. olive oil, divided
1 t. crushed red pepper
1 large egg
3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
1 lb. snow peas
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. brown sugar
1/4 c. reduced sodium soy sauce
3 T. sriracha hot sauce
1 t. dried ginger
2 t. sesame oil
4 green onions, thinly sliced

For the Chicken and Broccoli:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and saute, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned. Add the broccoli and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper, until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is tender but not mushy. Meanwhile in a medium bowl whisk together the sesame oil, sriracha, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar and cornstarch. Once the chicken and broccoli are cooked add the sauce to the pan and stir to coat. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Set the chicken mixture aside.

For the Lo Mein:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the lo mein noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat 1 T. of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add the egg and stir gently until the egg is cooked through and scrambled. Transfer the egg to a small bowl or plate and return the skillet to the heat, adding the remaining 1 T. olive oil. Add the carrots and snow peas to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium bowl whisk together the garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, sriracha, ginger and sesame oil. Add the sauce to the carrots and snow peas and stir to combine. Add the chicken and broccoli mixture along with the carrot and snow pea mixture to the pan with the lo mein and toss all to combine. Serve immediately.

8 servings (499 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com