Ground Chicken and Zucchini Ramen Stir-Fry
sandravalvassori.com
This Ground Chicken and Zucchini Ramen Stir-Fry is exactly what you need when you don't know what to cook or need a quick and flavorful meal on a weeknight. Rich with ginger and garlic, this ground chicken, zucchini, red pepper, and ramen noodle stir-fry is tossed in a spicy, punchy sauce that somehow manages to be both exciting and deeply comforting. Well-balanced, satisfying and nourishing, this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes making it ideal for meal prep or last-minute dinners.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 blocks Rice Ramen OR any ramen noodle of your choice
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (or neutral oil of choice)
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces.
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/3 cup chopped green onion, plus more for garnish
- 1 (2-inch) piece ginger root, grated or minced
- 4 garlic cloves, grated or minced
For the Sauce
- 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sambal oelek (or 2 teaspoons if you'd like less spicy)
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch (can substitute cornstarch)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until the noodles are no longer warm. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, maple syrup, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sambal oelek, and arrowroot starch until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, undisturbed for 2 minutes. Stir and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender-crisp. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the red bell pepper to the same skillet and cook until slightly softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add a little more oil to the pan, if needed, then add the ground chicken. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium and stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the red peppers back into the pan along with the green onions. Pour in the prepared sauce and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Return the zucchini to the pan along with the cooked noodles. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated in the sauce and heated through, about 1 minute.
- Divide among bowls and garnish with additional chopped green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Cook the vegetables in an air fryer. If you have an air fryer, you can absolutely use it to cook the zucchini and red peppers. This will probably save you a bit of time and your veggies will get nice and crispy. Once cooked, simply add them to the skillet and proceed with the recipe. Alternatively, you can also use your oven which is a great idea if you want to add a larger amount of veggies.
For a saucier dish, double the sauce. As written, the sauce is just enough to perfectly coat the noodles, veggies and chicken but it won't be super saucy. If you want it to be really sauce, or if you're adding more veggies, go ahead and double the sauce ingredients.
Don't skip rinsing the noodles with cold water. This prevents your noodles from getting overcooked or from sticking together. For extra insurance that my noodles won't stick, I often toss them with a drizzle of sesame oil once I've rinsed them.
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They're delicious cold, room temperature or very gently reheated in a warm skillet.