Quick and Easy: Lemon-grass chicken on rice noodles

This simple Southeast Asian dish is from Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine.

Lemon-grass Chicken on Rice Noodles

Half a head of iceberg or romaine lettuce

• 1 small cucumber
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 3 1/2 ounces rice vermicelli, softened in hot water, drained
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, in bite-size pieces
• 2 stalks lemon grass, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 fresh red chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons water

Shred or chop lettuce. Seed and chop cucumber and coarsely chop peanuts. Set aside.

Saute chicken in 2 tablespoons oil until just browned, 3-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels; set aside.

Cook lemon grass, garlic, shallots and, if desired, chili peppers, stirring frequently, in remaining 1 tablespoon oil until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan, sprinkle with sugar and salt to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken just begins to caramelize. Add fish sauce and water, cover and cook just until the chicken is cooked, 3-4 minutes.

Divide noodles among individual bowls. Top each portion with chicken, lettuce, cucumber and peanuts.

Per serving: 404 calories, 40 gm protein, 14 gm carbohydrates, 21 gm fat, 136 mg cholesterol, 3 gm saturated fat, 741 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber.