Veggie Noodle Chicken Pad Thai

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

I have a weakness for Pad Thai. Greasy, starchy, sodium-packed takeout-style Pad Thai.

It's delicious, but because it's so starchy, because it's often loaded with sodium, and because it's filled with grease and unhealthy fats...it's far from the best choice.

In this takeout makeover recipe, I've replaced the starchy, carb-rich noodles you normally find in Pad Thai with veggie noodles. Additional veggies are added, making it a rainbow of color and flavor. A dressing made of almond butter, sesame oil, and coconut aminos brings everything together.

For the noodles, you can use any veggie noodle you like. I used a mix of zucchini, squash, and carrots found in the produce section of my local supermarket.

If you have a spiralizer, now is the time to use it, and a julienne peeler works nicely as well. Zucchini are popular, easy to find, and offer a relatively neutral flavor that is perfect for this dish, but sweet potatoes or butternut squash would work just as well.

IMPORTANT: No matter what noodle you choose, do not skip the step of salting them, as this drains the water from the veggies, leaving you with firm, crunchy noodles instead of a soggy mess.

If you have leftover shredded chicken from another meal, this is a perfect use for it, and makes it even faster to prepare.

The dressing is an addicting combination that includes coconut aminos.

If you’ve never had them, coconut aminos are similar to soy sauce, and add the perfect savory note to dishes like this. Feel free to use soy sauce if you’d like, but make sure it’s labeled as gluten-free if this is important to you, as many soy sauces are not.

Ingredients

Salad:

1 pound vegetable noodles, any kind

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 pound chicken breasts

2 cups shredded red cabbage

1 cup sliced bell peppers, any color

1 bunch green onions, sliced

Dressing:

1/2 cup toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons natural almond butter

1 tablespoon coconut aminos

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated ginger

Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

• Lay the noodles on a layer of paper towels and sprinkle the salt evenly over them. Let them sit for 15 minutes and pat as dry as you can with additional paper towels.

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, add the chicken and let cook until done, about 10 minutes. Using two forks, shred the chicken and let cool.

• To make the dressing, put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

• Toss the noodles, cooled chicken, and remaining veggies with the dressing. Serve immediately.