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Stir-fried Kimchi Chicken Noodles

Close up top view of plate with stir-fried kimchi noodles.

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This Stir-fried Kimchi Chicken Noodles is quick and easy to make, and full of the BEST spicy, sweet, and smoky flavors! It’s ready to go in 30 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Sauce:

  • 2 TBLS Gochujang
  • 2 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
  • ½ TBLS Distilled Rice Vinegar (or white vinegar)
  • 1 TBLS Yellow Bean Sauce (substitute with white miso paste or Korean soybean paste – doenjang)
  • 23 TSP Honey, to taste (or white sugar or other sweetener of your choice)
  • ½ TBLS Sesame Oil
  • 1 TSP Chili Oil (optional), to taste
  • ½ TBLS Gochugaru (substitute with chili powder to taste if unavailable.)
  • ¾ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper
  • 2/3 cup Water
  • 1 TSP Corn Starch

For the Stir-fried Kimchi Chicken Noodles:

  • ½ Yellow Onion – chopped small
  • 2 Spring Onion (Scallion/Green Onion) – chopped, whites and greens separated
  • 6 Garlic Cloves – minced
  • 1.5 TBLS grated Ginger
  • 210 Red Chilies, to taste – chopped
  • 11.5 cups Napa Cabbage (Chinese cabbage) – chopped
  • ½ cup Kimchi + 12 TBLS Kimchi Juice – chopped
  • 2.5 TBLS Canola Oil (or any other neutral flavored cooking oil with a high smoke point)
  • 240 grams Ground Chicken
  • ¼ TSP Kosher Salt
  • 300 grams / 10.6 ounces fresh Yu Mien (Oil Noodles) – or any other Asian noodles such as hokkien, udon, egg noodles, etc.
  • 1 Egg – lightly beaten
  • To Serve: Drizzle of sesame oil, toasted white sesame seeds, remainder spring onion greens

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop the onion, spring onion (separate white and green parts), garlic, red chilies, Napa cabbage. Grate the ginger, and spoon the kimchi and kimchi juice into a measuring cup. Use kitchen shears to cut the kimchi into small pieces. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl. Set everything aside.
  2. Make the sauce: Combine the gochujang, low sodium light soy sauce, distilled rice vinegar, yellow bean sauce, honey, sesame oil, chili oil (if using), gochugaru, freshly cracked black pepper, water, and corn starch in a measuring cup or bowl. Whisk together until thoroughly combined, then set aside.

For the Stir-fried Kimchi Chicken Noodles:

  1. Sauté onion and aromatics: Heat two tablespoons of canola oil in a large nonstick wok (or large deep sauté pan) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, spring onion white parts, and grated ginger. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, until the onion has softened slightly. Next, add the red chilies and garlic and stir-fry for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Cook the chicken: Add the ground chicken and kosher salt. Cook for 2 minutes, breaking up the clumps with your spatula, until just cooked through.
  3. Add kimchi and kimchi juice: Add the kimchi and kimchi juice and toss to combine.
  4. Add noodles and sauce: Give the sauce a quick stir with a spoon, then add the noodles and pour in the sauce. Toss for a minute to combine, until the sauce reduces and thickens.
  5. Cook the egg: Push everything to the side of the wok and add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil. Pour in the egg and allow it to set for 20-30 seconds. Then fold it and break it up into pieced and toss to combine with everything else in the wok.
  6. Add veggies: Add the Napa cabbage and most of the spring onion greens (reserve a few pieces for garnish). Stir-fry for 45 seconds to a minute, until the cabbage has slightly softened but retains some crunch. Then switch off the heat.
  7. To Serve: Divide the noodles evenly onto plates and drizzle sesame oil on top. Sprinkle with the toasted white sesame seeds and the remainder spring onion greens. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Notes

Ingredient Notes and FAQs

  1. Kimchi and kimchi juice: Kimchi is a Korean spicy fermented cabbage comes in packages, cans, or jars. It’s usually made with cabbage, radish, sometimes carrots, as well as plenty of other seasonings. You can find it in some large supermarkets, and Asian and Korean supermarkets. Kimchi juice is the liquid that is in the jar or package of kimchi and not a separate ingredient.
  2. Gochujang and gochugaru: Gochujang (fermented Korean chili pepper paste) and gochugaru (Korean hot pepper powder can be found in Asian or Korean grocery stores, or purchased online. Gochujang should be available in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets, as well as in Asian and Korean supermarkets. Use gochugaru to taste as some brands can be very spicy.
  3. Chilies: Use less or deseed them if you prefer a milder dish, or omit altogether if you’re not big on spice.
  4. Noodles: If using noodles that aren’t fresh and ready to cook such as vacuum sealed packs of noodles, prepare them as instructed on the package instructions first before using in the stir-fry. If using dried noodles, use 150 grams / 5.3 ounces.
  5. Egg: Instead of scrambling the egg and tossing with the noodles, you have the option to serve a sunny side up egg (one per person) and sprinkle some assorted chili powder (shichimi togarashi) on top when plating. I recommend using one egg per person if serving sunny side up.
  6. Can I make this gluten-free? Use a gluten-free gochujang, kimchi, soy sauce (or tamari), and noodles such as rice noodles or shirataki.
  7. Can I make this ahead? You can make this 2-3 days in advance and use it for meal prep if you like. Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring once in between, until hot throughout.
  8. Can I make this vegetarian/vegan? Use a variety of stir-fry friendly veggies instead of chicken such as mushrooms, carrots, snap peas, etc. Or you could use crispy pan-fried tofu cubes, or a plant-based meat substitute such as Omnipork™, Beyond Beef™, and Impossible™ Beef. Also, be sure to use a vegan kimchi.
  9. Can I use a different non-vegetarian protein? Ground pork, turkey, beef, and even lamb would taste great with these stir-fried kimchi noodles. You could also use diced chicken cubes (boneless and skinless breast or thigh), pork loin (or tenderloin) or beef strips. Sliced pork belly rashers would taste amazing too.

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