Oriental Noodle Skillet

This is a four-ingredient pantry dinner that turns instant ramen and leftover chicken into something that tastes like it took an hour. It is the college-dorm survival food grown up into a legitimate weeknight fix.

The ramen packets are the base, but the seasoning packets are optional. The included flavor powders are reliable (salt, MSG, soy, spice) and they work in a pinch. For something more interesting, skip them entirely and make your own sauce of soy, sesame oil, and a dash of rice vinegar.

Leftover rotisserie chicken is the intended use. Any cooked poultry works. Two cups diced is enough to feed four as a main course when stretched with noodles and vegetables.

Chow mein vegetables (a frozen mix of bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and onion) come in frozen bags at most grocery stores. If you cannot find them, substitute a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables or sauté your own mix of thinly sliced cabbage, carrot, and onion.

A knob of butter melted over the hot noodles right at the end is the unexpected move. It gives the dish a richness that pure Asian stir fries do not have, pushing it into comfort-food territory.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the noodles and run briefly under cool water. It stops the cooking and keeps them from going mushy.
• Do not overcook the vegetables. Crisp-tender is the goal. Once they are limp, you cannot fix it.
• Use one seasoning packet, not both, if you do use them. Two packets over-salts the whole dish.
• Finish with sliced green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sriracha for an instant upgrade.

Variations

• Swap chicken for diced cooked pork, shrimp, or cubed firm tofu.
• Add a beaten egg scrambled into the noodles for extra protein and a Japanese-yakisoba feel.
• Stir a tablespoon of peanut butter and a squeeze of lime into the sauce for a Thai-inspired version.