Healthy Recipe: Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Bowls

These bright and bracing noodle bowls are the perfect antidote to all the heavy, rich comfort foods that abound this time of year. Vietnamese food traditionally features these clean, acidic, sweet and salty flavors, which feature prominently in this recipe. Rice noodles keep this dish light and gluten free, but if you can't find them, you can always swap in regular noodles or even spaghetti in a pinch. You can also swap the chicken for shrimp or tofu for a whole new twist. These bowls get more flavorful the longer they sit, so if you're entertaining, you can make it in advance and chill in the fridge until serving.

Serves: 4

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ package brown rice or quinoa noodles
• 3 serrano peppers, minced (deseeded to make it less spicy if desired)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 4-6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil
• 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 ½ cups shredded chicken
• Fresh cilantro, mint, and basil, to serve

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt generously. Cook the noodles per package instructions until just tender. Drain, and set aside.
2. While the noodles cook, make the dressing. In a jar, add the peppers, garlic, vinegar, honey, fish sauce, lime, and oil. Shake until well combined.
3. When the noodles are still warm, toss them together with ½ the dressing, the cabbage, carrots, chicken, and herbs. Allow to sit for at least ten minutes and up to 30.
4. Add more dressing if desired, top with more fresh herbs, and enjoy!