Basil, Chili, and Garlic Chicken

Rice noodles may be my new favorite noodle. They are so thin (and slimy, in a good way) and light and delicious. I vaguely recall making them once or twice with Nickolas back in the day, but can't remember the dish we made or the results. But tonight... tonight I made a recipe using rice noodles that cannot go unnoticed. A great combination of flavors with a little heat... and super easy to make!

Basil, Chili, and Garlic Chicken

What you need:

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 pound Asian rice noodles (1 8.8oz package)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, 1/2 diced, 1/2 thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 package basil, ribboned (about 1 cup)
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

What you do:

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup water with fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to dissolve sugar and set aside.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the rice noodles as directed on package. Drain and set aside.
3. While the noodles are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Saute onions (both sliced and diced) and garlic until softened. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
4. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet and heat. Add chicken and cook until browned.
5. Once chicken is cooked through, add onion/garlic mixture and sauce, tossing to coat. Heat until bubbly.
6. In a small dish, add 1 teaspoon sauce from skillet to cornstarch. Mix well and add to skillet with onion/garlic/chicken mixture. Let cook until sauce thickens.
7. Take off heat and add basil. Stir until basil begins to wilt.
8. Serve over rice noodles.

Things to note:

• The garlic amount listed up there is actually what the recipe called for. Eight cloves of garlic sounded like a lot, so I did not add any extra. Upon consuming, I am happy with that decision.
• The actual recipe called for two teaspoons of red pepper flakes. I am just starting to build my heat tolerance, so I only used one teaspoon -- it was hot, but not too hot and just right for me. If you like it hot, add two teaspoons.
• One package of rice noodles makes a lot of noodles. I suggest serving the two in separate bowls so the sauce doesn't get all over the extra noodles. Suggestions for leftover noodles: spring rolls!