Spicy Chicken Noodle Bowl

This is a great hearty soup on a cold night and you just keep adding things to the same pot until you have made a rich mushroom and spicy chicken broth with loads of crunchy vegetables. Try it next time instead of a package of those instant Rahmen noodles with that extra salty package of seasoning.


You will need:

• 1 onion - chopped fine
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chicken breast - chopped into small cubes
• 3 cloves garlic - minced fine
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp dry mushrooms -soaked in hot water and chopped fine
• 1 fresh chili - chopped fine
• 6 mushrooms - sliced
• 1tsp Chinese five spice powder
• 10 Szechuan peppercorns
• 1 litre of chicken broth
• instant noodles 2-3 sections
• 2 spring onions - sliced fine
• handful of sprouts
• 6 finely sliced cabbage leaves
• large handful of sliced fresh spinach
• soy sauce to season 
• cilantro to top

This recipe is perfect for two.

Step 1: start by slicing and chopping all your ingredients. I just make little piles of all my different vegetables and seasonings. Chop chicken breast into strips and then into small cubes.

Step 2: in a medium sauce pan add chopped onions and olive oil. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until just starting to brown.

Step 3: add chicken, garlic, ginger and salt and pepper. Cook another 5-7 minutes to let meat start to brown.

Step 4: add chili and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add chopped dry and fresh mushroom. Cook another 5 minutes until most of the water cooks out and the mushrooms start to brown around the edges. (Save the water from the mushrooms to add in a minute)

Step 5: add Chinese five spice, szechuan peppercorns. Stir well and cook in oil for 1 minute. Then add water from the dry mushrooms and chicken broth.

Step 6: add noodles to cook for the last 5 minutes. I used 2 sections because my soup was for two people.

Step 7: add thinly sliced cabbage. some spinach and spring onions to the bottom of each bowl. The hot soup will soften the spinach and the cabbage stays nice and crunchy.

Step 8: top with more spinach some sprouts, a few more spring onions and some cilantro. Add a slice of lime for a nice contrast and serve.

when you mix it all up you have a ton of contrasting flavours and textures.