Vietnamese Inspired Stir Fry with Pulled Chicken, Noodles, and Greens

This Vietnamese stir fry recipe is another one that is inspired from my recent trip to Vietnam and is a recreation/combo of 2 different meals I had while on holiday. The first one I wanted to recreate was essentially a pho without the broth but with plenty of greens that I had in Hanoi. And the second was a noodle bowl I had in Hoi An that had a coconut base but it wasn’t quite what I would call a curry.

So, my Vietnamese inspired noodle stir fry was born. I essentially combined the two meals above into one noodle dish that comes together quickly with not too many ingredients. Vietnamese cuisine has a simple elegance to it which was my goal to pay homage too. And while I might not have access to the bounty of produce that they have there, this Vietnamese inspired noodle stir fry will still transport your taste buds Southeast Asia with the rich coconut sauce with just a hint of fish sauce and lime for that perfect umami flavor.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast, poached and shredded

1 8oz Package of rice noodles

2 celery stalks, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of snow peas, chopped

2 small chilis, or 1 jalapeno, minced

1 thumb of ginger, minced

1 lb. of baby spinach

1/2 cup of coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

2 scallions, chopped to make it look extra pretty

Instructions:

1. Cover the chicken breast in a stockpot and cover with cold water and add in 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts to a mixing bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled, shred the chicken breast with 2 forks and set aside.
2. Soak your rice noodles in hot water to soften. At least 10 minutes.
3. Sauté celery, onions, and bell pepper in olive oil for 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Add snow peas and cook for another minute or so before adding the garlic, chilis, and ginger for about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and allow it to wilt.
4. Make the sauce by combining the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce.
5. Add the noodles and chicken to the vegetables and give it a quick stir to combine before adding the sauce. Allow the stir fry to heat up, about 3 minutes.
6. Divide between bowls to serve and garnish with scallions.

If you like this recipe, check out my Bun Chay noodle bowl or my lemongrass chicken noodle bowl which is also inspired by my trip to Vietnam.