Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes

Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes



Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Calories: 302 Points: 5.5 pts

-2 skinless chicken breast halves, diced in 1 inch cubes
-cooking spray
-1/2 tsp each of dried oregano and dries basil
-kosher salt and fresh pepper
-8 oz spaghetti

-2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
-6 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
-4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
-4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Season chicken generously with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Heat a large skillet on high heat. When hot, spray with oil and add chicken. Cook about 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.

While pasta cooks, add olive oil to skillet on high heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown (do not burn). Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low. Sauté about 4-5 minutes. When pasta is drained, add pasta to tomatoes and toss well. If pasta seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Add fresh basil and chicken and toss well. Serve and top with good grated cheese.

Source: Gina's Weight Watchers Blog

Drunken Noodles - Pad Kee Mao

Thai Fried rice was such a hit we decided to try our other favorite, Drunken Noodles. The recipe was awesome, the picture doesn't do it justice!



Ingredients:
For the sauce:
-2 T oyster sauce
-2 T fish sauce
-2 T palm sugar/brown sugar
-1 T mirin
-1 T rice vinegar
-1 T Golden Mountain sauce or Maggi
-1 T Thai chili-garlic paste (or substitute with another Asian chili sauce, like sriracha)
Juice of half a lime

Other ingredients:
-7 ounces (about half a package) wide rice noodles (XL)
-3 T canola oil
-1 T minced garlic
-4-5 Thai chili peppers, seeded and chopped (or substitute with another hot pepper, ex: jalapenos)
-3 green onions, white ends thinly sliced, green tops cut into 2-inch pieces
-2 chicken breasts, cubed & cooked
-Handful of fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped


Optional additions:
Broccoli florets
Bell peppers
Napa cabbage
Tomato wedges

-In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Mix until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.
-In a large bowl, pour boiling water over the noodles and soak for 15-20 minutes, or until softened. Then drain.
-Add oil to a wok or large skillet over high heat. Cook chicken (same way as thai fried rice). Add garlic, chili peppers and sliced green onion ends, and saute for about a minute.
-Add vegetables (from optional additions list, except tomatoes) and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Keep texture in vegetables.
-Add noodles and sauce to wok. Toss until noodles are coated with the sauce and heated through, 2-3 minutes.
-Add basil, cilantro, and green onion tops (and tomatoes) and toss until well mixed.

Source: Massive Appetite Blog.

Thai Fried Rice

Dan & I have come to love thai food, so we decided to try it at home! (Tomorrow is drunken noodles!) This was a huge success. I had my doubts. The fish sauce does not smell so good on its own. BUT this was delicious!! I found it on Gina's Weight Watchers blog which is awesome.




Thai Fried Rice

-1 chicken breast (1 cup), cut in small cubes
-3 cups jasmine rice, cooked
-1/2 large onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 scallions, chopped
-3 egg whites, scrambled
-1 whole egg, scrambled
-2 tomatoes, sliced
-3 Thai chili peppers (optional)
-4 tsp vegetable oil
-4 tsp soy sauce (or more to taste)
-2 tsp fish sauce
-salt and pepper

Prepare rice ahead of time according to package instructions. It's best if it's made slightly on the dry side.

Heat a skillet or wok on a high flame. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. When the wok is very hot, add 2 tsp oil. When the oil gets hot, add the chicken and cook on high a few minutes, tossing so that its browns all over. Remove chicken from wok and set aside, add the eggs and salt and cook a minute or two until done. Set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and add the onion, scallions and garlic. Saute 1 minute, add the chili pepper and tomatoes and stir in all the rice. Add soy sauce and fish sauce stir to mix all the ingredients. Keep stirring a few minutes, then add egg and chicken back to the wok. Adjust soy sauce if needed and stir well another 30 seconds.

Modifications - I added a little oyster sauce & then used chili paste to flavor at the end. Spicy but good!! I also used only 1/2 a tomato & 2 chicken breasts instead of 1. ENJOY!

Source: Gina's Weight Watchers Blog.