Wok Noodles with Chicken and Zucchini

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Get all the ingredients ready, wash and peel the vegetables, and put a kettle of water on to boil. Marinate the chicken: cut it into small pieces or strips, put it in a bowl, and pour over a mixture of 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce and 3 crushed garlic cloves. Toss well and set aside for 15–20 minutes.

2. Step 2:

   

   On to the vegetables. Cut the zucchini, carrots, and bell pepper into long, medium-thick strips.

3. Step 3:

   

   Pour the water from the kettle into a pot; once it boils, drop in the noodles and cook them according to the package directions.

4. Step 4:

   

   Take a large, deep skillet — a wok is ideal, but I don't have one, so I use a regular deep sauté pan. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the hot pan, let it heat up, add the chicken, and stir-fry over high heat until just about cooked through. Since the meat is marinated and thin, it cooks very fast — about 3–4 minutes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Add the chopped vegetables to the meat and stir-fry over high heat. The vegetables should stay al dente — keeping their shape rather than turning into a stew. Cook until the carrot is just tender, usually no more than 7 minutes.

6. Step 6:

   

   Add the noodles to the meat and vegetables, plus a few more tablespoons of teriyaki sauce to taste. If you like it saucier and bolder, add another 7–8 tablespoons; if you don't like it too intense or you're cooking with teriyaki for the first time, stick to 3–4. Toss everything well, heat for another minute, and turn off the heat. You can let the dish sit 5 minutes to soak up the sauce.

7. Step 7:

   

   Divide the noodles with vegetables and chicken among plates and sprinkle with sesame seeds. You can toast the sesame seeds first in a separate dry skillet, about 1 minute, until lightly golden.

   Enjoy!