VIETNAMESE-STYLE CHICKEN WITH FRAGRANT RICE NOODLES

Vietnamese-Style Chicken With Fragrant Rice Noodles image

Nuoc cham, the Vietnamese dipping sauce, does double duty here: As a marinade, it soaks into the chicken as it roasts. And as part of a rich pan sauce for rice noodles, it marries with the chicken juices. Look for rice noodles that are flat and similar in width to linguine, those normally used for pad Thai. Since the noodles are served at room temperature, run them under cool water after boiling to keep them from clumping. Raw snap peas offer a refreshing crunch, and fans of half-sour pickles will enjoy the extra tanginess they add to the dish.

Provided by Kay Chun

Categories noodles, poultry, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

5 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons peeled, minced ginger
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
2 Thai chile peppers, stemmed and minced
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
12 ounces pad Thai rice noodles
4 ounces snap peas (about 1 cup), strings removed and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup half-sour pickles, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for serving

Steps:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, prepare the marinade by combining 3 tablespoons lime juice, oil, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar and peppers, and mix well. Add chicken to marinade, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Spread chicken in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and scrape the pan juices and bits into a small bowl. Spoon off grease, then stir in the soy sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice to make the pan sauce.
Meanwhile, cook rice noodles until tender, according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water until cool. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add snap peas, pickles, basil, cilantro and pan sauce and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve with lime wedges.
Divide noodles in 4 bowls and top with chicken. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 721, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 84 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 53 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 2043 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams, TransFat 0 grams