Super Savory Chicken & Potato Noodles (Recipe)

Sometimes I get a strong craving for noodles; it's one of my comfort foods. After visiting a fantastic Chinese restaurant in New Zealand, I started experimenting to recreate the XinJiang style noodle dish I had. It's not exactly the same, but I think I came really close. This recipe has a nice balance of sweet, savory, spicy, and any meat or vegetables can be used in place of the chicken and potato. The gravy-like sauce is also great for coating thick, chewy noodles. All the ingredients listed can be found at your local Asian market, including the fresh flour noodles, which is usually in the fridge section. Or, of course, you can always try making your own. Enjoy!

Here's what you'll need:
For the sauce:
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. (loose) dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. chili sauce or other hot sauce (omit if you don’t like spicy, add more if you do)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. XO sauce or Bagoong paste
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 tsp. minced or grated ginger
1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
1/4 cup mushroom sauce or oyster sauce
1/8 cup Hoisin sauce
1/8 cup rice wine
1/8 cup mirin
Drizzle of sesame oil

For the rest:
1 handful of fresh flour noodles (aka: Shanghainese noodles)
1 pound chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces (I prefer dark meat)
1 large red or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into half-inch cubes
1/2 white onion, chopped into medium dice
3 tbsp. safflower oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro for garnish


Here's what you'll do:
- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a 2-cup measuring cup and set aside.
- Boil the noodles for 4 minutes or until al dente. Rinse in cold water, drain, toss with a bit of sesame oil and set aside.
- Add the safflower or vegetable oil in a medium saute pan over medium high heat.
- Saute the onions in the oil, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until translucent (about 4 minutes).
- Add the chicken and potato, pour over the prepared sauce, cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all is cooked through and the potatoes are fork tender. Stir occasionally.
- Right before serving, toss the cooked noodles in with the chicken and potato to re-warm them and get them saucy.
- Add the noodles to a bowl, ladle with chicken and potato, and top with chopped cilantro.
- Enjoy!