When we moved to Rapid City we tried HuHot for the first time. Matthew LOVES HuHot. I’m not sure if it’s because he can pick whatever he wants in his stir fry, which is nearly nonexistent veggies and a ton of meat. Lindsay and my stomachs have decided they do not like HuHot, so we’ve actually separated before and while the boys eat stir fry we are sharing soup and salad at Panera Bread.

I found this recipe on chelseasmessyapron.com and I’m so glad I did! It satisfies Matthew’s craving while keeping the girls’ stomachs happy. Lindsay prefers when I make this with two teaspoons of Sriracha whereas the boys like all three teaspoons, so basically I make it with two and then leave the sauce out for extra spicy sprinkling. I slightly adapted it by adding carrots, extra broccoli, and omitting mushrooms. Oh, I also doubled the chicken because Matthew is a carnivore. The garnishes for this are totally optional, but 100% worth it! The sesame oil really adds another depth of flavor even though it doesn’t take much.

I still titled this Chicken Ramen, but the kids call it “The better than HuHot dinner.”

INGREDIENTS

• 3 packages (3 ounces EACH) ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic or 1 teaspoon, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste (or ~1 inch fresh ginger)
• 1 large red bell pepper (1 cup), chopped into small pieces
• 2 cups chopped broccoli chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup carrots, sliced into small pieces (2 medium carrots)
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2-3 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed dark or light brown sugar
• 2 large chicken breasts chopped into cubes
• Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
• Garnish with sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, 3-4 green onions, and a few drizzles of sesame oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sriracha (to taste; we add in all 3 teaspoons but it does have a bit of heat!), and brown sugar. Whisk until combined and set aside.
• Get your chop on! Cut up your red bell pepper, broccoli and carrots. They can all be placed in the same bowl.
• In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger. (I am not a fan of grating fresh ginger so I use ginger paste, which is a time-saver!) Saute for about 2 minutes until soft. Add the red bell pepper, broccoli, and carrots. Saute for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender, which is the only way to eat sautéed veggies in my opinion. If you prefer softer veggies keep stirin’ until your family taste-tester says they’re done.
• At this point you want to start heating your water for the noodles. Follow package directions to cook the ramen noodles. Discard seasoning packets. Drain noodles and toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Season both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken to the veggie pot. Cook the chicken, stirring until no longer pink, about 5 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Now combine everything and pour the sauce over it all; stir.
• Add drained noodles on top and toss with tongs until noodles are coated in sauce and all ingredients are incorporated in. Add a few drizzles of sesame oil to taste. Add toasted sesame seeds and green onions, as desired. Keep the Sriracha on the table for anyone that wants an extra kick!

Recipe adapted from chelseasmessyapron.com