I discovered this New York Time’s 2025 Top 50 recipe just weeks before Lunar New Year and my household has been lucky enough to enjoy it several times since: an instant classic. The Husband declared it better than Chinese takeaway (he forgets we don’t have that in Switzerland, I suppose). The recipe is a simple noodle and sauce, but I like to double it and add in veg and shredded chicken for a full meal. My modifications are below. Enjoy this easy but special week night treat! Giddy, up, Fire Horse!

Hoisin Garlic Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Veggies

For the sauce:

• 1 jar (~1/2 cup) of Hoisin sauce
• 4 T. soy sauce
• 2 T. sesame oil
• 2 tsp. honey

For the chicken:

• Two, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Liquid to just cover the chicken- my most successful recipe has been with white wine, but it also works with beer or broth

For the noodles:

• One package of Chinese egg style noodles (not rice)

For the veggies:

• One onion, sliced thinly, into half moon shapes (to mimic noodle length)
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• One red pepper, sliced thinly to match onion shape
• One half of a carrot, peeled into ribbons, cut to match onion & pepper’s shape
• One bunch of bok choy, ends removed, sliced lengthways through the stalk, then cut horizontally to match others’ shapes
• 2 T. neutral oil

For garnish:

• Sesame seeds
• Scallions

1. Combine sauce ingredients, set aside.
2. The night before making, marinade the chicken in about 4 large tablespoons of the sauce, enough to cover, but not swim in it. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. On the cooking day, place chicken in slow cooker on low heat, scraping sauce into the slow cooker. Pour enough liquid (wine, beer, or broth), until chicken is covered, but still sticks out of the top.
4. Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours, flipping the chicken over about half way.
5. Once chicken is cooked through (juices run clear), remove from slow cooker and allow to cool slightly.
6. Shred chicken with two forks. Ladle slow cooker juices onto shredded chicken and allow to sit, cool, and absorb juices, about 20 minutes. Go have a glass of wine and chill out.
7. In a large pot, boil salted water and cook noodles according to package instructions.
8. Drain noodles and immediately run under cold water until they are cool and cooking process is done, set aside.
9. In a large skillet, warm the 2 T. of neutral oil.
10. Saute the onion for about five minutes, until transluscent.
11. Add in the garlic and stir fry for a moment, until fragrant.
12. Add in the other vegetables and stir fry until just tender / wilted.
13. Once you are happy with the veggies, erring on the side of under-cooked, mix the shredded chicken and any juices it is sitting in (not anything left in the slow cooker pot) and mix into veggies, reheating.
14. Add in the cooled noodles and top with the bulk of the sauce.
15. Toss the whole lot together to combine and allow the heat to warm through the chicken and noodles.
16. Plate and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.