Chinese Chicken and Rice Noodles (Gluten-Free)

OK, this is the best thing I've ever made. Seriously. Tender rice noodles, slick from a sweet and sour glaze, speckled with seared chicken and bell pepper. I slurped up every last noodle. And (confession), I started with a store-bought sauce, so the whole thing came together in about 20 minutes.

I have NO SHAME when it comes to store-bought sauces. Especially internationally-inspired concoctions that boast complex flavors. But I don't just pour the sauce in a pan and call it a day; I add my own nuances. In this dish, I ramped up bottled sweet and sour sauce with soy, mirin, onion, and garlic. I took a good thing and made it better.

Which sauce should you choose? There are many sweet and sour sauce varieties out there, and it really doesn't matter which one you use. I needed a gluten-free sauce (for Luke's dinner guest), so I made sure the brand I bought (La Choy) was gluten-free. There are also super affordable generic brands. Your favorite grocery store chain probably makes one.

About the liquid aminos: Again, this dish needed to be gluten-free, so I chose Bragg Liquid Aminos. Soy sauce has wheat, so that wasn't an option. Plus, I love the ingredient list on the Bragg bottle: "vegetable protein from NON-GMO soybeans and purified water". Pure and simple with nothing artificial - like fake flavors and colors. And, it tastes like really awesome soy sauce, so why use anything else?

About the rice noodles: I used Annie Chun's Pad Thai Rice Noodles. The same company also makes a version with brown rice noodles. I like the thicker, wide noodles for this dish - they hold up well to the chunks of chicken and strips of bell pepper. Thai Kitchen's Gluten Free Stir Fry Rice Noodles are also a great choice.

Chinese Chicken and Rice Noodles (Gluten-Free)

8 ounces gluten-free rice noodles (see note above)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or peanut oil (I like the flavor of peanut oil)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
Salt and ground black pepper
1/3 cup gluten-free sweet and sour sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce (like Bragg liquid aminos)
1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Chopped green onions for serving
Fresh cilantro leaves for serving

Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions (typically boiled in water for 4 to 5 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the sweet and sour sauce, broth (or water), soy sauce, mirin, onion powder, and garlic powder. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Add the bell pepper and cook for 1 minute. Season the chicken and bell pepper with salt and pepper.
Add the sweet and sour sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Add the noodles and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the noodles are hot and coated with the sauce, stirring frequently and using a fork or tongs to separate the noodles.
Top with noodles with green onions and cilantro and serve.
Serves 4