The lure of Asian takeout—and sometimes even those stalls in mall food courts that beckon you closer with free samples on a toothpick—is real. There’s something oddly comforting and satisfying about twirling saucy noodles around chopsticks or a fork, lifting them straight out of the white box with the red pagoda on the side, and slurping a pile of them into your mouth.

We know that Asian takeout is often laden with canola, soy or corn oils, sugar-sweetened sauces, MSG, soy, and more salt than even most endurance athletes need in a day. But still. There’s something so undeniably tempting about the sweet, salty, umami and sometimes spicy flavors of Asian food.  

We took on the challenge of remaking an Asian-fusion dish that’s comforting, satisfying, a balance of contrasting flavors and textures, and, above all, craveable. Our low-carb Asian noodle bowl uses shirataki or kelp noodles, which are very low in carbs, to add that twirly flare; both stir-fried and raw veggies for crunch and color; kimchi for spice and fermented probiotic goodness; and chicken marinated in our Sesame Ginger Dressing to impart lightly sweet, sour, and spicy flavor. If you want to make this dish vegetarian, just leave out the chicken. 

Low-Carb Asian Noodle Bowl with Chicken and Sesame Ginger Dressing

Time: 1 hour, 42 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 1 cooked chicken thigh, marinated in Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Dressing*
• 1 tablespoon Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil
• 3–4 pieces broccolini
• Handful of snow peas (about 10), chopped
• 8 oz. Shirataki or kelp noodles
• 2 sheets nori, crumbled
• 1 oz. shredded carrots
• ½ cup kimchi
• 2 tablespoons pickled ginger, optional
• 1 hard boiled egg, sliced lengthwise
• 4 tablespoons Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Dressing
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

*How to prepare the chicken...

• Place the chicken in a bowl and season both sides with salt and pepper. Pour about 2 tablespoons of Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Dressing on top.
• Flip the chicken so it gets coated in dressing on the other side too. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• When chicken has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature on the counter (about 10 minutes).
• Heat an indoor grill pan or cast-iron skillet to medium-high. Add 2 teaspoons of Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil to the pan.
• Cook chicken thigh for about 6 minutes per side (depending on how thick your chicken pieces are). Cooked chicken should register 165ºF on a meat thermometer when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and allow to rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes. Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces.

How to prepare the Low-Carb Asian Noodle Bowl...

• In a small skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon of Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil.
• Add broccolini and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
• Add snow peas and stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Remove from heat.
• Drain shirataki or kelp noodles. Add drained noodles to a large bowl.
• Top noodles with veggies, kimchi, ginger (if using), hard boiled egg, and chicken. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons (or however much you’d like!) Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Dressing.

Nutritional Info (entire recipe: 1 serving):

• Calories: 466
• Carbs: 21.3 grams
• Fat: 39 grams
• Protein: 12 grams

Nutritional information calculated using Cronometer.

You might also like these lower-carb noodle recipes:

• Dreamy Pesto Kelp Noodles 
• Beet Noodle Macro Bowl 
• Beef Stroganoff