I have a guilty pleasure – PF Changs Dan Dan Noodles.  Generally I try to avoid restaurants that advertise on television, I don’t know what it is, but I feel like a lot of mass market restaurants usually don’t have the freshest most delicious food. Seriously though, think about it…Red Lobster, Olive Garden (with their never ending salad and breadsticks – YUCK!), Applebee’s – when I think of fresh, flavorful, unforgettable cuisine the above just don’t come to my mind.

I do however have a few favorite chains that I am particularly fond of and they seem to deliver on delicious food. I just hope they don’t start advertising on TV cause it is all downhill from there. My favorite of all the chains would have to be PF Changs because I LOVE their Dan Dan Noodles. It is one of those items that I crave. I will think about them and my mouth will begin to water. Well, today I had a craving and I decided to try a recipe out. Boy am I glad I did. The taste wasn’t exact, but it was pretty darn close and this is a recipe that I will be adding to my regular repetoire. I have to add that I made this whole meal in about 20 minutes, which isn’t half bad for a quick weeknight dish.

If you love PF Changs or even if you don’t, you should give this recipe a try. One note, PF Changs serves their Dan Dan noodles with cucumbers. I am not particularly fond of cucumbers in this dish, so I left them out. If you like them, by all means add them.

Dan Dan Noodles-ish

Ingedients

2 chicken breast fillets, skinless and boneless
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, plus more for cooking chicken
1/2 pound dry spaghetti
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 cup Yoshida’s Teriyaki Sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons sambal oelek (chile-garlic sauce to taste)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Garnish:
Chives
1/2 cup peanuts

Directions
Saute chicken breast in a skillet in a little oil for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool; then mince.

Prepare the spaghetti following the directions on the package

For Sauce: In a wok or large saucepand heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and green onion and saute for just a few seconds; careful that the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and chile-garlic sauce. Combine the cornstarch with ½ cup water and stir it into the sauce. Simmer sauce for about 2 minutes or until it thickens.

Once thick, add the chicken and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Place cooked noodles onto a serving plate. Spoon chicken and sauce over the top of the noodles. Garnish with chives or peanuts before serving.