Speedy Chicken Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles

How is your weekend going? We have been loving doing just weekend type things such as catching up on shows we DVR throughout the week, laundry, and getting ready for the upcoming week. The Bear is getting a crash test culinary experience after I burned my hand this morning on a hot skillet. I had just pulled some chicken out of the oven to top over my salads for lunch this week. I left the skillet on top of the stove so the chicken could cool down a little before I diced it. So, I cleared a little space on the counter, grabbed a fork out of the silverware drawer to help me pick up the chicken. I'm sort of ambidextrous in the kitchen. With the fork in my left hand, I grabbed the handle of the still very hot skillet with my right hand and burnt my right palm.

Fortunately, I've become well versed in how to treat burns since starting this blog. Last month was a good month with no burns, but after thinking about it I think I've suffered some sort of little burn in the kitchen at least once a month since the beginning of the school year. It usually happens when I become overly consumed in my weekly prep work. This one is defiantly the largest burn I've had in a while. I'm glad I was almost finished getting things ready as all the Bear had to do was cut the said chicken from the skillet that burned my hand and help me divvy it up among the salads. He will get some more practice on cutting potatoes and mixing the burgers for this evening's meal. I think I should probably just wear oven mittens all the time when I'm working in the kitchen. Do they make flexible silicone gloves? That would be perfect! 

Enough about my kitchen mishaps though. On to catching up on last week's recipe! I don't think oven mittens will be needed to get this meal ready. Have I told you about kelp noodles? I recently became very curious about these illusive noodles after reading about them on Tone it Up. They are a gluten-free alternative similar to rice noodles, but are extremely low in calories (only 6 per serving!), contain absolutely no fat, and only 1 gram of carbohydrate per serving. What!? You could practically eat the entire bag and still not even tally up the calories compared to regular noodles. Plus, you don't need to boil them. After a quick rinse of water through a colander, you can gently heat them directly into your sauce or toss them in a salad. AMAZING! I used Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles ordered from Amazon. 

To save even more time on this recipe, I used some leftover shredded chicken. It was the perfect mid-week meal to get us in the mood for spring. There are some unique ingredients in this recipe, but have no fear! My husband was very satisfied and actually has requested I make it again in the very near future. If you are looking to lighten up a bit, I highly suggest you try this recipe!

Speedy Chicken Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles

For the sauce:

1 14 oz. can light, unsweetened coconut milk

1 clove minced garlic

2 tablespoons gluten-free, reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Zest of one lime

Juice of one lime

For the pad Thai:

Nonstick cooking spray

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast

2 cups shredded broccoli or broccoli slaw

1 red bell pepper, finely sliced

1/4 cup carrot, finely cut

1 12 oz. package kelp noodles, rinsed and drained

1 bunch green onion, finely sliced

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the skillet heats, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce. Set aside. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add the chicken, shredded broccoli, red pepper, and carrots to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the chicken heats through and the vegetables begin to slightly soften. Add the kelp noodles. Give a stir to combine. Pour the sauce over the mixture. Stir until everything is coated. Cook and stir another 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to absorb into the noodles and bubbles. Remove from heat. Top with the green onions and serve.