Cold Noodles With Shredded Chicken

COLD NOODLES WITH SHREDDED CHICKEN

Sichuan-style cold noodles topped with shredded chicken are a summertime favorite all around China, but they’re particularly famous in Sichuan province.

In China, cold noodle dishes are very popular. Every restaurant and every family has its own unique take on this classic dish. A tangy sesame paste sauce, raw garlic, scallions, and aromatic sesame paste are common ingredients in cold noodle dishes. Because tahini and sesame paste aren’t to my taste, I substituted roasted peanuts. You can’t go wrong with adding peanuts to this dish! But if you like, you can utilize one or the other––or both––as you see fit.

Cold noodles may seem unusual to some, but think of them as a Chinese version of a salad with spaghetti. Finally, let’s face it: Chinese folks will eat noodles no matter the weather conditions. In Chinese cooking, there’s always a workaround!

INGREDIENTS:

NOODLES:

• 1 chicken breast
• 2 slices of ginger
• 2 servings of noodles
• 1 scallion
• 1 1/2 cup of raw or blanched bean sprouts
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
• 1/2 julienned seedless cucumber
• 1 finely chopped scallion
• chopped cilantro

SAUCE:

• 4 cloves of finely minced garlic
• 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
• 2 – 3 teaspoons of chili oil
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• Salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Poach the chicken breast first. Add the ginger and scallion to a small pot with just enough water to cover the chicken breast (but don’t add the chicken yet). Add the chicken and bring the water back to a boil after it has reached a rolling boil. Cover the saucepan immediately, turn the heat off, and let the chicken soak in the water for 22–25 minutes. Prepare the remaining ingredients in the interim.
2. In a bowl, combine all the sauce components to make the sauce.
3. Follow the directions on the package to prepare the noodles of your choosing. Do not forget that no one enjoys soggy, overcooked noodles, so observe them or set a timer! Noodles should be drained and properly rinsed with cold water. Now they are prepared for usage. Add around 1-2 teaspoons of oil to the noodles if you won’t be eating them straight away to keep them from sticking together.
4. Noodles, shredded chicken, julienned cucumber, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, onion, and cilantro should all be combined when assembling the noodles. After adding the sauce, mix everything. Serve!