This dish is more Thai-inspired rather than anything authentic to Thai cuisine, though it’s quite tasty as a relatively simple weeknight noodle dish. I found it in The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen, so it’s a good option for just two people.

There is some prep time required to marinate the chicken and soak the noodles, though you can easily chop the chicken and add the soy sauce to it before leaving for work in the morning if time is a consideration.

The beauty of using rice noodles is that they don’t need to be boiled. Soaking the noodles can happen while you’re chopping the rest of the ingredients. These will still be stiff after soaking for half an hour, but they’ll finish cooking in the skillet and still have a little chewiness. If you try to boil them, they’ll be a soggy mess, so they’re best if they soak instead.

I realized after I started cooking that I was out of chili garlic sauce, so I substituted sriracha and a couple minced garlic cloves. This might have been spicier than the original version, but it was a decent enough workaround.

6 oz. 3/8-inch-wide rice noodles
1 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
1 1/2 tsp. + 1/4 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp. lime juice (2 limes)
lime wedges for serving
1-2 tbsp. chili garlic sauce
2 tbsp. neutral oil (vegetable or sunflower)
2 heads baby bok choi, stalks and greens separated and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 c. coarsely chopped fresh Thai basil or cilantro
1 green onion, sliced thin diagonally

Slice the chicken breast into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Toss with 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Cover the noodles with very hot tap water in a large bowl and stir to separate. Let them soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender (~25-30 minutes). Drain.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 c. soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, and chili garlic sauce.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, breaking up any clumps, and cook without stirring until it begins to brown. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until nearly cooked through, then transfer to a bowl.

Add 1 tsp. oil to the now-empty skillet and heat over high heat until just smoking. Add the bok choi stalks and cook, stirring often, until spotty brown. Stir in leaves and cook until wilted. Transfer to bowl with chicken.

Wipe the skillet clean and add the remaining oil. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the drained noodles, soy sauce mixture, and 1 c. water. Cook, tossing gently, until the noodles are tender and well coated.

Add the chicken-vegetable mix and basil. Cook until the chicken is heated through.

Sprinkle with the green onions and serve with lime wedges.