The Suburban Foodie

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Stressful times call for comfort food; in my case, Thai peanut chicken with noodles usually does the trick! I know, how exotic! Well, even in the Midwest we have access to Thai food! Tonight, however, I was in need of some calming, soothing, comforting food, and no one wanted to venture outside the house. Thankfully, I have a stash of specialty foods in my pantry for such an occasion. Some supermarkets here actually carry rice noodles and Thai peanut sauce...and don't even get me started on the wasabi peas (my new addiction)! I must confess that sometimes Stouffers frozen macaroni and cheese comforts me too...but, back to the recipe of the day and how I prepared it:

Thai Peanut Chicken with Rice Noodles

1/2 package stir fry rice noodles (7-8 ounces)

two small raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

roughly a cup of frozen peas (no need to thaw; they will cook during the process)

Thai Peanut Sauce (I used a little more than half a cup) - and it was totally a bargain; I found it at one of those "dented can" stores!

1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and immerse the rice noodles in the hot water; let stand 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Soak until noodles are soft but firm. Drain well. In a wok or large frying pan, heat some vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for a few minutes until no longer pink. Add peas and cook another minute or two. Add peanut sauce, to taste, and stir to combine. Add softened noodles and toss to combine. You can also add chopped peanuts, cilantro or a little fresh-squeezed lime juice.

My 2 1/2 year old daughter and I ate it ALL! It definitely eased my stress; well, the glass of wine I had with it may have helped a little also! Why so stressed, you ask? Well, in addition to the stress of daily life, I'm dealing with this: