Yakisoba Chicken

I've always loved Japanese food. Never been a big fan of Chinese, but when I was a little girl my grandmother used to take us to a Japanese restaurant called Sakura sometimes for special occasions and I thought the food was delicious. I love tempura and sushi, but don't feel confident about attempting them at home (well, ok, tempura is great & easy on the grill. but tricky on the stove).

This is a basic stir-fry. You could substitute shrimp, and/or add other vegetables like brocolli or scallions (just remember that the ingredients need to cook at the same time, so cut brocolli into small pieces, for instance, and leave scallions whole). Use chile oil or red pepper flakes instead of chile paste. Rinse the soba noodles first until water runs clear, to prevent them from getting sticky.

This recipe is for 6, so adjust amounts as needed.

Yakisoba Chicken

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons chile paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 onion, sliced lengthwise into eighths
1/2 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
8 ounces soba noodles, cooked and drained

In a large skillet combine sesame oil, canola oil, and chile paste. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Add garlic and stir fry an additional 30 seconds. Add chicken and 1/4 cup of the soy sauce and stir fry until chicken is no longer pink. Remove mixture from pan, set aside and keep warm.
Combine onion, cabbage, and carrots. Stir fry until cabbage begins to wilt. Stir in remaining soy sauce, noodles, and chicken mixture. Mix to blend and serve!