Having a friend with a green thumb is so much fun. Mostly because you get free herbs and veggies and it allows you to think of new recipes to make. My friend Stephanie has a garden and she grew some Thai basil . To be honest, I’ve never heard of Thai basil before so that led down to a journey of fun and interesting recipes. And the result was fantastic. This spicy Thai basil chicken noodles was super delicious and is a must try, and if you can’t find any Thai basil, this recipe is so good that you can even leave it out and it’ll still be delicious.

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

• 1 large chicken breast sliced thinly
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil

Sauce ingredients:

• 3 tsp dark sweet soy sauce
• 8 tsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 2 tsp peppercorn chili oil
• 1 tsp hot chicken flavor bulwark sauce (optional)
• 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 tbsp puréed garlic
• 1/2 tbsp puréed ginger

Noodle ingredients:

• 2-3 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 5 dried red chilies
• 2 cup sliced onions
• 1/2 cup red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup green bell peppers
• 1/3 cup yellow bell peppers
• 4 oz mushrooms
• 2 Serrano peppers sliced lengthwise
• 6-8 oz spaghetti cooked
• 1 cup torn Thai basil leaves
• Pinch of black pepper
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Sprinkle of sesame seeds for garnish
• Green onions for garnish

Directions:

1. Boil pasta according to package instructions,
2. In a bowl add cornstarch, soy sauce, and sesame oil and mix well. Add chicken slices and cover with the marinade. Set aside.
3. In another bowl make the sauce by adding all the ingredients and mixing well.
4. In a large wok, on medium high heat, add 2-3 tbsp oil and add chicken. Brown on both sides. It should cook fairly quickly. Don’t shake the chicken or else the cornstarch marinade will break apart.
5. Remove chicken once cooked onto a plate.
6. Add 1/2 tbsp minced garlic to the same pot, add 5 dried red chilies, all the vegetables (you can use whatever veggies you have on hand).
7. Cook veggies on medium high heat for about 3-4 minute. Add the chicken back in, and then add all the sauce mixture.
8. Add the cooked spaghetti and mix well.
9. Add 1 cup Thai basil, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and mix until well combined.
10. Cover with a lid for about 2-3 minutes.
11. Sprinkle and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and enjoy!