Thai Basil-Coconut Chicken and Soba Noodles

I found this recipe last year and thought it sounded really good. I made it once and had one fundamental problem with the recipe: it tasted like fish. The culprit was the fish sauce. I don't know what it is about fish sauce, but its taste takes over everything it touches. The base flavors of the dish are good, so this time around, I just took out the offending ingredient.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons canola oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each)

1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Step by step instructions:

1. Combine the coconut milk and broth in a medium bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined. Set aside.

2. Pound the chicken lightly to create a uniform thickness. To avoid getting raw chicken juice all over, I like to put the chicken in a plastic bag before pounding it with a meat tenderizer. If you don't have a meat tenderizer, you can just use a small skillet.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until browned. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. I put the plate in the microwave to minimize the cool down.

4. Boil enough water in a pot to cover the soba noodles. Once water is boiling, add soba noodles and cook to the specifications on the package.

5. Once noodles are done cooking, strain and put to the side.

6. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the edamame, pepper, garlic, and salt. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

(please note the vintage Power Rangers plate circa 1995)

7. Add the reserved coconut milk mixture. Cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened. Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the basil.

8. Put cooked soba noodles in the skillet and stir in.

9. Make a prettier plate than I did.

Recipe adapted from Liz Vaccariello

Evaluation: This dish turned out much better than last time. If you're so inclined, the original recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of fish sauce that is added to the coconut milk and broth mixture. I would not recommend adding it, but that's just me.

This recipe yielded 4 servings.