Cilantro Chicken and Spicy Thai Noodles

I love when I turn on the Food Network and whatever is being made sounds so good I just have to make it. That's what happened this weekend.  I was watching a show and the chef was making cilantro chicken...it looked so good on the grill that I had to make it.

Blueberry was over tonight and so I tried it out on her. The consensus is this is a 5 star recipe that must be made again.

Cilantro Chicken and Spicy Thai Noodles
Courtesy of Big Daddy, Food Network
Serves 4

Cilantro Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 T canola oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T minced garlic
• 1/4 c cilantro
• 2 limes, 1 zested; 2 juiced
• 2 T Seasoned Rice vinegar

Thai Noodles:

• 2 T canola oil
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 c chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• 1 T Thai green curry paste - I used red curry because I didn't have any green curry on hand AND I'm not a big fan of green curry.
• 1 T seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 scallions, white and green parts chopped for garnish
• 1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts

 
For the chicken: Combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive bowl and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Prepare a grill pan to medium-high heat and place the chicken thighs on the pan, cooking for 4 minutes per side.

For the noodles: In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the canola oil. Add the ginger, lime zest and juice, garlic, red pepper flakes and chicken stock. Stir all to combine and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the curry paste, seasoned rice vinegar and scallions. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.

Place the noodles in a large serving bowl along with the carrots and crushed peanuts and toss well to combine. Add the cilantro chicken and serve.

The noodles were a bit too tangy for me, so I popped in a tablespoon on peanut butter.  That was delicious!