I’m a big fan of “upgraded” high protein instant noodles. This recipe elevates a few packs of noodles with ground chicken breast in a sweet and spicy firecracker sauce and stir fried slaw mix. It makes four servings with 35g protein and just 11g fat each.
Instant Noodles and Ingredient Options
My recipe calls for Momofuku soy and scallion noodles. I developed this recipe in the midst of an instant noodles obsession, namely Trader Joe’s knife cut squiggly noodles. But after making seven recipes with TJ’s noodles and recommending Momofuku noodles as a substitute for all of them, I figured it was high time to put the latter in the limelight.
Both products have sauce packets in addition to the instant noodles. If you’re using another noodle product without a sauce packet, you can add soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to the cooked noodles. I’ve included specific amounts in the recipe card’s notes section below.
With more than 1,000 reviews, it’s safe to say firecracker chicken is one of my most popular recipes of all time. I’ve made slight tweaks to the sauce in the five years since first publishing the original like swapping a brown sugar substitute for maple syrup. While I’ve made a few versions with fresh garlic and ginger, these noodles call for granulated versions.
Feel free to experiment. It’s a great sauce to play around with.
Of course you can also make these noodles with other sauces. Some of the aforementioned noodle recipes are made with sauces like sticky honey garlic and creamy gochujang.
I think coleslaw mix makes for the perfect veggie addition to instant noodles, adding crunch and fiber while mostly blending right in with the noodles. Prefer other veggies? Just chop them small and stir fry them the same way the slaw mix is cooked here. For example, my teriyaki noodles are made with bite-size broccoli and my cashew chicken noodles are made with frozen fire roasted peppers.
Tips for Serving, Storing, and Reheating
The Momofuku noodles come with both a sauce packet and a packet of dried scallions, which makes garnishing easy. Thinly sliced green onions or dried scallions/chives are the obvious replacements for the packet if you’re using other noodles.
I think the firecracker sauce is complimented nicely with a squeeze of lime juice. Add some toasted sesame seeds and maybe a little chili crunch, and you’re ready to party.
Readers often ask about storage capabilities for recipes, and I’d say these noodles store about as well as any noodles or pasta. If you’re a fan of reheated noodle dishes and leftover takeout, this will be right up your alley. I enjoyed all my refrigerated leftovers, but I haven’t tested this recipe reheated from frozen.
Let me know in the comments if you do! You can ask any other questions you have about the recipe or ingredients there as well.
I hope you enjoy the noodles and come back to cook with me again soon. – Mason
Firecracker Chicken Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 packs (101g each) Momofuku Soy and Scallion Noodles, see notes
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 cups (6 oz) Coleslaw mix
- 1 pound Ground Chicken Breast
- Lime Wedges and Toasted Sesame Seeds, for serving
For the Firecracker Sauce
- ⅓ cup (80g) Maple Syrup
- ¼ cup (60g) Buffalo Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) Rice Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil for the noodles.
- Mix the firecracker sauce together and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat before adding the coleslaw mix. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring a few times, until the veggies pick up a bit of browning but are still tender crisp. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes until one side is golden brown before breaking apart and fully cooking. Add the firecracker sauce to the cooked chicken and cook until the sauce thickens and begins to caramelize around the edges.
- Turn the heat to low and add the veggies back to the pan. Keep warm while the noodles cook.
- Cook the noodles for 3 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the water before draining the rest. Toss the noodles and their sauce packets together along with the firecracker chicken and veggies. Use the reserved water to help bring the three together and make a smooth sauce.
- Garnish with the packets of dried scallions (or thinly sliced green onion) and toasted sesame seeds.
I see rice vinegar in the photo but not in the recipe. Where does it go?
Good catch! Can’t believe I forgot to add that. Updated the recipe to include the 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar. Thanks for that.