Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Noodles With Chicken And Vegetables Stir Fry

My daughter Elena is crazy about her restaurants. It's semi-comical. When we get to a restaurant (in which she has already posed her very opinionated idea about where we should eat out...) she insists that she tell me in extreme detail what she wants to order, down to the "extra sauce" request. She reminds me of someone... :)

A few years back we took little miss restaurateur to Bonsai Steakhouse for her birthday. She loved it so much that she has begged every year to go there for her special day. I think we spent at least $60 on dinner for two adults and a child (maybe more). I remember feeling like it was way too expensive for the simple (yet delicious) chicken-noodle-veggie stir fry we ate. You really pay twice the price for the fun show they give you while they cook your food right before your eyes. :) I have been thinking about trying to re-create their yummy noodles dinner for a while now. I have thought a lot about what might be in their "secret sauce" and I have finally given it a shot! I found this amazing new teriyaki sauce made by East-West. It is called Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Sauce. Amazing.... That, mixed with some sweet chili sauce, makes for a very convincing "special sauce" of my own. I made this for by biggest little critic last week and I scored a raving 10 out of 10 which is a rarity! I was thrilled that she liked it! It is so inexpensive to make, and is literally one of the easiest meals to make on earth. Like I have said in the past, my daughter is so so so picky about her food. Compliments are rare. She likes to pick apart her food and complain about it for a good 30 minutes before she will finally admit that she likes it on most occasions. It is the strangest thing ever. We have found ways to deal with her uber-pickyness, but many evenings are filled with convincing and consequences. I still struggle with her strange eating habits, but have found that only offering one dinner (i.e. not cooking something special for her) is the only way to go. She has joined in on many an "eating adventure" with us, and has discovered several new foods that she loves, just because I insist she at least try the food. She usually likes it after a few bites, and sometimes she will request it again! It is always a work in progress trying to cook for kids, but I love the challenge! It keeps me thinking outside the box, and pushes me to cook all kinds of different foods while making them kid friendly. It's a hard job, but somebody has got to do it. :)

This Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Noodles With Vegetables & Chicken Stir Fry dinner is now logged away in my memory banks as a very kid friendly meal. We have already made it a few times since and love every bite. We literally clear the pan bone empty, it is that good. :) I hope you can treat your little critics to this delicious and healthy meal and rank some 10's yourself! 

Lets get cooking!

What is so great about this dish, is that you can find fresh yaki soba noodles ready to stir fry, in the refrigerator section of your grocery store. They are usually by the mushrooms in the produce department. You don't even have to take the time to boil them like you do spaghetti. All you have to do is cut them out of their package and soak them for 5 minutes in hot water to loosen the noodles up. Then they are ready to stir fry! It is so easy people!

Next you will get your chicken (or meat of your choice) seared on a skillet with a little butter and toasted sesame oil. This meal is also great as a vegetarian dinner. Last time I made this, I omitted the meat and we enjoyed it just as much. 

Only cook your chicken until it is browned on both sides. Then remove it from the skillet and set it aside. Do not slice it just yet. The chicken needs to rest for at least 5 minutes before you cut it so that it retains it's moisture. 

Before you get your veggies or noodles in the pan to fry you need to whip up your sauce. It's as easy as pouring in a bunch of the sweet ginger sauce and adding about 1/3 that amount of sweet chili sauce to it. So your sauce ratio is 3-1. If you mix together the entire bottle of Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Sauce, you will add about 1 1/2 cups of Sweet Chili Sauce. Oh how delightfully yummy and easy this sauce is! 

The veggies are a simple blend of yellow onion, zucchini and yellow squash. This is the perfect dinner to use up your garden plunder. I know we always have way more zucchini and yellow squash than we could ever use. So when your neighbor leaves a basket of these veggies at your door, you know what to do with them!

In the same skillet that you used for the chicken add a little more butter and toasted sesame oil, and heat to medium-high. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste over veggies and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add a generous amount of your special sauce over them and stir fry until they are just tender. Do not over cook them! You want a little bit of a bite remaining in the veggies. (No soggy veggies over here..)

While you are sauteing your veggies, heat another large skillet to medium-high and add yet again, some butter and toasted sesame oil. Toss in your drained noodles and fry them for 5 minutes. Add your now sliced chicken and pour over a generous amount of your special sauce. Stir fry until chicken is finished cooking (about 3-5 minutes). 

Woot! Woot! You did it, and it probably took you less than 30 minutes from start to finish! How easy was that? Now serve this hot, and watch and wait for your raving reviews. They will come! :)

I loved this meal obviously, and I sure hope you do too. So, happy eating! Just try not to fight over the few remaining noodles. Ha Ha.

If this meal can please this girl, it can please anyone. Man, good thing she is cute! I sure do love cooking for her, even if it is a challenge. :)

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