Lisa's Spicy Asian Chicken

Twenty minutes, one serving, no leftovers. This is the kind of recipe you make on a Tuesday when you want something with real flavor but zero complexity. Chicken breast chunks get seasoned with Thai spices and soy sauce, then stir-fried in hot chili oil until cooked through.

The smart move here is cooking the angel hair pasta in a mixture of three parts water to one part chicken broth. That broth seasons the noodles from the inside, so they taste like something even before the chicken goes on top. Angel hair cooks in about 3-4 minutes, which means it finishes at the same time as the stir-fried chicken.

A final sprinkle of soy sauce over the assembled plate ties everything together. The Asian chili oil used for frying the chicken leaves a warm, lingering heat on every piece that carries into the noodles below.

Chef Tips

• Cut the chicken into small, uniform cubes so they cook quickly and evenly in the hot oil.
• Use a hot pan or wok. The chicken should sizzle immediately. If it doesn’t, the pan isn’t hot enough and the chicken will steam instead of sear.
• Don’t overcook angel hair. It goes from al dente to mushy in under a minute. Drain it the second it’s tender.
• Go easy with the chili oil at first. You can always add more soy sauce and heat at the table.

Variations

• Toss in sliced bell peppers or snap peas during the stir-fry for some vegetable crunch.
• Use rice noodles instead of angel hair for a gluten-free version.
• Add a squeeze of lime and chopped peanuts on top for a pad Thai-inspired finish.