Plusses: I trained for this run & so I went out and ran religiously 3 times a week for 10 weeks. So glad I did this because I'm not sure I would have been able to finish if I hadn't trained. The weather was beautiful
Minuses: I'm not a fan of the location. Took 30 mins to get off the highway, had to park about a mile away and the route was HILLY!!!!
On the whole, I'm glad I decided to do it, but I won't do this run again
INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
½ cup tapioca starch
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ghee substitute butter for non-Whole30
8 ounces mushrooms sliced, such as shitake, cremini, button, or portobello
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
14 ounces full-fat coconut milk substitute full-fat almond milk or heavy cream for non-Whole30
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 small bunch of chives finely chopped, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice the chicken breasts in half, lengthwise and season all sides with salt and pepper. Add the tapioca starch to a large bowl and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat a non-stick or stainless-steel pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Lightly dredge both sides of each chicken breast in the tapioca starch and carefully add them to the hot oil. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown and the thickest part of the breast reaches 165F, 4 more minutes. Note, depending on size of skillet you may have to work in batches. Transfer browned chicken to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the ghee and mushrooms. Cook, undisturbed, until the mushrooms start to turn golden brown, around 4 minutes. Flip and cook, stirring, until the other sides start to take on some colour, 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 60 seconds.
Pour in coconut milk and use a wooden spoon to scrape off any brown bits that formed on the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce by half – around 4 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, adjust with more coconut milk, chicken broth or water. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Remove from heat, add the tarragon and stir to combine.
Spoon the sauce overtop of the chicken, garnish with chives and serve immediately.
8 ounces dried rice noodles
¼ cup oyster sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup shallots, thinly sliced
6 teaspoons chile padi (bird's eye chiles), thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips (Optional)
1 pound Chinese broccoli, sliced (Optional)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
Directions
Soak rice noodles in hot water until flexible, 10 to 15 minutes. Occasionally move the noodles around to separate them. Drain the water and cover with a wet paper towel.
Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, Asian fish sauce, maple syrup, sugar, and water in a small bowl.
Heat vegetable oil and sesame oil in a wok, or large frying pan, over medium-high heat. Stir-fry shallots, chile peppers, and garlic until shallots are soft, about 2 minutes. Move the mixture around the outside of the pan to create a space and add chicken. Sear for 1 minute, then combine with shallot mixture. Add Chinese broccoli stems and stir-fry until tender, about 2 minutes. Add Chinese broccoli leaves and stir-fry until wilted.
Add drunken noodle sauce and sliced green onions and mix. Cook until sauce begins to simmer. Add soaked rice noodles and toss to coat until noodles have absorbed the sauce and are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in Thai basil leaves until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve.
