Easy Chicken Yakisoba

• servings: 1 serving
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 green cabbage leaves

¼ onion (3.5 oz, 100 g) 3.5 100

4 inches carrot (2 oz, 60 g; bottom end close to the tip) 2 60

1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh (5 oz, 142 g) 5 142

⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp neutral oil

1 serving yakisoba noodles (sold on Amazon or in the refrigerated section of a Japanese market)

1 serving yakisoba sauce (to taste; use the sauce packet that comes with the noodles, bottled sauce that you can find on Amazon, or Homemade Yakisoba Sauce)

Directions

Gather all the ingredients. Note: This recipe is perfect for college students, singles, and anybody who's cooking for one.

To Prepare the Ingredients

Cut 2 green cabbage leaves into bite-sized pieces about 1-inch (2.5 cm) square.

Cut ¼ onion into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices.

Cut 4 inches carrot into 2-inch slabs. Then, cut them into 2-inch (5-cm) julienned strips.

Cut 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh along the grain into ¾–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) strips. Angle your knife back and diagonally, then slice the strips crosswise into ¾–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) squares. This sogigiri cutting technique creates flat pieces of equal thickness and more surface area so they cook faster and absorb seasonings better.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Remove the wrapper from 1 serving yakisoba noodles. Place them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in the microwave until just warm, about 30 seconds. Then, gently loosen the noodles with your hands. Tip: Pre-steamed noodles come pressed into a square. Separating them makes it easier to toss with the ingredients in the pan and helps prevent breakage.

To Cook

Heat a large skillet (I used a 10¼-inch carbon steel frying pan), wok, or griddle on medium heat. When it's hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Add the chicken and onion to the pan in a single layer.

Stir-fry with a spatula until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Then, add the cabbage and carrot. Toss to combine and allow the steam to evaporate. Tip: Give the ingredients direct contact with the hot cooking surface to keep things dry and develop a nice char.

Cook until the veggies are tender, then add the noodles. Toss with tongs to combine and allow the steam to escape. Fry the noodles until heated.

Add 1 serving yakisoba sauce that comes in your noodle package. If you don't have a sauce packet, add bottled or homemade yakisoba sauce, to taste. Toss to combine.

To Serve

Serve on an individual plate (I used a scallop-edged dinner plate) and enjoy!

To Store

Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. Reheat in the microwave until warm. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 687 kcal
• Total Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg
• Sodium: 1116 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 80 g
• Dietary Fiber: 10 g
• Total Sugars: 11 g
• Protein: 43 g