Asian Chicken & Noodle Skillet

This was the easiest dinner ever!!! If you are short on time this is a quick skillet dish. Although the look on my husbands face was priceless....he asked me why he was getting ramen noodles for dinner? I told him that these were special ramen noodles and I had "dressed" them up. He wasn't impressed but it sure was tasty!

2 medium carrots, julienne strips

1 medium red bell pepper, cut lengthwise or chopped

5-6 green onions with tops, divided

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

2 T. toasted sesame oil

2 T. Asian Seasoning Mix (I used pampered chef)

4 pkg. (3oz. each) oriental-flavor ramen noodles

1 T. vegetable oil

4 cups of water

• Cut carrots into julienne strips, cut bell pepper lengthwise into 1/3 in. strips ( I chopped mine because I wasn't paying attention). Slice green onions; set aside tops for garnish.
• Thinly slice chicken breast. Combine chicken breast, sesame oil, seasoning mix, and two of the ramen seasoning packets ( I used one so it would not be over powering) in bowl; mix well.
• Add vegetable oil to (12 in) skillet; heat over medium high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add chicken and cook; remove from skillet and keep warm.
• Add carrots and bell pepper to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and remaining ramen seasoning packets ( I omitted this step); stir to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add ramen noodles and white parts of green onions to skillet.
• Cover; bring to a boil and cook 4-5 minutes or until noodles are softened. Add chicken; stir to break apart noodles. Remove skillet from heat; let stand, covered, 3-4 minutes or until chicken is heated through. Garnish with reserved green onion tops.

This recipe was adapted from Season's Best recipe collection Pampered chef spring/summer 2009 p.13. You can substitute the chicken for 2 pork tenderloins about 1 pound each. I cut the recipe in half there fore I only used one packet of ramen noodle seasoning mix. I didn't want it to taste salty.

Perfect Potstickers

My husband and I absolutely love potstickers it is our favorite appetizer. I could not find the recipe I was looking for so I searched on the food network and came across this easy one from Alton Brown. They were delicious but it tasted as if something were missing. I have made potstickers before ( I wish I could find that recipe--did someone borrow it?) and they were the best.

1/2 pound ground pork

1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

2-Tbsp. finely chopped red bell peppers

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp. ketchup

1 tsp. yellow mustard

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. light brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

35 to 40 small wonton wrappers

3 to 4 vegetable oil, for frying

water for sealing wontons

1-1/3 cup chicken stock, divided

• Preheat oven to 200F.


• Combine the first 11 ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (pork through cayenne), set aside.


• To form dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush two edges of wrapper lightly with water. Place 1/2 rounded tsp. of pork mixture in the center of the wrapper.


• Fold over, seal edges, and shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of filling is gone.


• Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil once hot. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes without touching. Once two minutes are up gently add 1/3 cup chicken stock to pan, turn heat down to low, cover, and cook for another two minutes.


• Remove wontons to a heatproof platter and place in warm oven. Clean pan in between batches by pouring in water and allowing the pan to deglaze.


• Repeat until all wontons are cooked. Serve immediately.


• cook time: 20 minutes yield 35 to 40 potstickers.