Recipe of the Day: Chinese Chicken Spaghetti
 

This is one of my favorites. I use ww angel hair pasta, so it's even more like lo mein.

Chinese Chicken Spaghetti

Description:
"like a delicious low-fat lo mein"
Yield:
"6 cups"

Serving Size : 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti -- uncooked
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons soy sauce -- divided
2 tablespoons sesame oil -- divided
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast -- cut in 2" pieces
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon Splenda
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups fresh snow peas
2 cups shredded carrots
3 green onion -- chopped
3/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and 1 T. soy sauce till smooth; stir in 1 T. sesame oil.

Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag.

Add chicken; seal bag and turn to coat.

Let stand for 10 min.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, Splenda, remaining soy sauce and sesame oil; set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in olive oil till juices run clear.

Remove to a platter and keep warm.

In the same skillet, stir-fry peas and carrots for 5 min.

Add the green onions, ginger and pepper flakes.

Cook and stir till vegetables are crisp tender.

Return chicken to pan.

Add soy sauce mixture; mix well.

Drain pasta; add to skillet.

Toss till combined.

Angela, this sounds delicious to me. Do you count points for the sesame oil and cornstarch? If you do, how many per serving would you count?

You know, I don't really count points for it, per se, but if I were, I'd say no more than 1 or 2 per serving, because there really isn't much of either the cornstarch or the sesame oil. And if you wanted to pare it down further, just use your healthy oil instead of the sesame oil.

Angela

Do you think it would lose some of the good flavor if I didn't use the sesame oil? Would you replace with Canola or Olive Oil?

Never mind, Angela. I must be more tired than I thought! I just now noticed that the recipe uses olive oil too so that's what I'd replace with if I replace the sesame oil. I'm just afraid it might lose some of its great taste. I'm surprised there's no broth or anything. Does it make a sauce? Full of questions, aren't I?! Sorry you posted this yet?

There's no sauce really. It ends up being pretty dry as a whole, but the chicken and veggies are moist. Just make sure you don't put in too many noodles and you should be fine. I bet it would be really yummy if you did add a little broth to the last step (before you add the noodles, but after you return the chicken to the pan) if you want it a little saucier. Oh yeah, and don't stir-fry the carrots and peas too long, because that makes them dry too. I always stop stir-frying them before the 5 minutes are up.

I'm never sorry to share a recipe! :)

Angela

Thanks, Angela. Jim won't eat carrots and peas so I'll have to substitute anyway. He does like pea pods and water chestnuts so that may be our "green" and our "crunch". It just won't be as colorful as yours.

Well, the recipe calls for pea pods. I just wrote peas because it was shorter. :D But water chestnuts would work fine too. My dh doesn't care for water chestnuts though, so carrots it is for us!

Angela