Lemongrass Chicken (Tofu) Stir Fry Noodles

We've always looking for delicious and healthy meal inspiration, so we were thrilled to put together this bright variation of a lemongrass chicken (or tofu) stir fry!

With inspiration from Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, we love how these fresh flavors are balanced. This lemongrass stir fry is amazingly light and fresh, so you don't have to worry about that groggy "too full feeling" other heavier foods sometimes cause. 

And although this dish is not the fastest to make, it will give you plenty of leftovers to enjoy for a couple of days. Plus, it's gluten-free! For a vegan option, simply substitute the chicken with firm or extra firm tofu and omit the fish sauce.

Total Time:  1 hour (30 mins prep, 30 mins to cook)

Yield:  about 6-7 servings

Marinade Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chicken breast, cut into small squares (substitute with firm tofu if vegetarian/vegan)
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp or 1 clove minced garlic
  • ½ stalk of fresh lemongrass bulb, sliced thin, or 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
  • 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce (optional if vegetarian/vegan)
  • 3 drops of jalapeño hot sauce

Other Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp dried thyme, or 2 tsp fresh thyme
  • ¼ cup minced yellow onion
  • ¾ cup snow peas
  • ½ cup red and yellow bell peppers, sliced thin (frozen or fresh)
  • ½ - 1 lb rice noodles
  • 5 tbsp canola oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

  1. To create the marinade, combine half of minced ginger, half of minced garlic, lemongrass, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce (optional if vegetarian), brown sugar and jalepeño hot sauce in a large bowl. Add the small chicken breast pieces (or firm tofu if vegetarian) and mix until all pieces are coated. Let sit for at least 30 mins.
  2. While the chicken or tofu is left to marinate, sauté onions, other half of minced ginger and minced garlic with 2 tbsp canola oil over medium-low heat for 3 minutes.

  3. Add peppers, snow peas, salt, and half of minced thyme (fresh or dried). Sauté for about 10 minutes, until peppers are soft and onions translucent. Remove from heat and set vegetables aside.

  4. In the same pan, add 3 tbsp of canola oil and cook marinated chicken breast pieces or tofu (with liquid) in batches over medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly, about 7 minutes per batch. Add 1 tsp of dried thyme to each batch, remove from heat and set aside with any remaining liquid from the pan.
  5. Combine the cooked vegetables and chicken (or tofu) back into the pan over medium-low heat. Add salt, black pepper, and 1 tsp of dried thyme to taste. The stir fry is now complete. Remove pan from heat.
  6. In a separate saucepan, boil water and cook rice noodles for 4-5 minutes until tender. Strain. 
  7. Combine rice noodles with chicken (or tofu) vegetable stir fry, and serve!

Tips: 

Fresh lemongrass is sometimes difficult to find, but will usually be available near the herbs or produce section of major grocery stores or at some specialty Asian food markets. We recommend calling ahead of time to ask if they are available! If no fresh lemongrass is near you, you can also substitute with lemongrass paste.

The inner stalk of the lemongrass tends to have a tough, crunchy texture that not everyone may like in the final dish. To lessen this, we recommend slicing half of one inner stalk, about 1-2 inches, into extremely thin slices and then cutting those in half length-wise (as opposed to mincing). This will make it blend best with the whole dish!

The marinade is a big part of this dish! We suggest marinating your chicken or tofu for at least 30 minutes or for more flavor, closer to an hour. Of course, marinading for any amount of time will help.

If using tofu, it is best to first press as much water out of the tofu using a tea towel and a couple heavy books. This will make it much easier to work with and allow the tofu to absorb the marinade.

 

The Culinary aromas we love:

We love lemongrass and thyme so much, we created a handpoured candle to celebrate this culinary scent. Other favorites of ours are Citrus & Cilantro, Ginger, Lemon & Saffron, and Basil & Mint. These make wonderful gifts for any foodie in your life.

Each Culinary Candle includes a recipe card matching its scent. 

 See the full Culinary Candle collection for more culinary inspiration.