GF, DF

Sticky, saucy, spicy & sweet! These noodles are so quick to bring together and bring so much yum to the table. A healthy and delicious Asian dinner to make over and over again!

This recipe is such a winner for ticking all the weeknight dinner boxes! It’s quick, it’s economical and it’s packed with protein and veg to keep everyone’s tummies happy. A one dish superstar that is so tasty - I just love dinners like this!

I like to serve these noodles topped with fresh sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. Sometimes I fry up some broccoli or edamame beans to snack at on the side to really full out the meal. However, this dish is really a full meal by itself.

You can dial back the spice by adding less white pepper or add more if you like the heat. My 18-month-old loves these noodles so the spice level is really mild!

Be sure to have all your ingredients prepared before cooking as it comes together really fast at the end. The beauty of the wok!

What's in this recipe?

Sauce

Soy sauce
Soy sauce adds saltiness and umami to the sauce. Use GF soy sauce or tamari to make the recipe gluten free.
Hoison sauce
Boosts the umami in the sauce and adds sweetness and fragrance. Can be substituted with sweet soy sauce if you don’t have it on hand (kecap manis).
Sweet chilli sauce
Adds sweetness and a mild chili flavour without making the noodles to hot.
Tamarind puree
The secret ingredient to making these noodles special! Tamarind adds a tartness and fruity flavour to the sauce and really makes them addictive! Tamarind puree is a fruit paste found in a jar in most large supermarkets.
Sesame oil
Sesame oil adds a nutty toasted flavour to the sauce and keeps them moist and delicious! Be sure to use ‘toasted’ sesame oil.
Water
Water helps to dilute the punchy flavours in the sauce and create the perfect sticky texture!

Chicken & noodles

Rice noodles
I like to use rice noodles or pad thai noodles for this dish. They get perfectly coated in the glossy delicious sauce and make the meal gluten free. Feel free to use other types of noodles here (ramen, egg noodles etc).
Chicken thigh
I prefer to use chicken thigh over chicken breast as it keeps juicy and has more flavour. The irregular shape of the thighs also allows the corn flour to stick in all the little crevices which helps the chicken to absorb more of the tasty sauce! Chicken breast can be used if that’s all you have on hand.
Cornflour (cornstarch)
Cornflour is used to coat the chicken before frying it to create a crispy coating that absorbs the sauce. This also helps to thicken the sauce when added to the noodles at the end! I prefer to use cornflour over regular flour as it makes the recipe gluten free however standard flour can also be used.
White pepper & garlic powder
These ingredients are added to the cornflour to maximise the flavour in the chicken coating. White pepper provides a little heat in this recipe and garlic powder amps up the sweet garlic flavour.
Oil
I prefer to use a neutral oil here as we need it really hot to fry up the chicken. Olive oil may burn and taint the sauce. Peanut or vegetable oil work best here.
Spring onions & capsicum
Spring onions and green capsicum are flash fried in the pan before adding the noodles. They provide sweetness and fibre to the dish! I prefer these vegetables as they cook really fast and mix well with the noodles. Can be substituted with gai lan or red/yellow capsicum.
Garlic
Garlic is finely sliced and fried to create delicious sweet pops of garlic. Crushed garlic tends to burn when used at high heat. Please use fresh garlic here.
Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are used as a garnish for the dish. They provide a beautiful toasted flavour and make the dish oh so pretty!

Step-by-step photos

Mixing dry ingredients

Coating chicken

Frying chicken