Fast Food Friday: Skinny Szechuan Chicken with Noodles

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HAPPY FRIDAY!! Have you joined in on the fun of Fast Food Fridays yet? Well do it!

How is everyone’s day going so far? I’ll be honest, I’m in a FABULOUS mood and this is awesome, given the two mental breakdowns I had earlier this week. Let’s just say this…the time of the month is not conducive to healthy emotional behavior, mmk? However, I’m proud that instead of eating Papa Johns pizza and a gallon of ice cream (which I’ve…um…never done), I made a super healthy version of one of my FAVORITE Chinese foods, szechuan chicken!

It satisfied my craving for something salty without adding unwanted weight and guilt (which inevidently turns to massive tears during said 4 days).

Okay, so maybe it’s not EXACTLY szechuan chicken, it’s what happens when szechaun chicken and lo-mein have a baby. You get the deliciously seasoned chicken and broccoli slaw of szechuan and the perfectly cooked rice noodles of lo-mein. The best of both worlds. Life is always better that way.

I love this stuff. I don’t love that we don’t have ANY LEFT. We ate…shamelessly…that whole pot in 2 days.

There might have even been some fork-to-pot action while I was “putting away the leftovers.” I put that in quotations because for each spoonful I put into the Tupperware, I ate about 1.5. Not an ideal ratio for someone trying to tone up and get rid of the middle jiggle.

But, in my defense, one heaping cup has only 7 grams of fat and 7 Weight Watchers Points Plus points. Which, in the realm of Chinese food you order in boxes, ain’t bad at all.

Make this over the weekend, or for the Super Bowl, for a healthier taste of your favorite Chinese food. (And so much better because you aren’t bogged down with those silly things known as MSG or massive sodium).

Adapted from Weight Watchers.

Szechuan Chicken with Rice Noodles

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Serves about 5
Prep time: >10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 2 7 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into skinny strips
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 10 ounces of broccoli slaw
  • 1 t teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 4 ounces rice noodles
  • 2 tablespoons reduce sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot pepper paste (like this)

Directions: 

  • Remove rice noodles from package and place in hot water. This will loosen them up. Set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick wok on medium high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add chicken and bell pepper and cook until chicken is fully done, about 7 minutes. Remove from pot.
  • Heat second tablespoon of oil in the same wok. Add broccoli slaw and cook until tender and a bit crispy, about 5 minutes.

  • Add pepper flakes and pepper spread and heat another minute longer. Add chicken and veggies back to pot, along with the cooked rice noodles and sodium sauce, and heat for another 2 minutes, or until mixture is fully combined.
  • Serve with additional crushed red pepper to taste and enjoy!

Who needs takeout when you can make much better food at home?

Nutritional information per 1 cup: 
Calories:  275
Fat: 7 grams
Carbohydrates: 27 grams
Dietary fiber: 6 grams
Protein: 25 grams
Weight Watches Points Plus: 7

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Comments

  1. Posted by Karen on
    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    Oh I love you!! I have a bag of rice noodles and a bag of slaw wilting away! No chicken breast thawed but I have tofu on hand.. Thanks for my dinner :) haa
  2. Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    This looks really amazing. I'm always shocked at how many calories are in American Chinese food, SO insane. I'll HAVE to try this for sure, looks great :)
  3. Posted by Lauren on
    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    love! This looks really good :)
  4. Posted by Jen on
    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    This looks fantastic and so easy! 
  5. Posted by amy donovan on
    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    this looks sooooo delicious, claire! pinned it on pinterest + will definitely be trying it soon!
  6. Posted by Jenne on
    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    Such a sucker for Chinese stir fry dishes. Looks delightful!
  7. Posted by Claudia on
    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    I am saving this - counting "points" as we "speak" - and always looking for the most delicious ways to use them so I don't feel deprived. This is definitely it!
  8. Posted by Danielle @ Runs with Spatulas on
    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
    Um, yum. This looks fantastic!
  9. Posted by Julie on
    Saturday, February 4th, 2012
    This looks delicious!!!  I'm so horrible at making chinese food at home.  I'm def adding this to the list.  
  10. Posted by Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. on
    Saturday, February 4th, 2012
    I love szechuan chicken and that you lightened it up!!
  11. Posted by Kristin & Megan on
    Sunday, February 5th, 2012
    That's healthy? It looks amazing!
  12. Posted by Priscilla M on
    Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
    Looks like I'm having this for lunch today. I have noodles and everything else...... *running to the kitchen*
  13. Posted by Isabelle Boucher on
    Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
    Chinese food is my guilty pleasure... love the idea of making a lightened-up version at home for a change, especially when it's loaded with all those healthy, delicious vegetables!
  14. Posted by Alana D on
    Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
    Looks amazingly awesome!
  15. Posted by Lizzy Do on
    Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
    Gosh, this looks FANTASTIC!!!
  16. Posted by Maya Ebrahim on
    Sunday, February 12th, 2012
    This is very similar to the Filipino dish called Pancit, which also uses fish sauce and a squeeze of lemon. I love it.
  17. Posted by Phyllisryan11 on
    Saturday, February 25th, 2012
    Thank you for your blog.  As a WW I am always looking for great low cal meals, and this looks so very good.
  18. Posted by Cooknken on
    Thursday, March 8th, 2012
    I made this tonight after having it bookmarked for some time. I cannot express how much I loved it!! Your right, it is way better than takeout.
  19. Posted by Libbyabecker on
    Sunday, March 11th, 2012
    Looks so good! Can you make this on a regular skillet?
    • Posted by admin on
      Monday, March 12th, 2012
      Yep!
  20. Posted by Allison on
    Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
    At what point do you add the garlic?
    • Posted by admin on
      Wednesday, March 21st, 2012
      Right after you add the onions!
  21. Posted by Emotastic on
    Saturday, August 18th, 2012
    Knock out the rice noodles and add bean sprouts instead for an even healthier option with less calories.
  22. Posted by Jenn A. on
    Wednesday, April 27th, 2016
    I missed the garlic too but just added it in with the rice noodles and soy sauce!
  23. Posted by Randi on
    Wednesday, May 17th, 2017
    Do you have the Smartpoints for this?
    • Posted by cgallam10 on
      Thursday, August 17th, 2017
      I don't. Sorry!