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If you've never tried Korean glass noodles, now's the time! This sweet potato noodle recipe, called Japchae, is filled with chicken, vegetables & tons of flavor! 284 calories and 7 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Korean Glass Noodles with Chicken & Vegetables (Japchae Recipe)
Korean glass noodles make the perfect meal when my husband starts ramping up the mileage for his next marathon. Carbs, carbs and more carbs...and some good, lean protein. He needs as much energy as he can get for long runs and hill work. Inevitably, our weekly menu is planned around the week's long runs!
Long run on Sunday morning? Pasta on Saturday night.
Years ago, a friend invited us over for a traditional Korean meal. She was born in Korea and moved to the U.S. when she was teenager, but cooked everything to match the meals her mother and grandmother used to make. Short ribs, Japchae and more - it was a wonderful meal! And she kindly taught me how to make her basic version of Japchae.
These sweet potato noodles, which can be found at most Asian markets and even online (though they're much cheaper at the Asian market if you have a good one nearby), are something that we eat over and over again. The noodles are made from sweet potato starch, so are gluten-free (however, be sure you replace the soy sauce with Tamari soy sauce for the whole meal to be gluten-free).
They are used primarily in Korean cooking and are great in a simple noodle dish like this one, in spring roll wrappers (my kids' favorite way of eating them) and in soups.
This noodle dish takes about 20 minutes to pull off and is incredibly satisfying. The slightly chewy noodles are spiked with soy sauce, sesame oil and a touch of sweetness from agave nectar (or honey), which is how a Korean friend first introduced use to these noodles years ago. Japchae, the traditional Korean glass noodle recipe, typically features beef and vegetables, but said she often preferred serving a chicken version to her family, which is what inspired this recipe.
Don't feel you have to stick with chicken and the vegetables I used here. Substitute stir-fried mushrooms, zucchini or broccoli for the carrots, red bell pepper and spinach. Use shrimp or beef (flanks steak works well) instead of chicken, or go vegetarian with some tofu.
In other words, it's one of those great "clear out the fridge" kind of meals.
I served this hot when I first made it, but almost loved it more at room temperature when I scarfed down the leftovers the next day. My kids couldn't resist rolling the extras in some spring roll wrappers for a snack. Seriously, I think they would eat liver and onions if I put it in spring roll wrappers.
I suggest buying several packages of the sweet potato noodles because you will be using them over and over again.
Other Asian-inspired noodle recipes:
Vegan Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Printable Recipe
Korean Glass Noodles with Chicken & Vegetables (Japchae Recipe)
If you've never tried Korean glass noodles, now's the time! This sweet potato noodle recipe, called Japchae, is filled with chicken, vegetables & tons of flavor! 284 calories and 7 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
4.80 from 24 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Entrees
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Poultry Recipes
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 283.7kcal
Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sweet potato noodles
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil divided
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾-inch pieces
- ½ red bell pepper thinly sliced & cut in half
- 2 medium carrots peeled & cut into matchsticks
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add the sweet potato noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water until they are cool. Toss with ½ teaspoon sesame oil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and agave nectar.
Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is barely cooked through.
Add the red bell pepper and carrots, and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and spinach, and cook until the spinach is just wilted.
Add the cooked noodles, soy sauce mixture and ½ teaspoon sesame oil to the skillet and cook, tossing with tongs, until the noodles are heated through, about 1 minute. Serve hot.
Alternatively, toss the noodles, sauce and sesame oil with the vegetables, but don’t reheat the mixture. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Weight Watchers: 7 (Freestyle SmartPoints)
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25of Recipe | Calories: 283.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 53.8g | Protein: 11.1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20.3mg | Sodium: 1013mg | Potassium: 204.2mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 5.8g
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.
This recipe was originally published on June 18, 2014 and was updated on July 8, 2019.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
