I have a new Chinese chicken makeover that will fulfill all your cravings for Chinese takeout and not leave you feeling bloated and thirsty the next day.

The chicken is skillet to oven, and we are going to make some butternut squash noodles and oven roast the bok choy! It’s a really, really good dinner.

I am making this for Chinese New Year this year and am still working on some other recipes to add as well. It is a very special time for my family. Two of my daughter’s were adopted from China when they were babies, and I have always honored their heritage. One of the ways we do that is having a party on Chinese New Year and also the Autumn Moon Festival. Visiting China was magical each time, and authentic Chinese food is amazing, with lots of healthy vegetables included.

Chinese Chicken and Noodles with Bok Choy

Preheat your oven to 375º degrees F.

To begin, prep your butternut noodles and bok choy (see below). Then, mix together the ginger, tarragon, cinnamon, sea salt and cloves, and season your chicken cubes evenly with it.

Ingredients for the Chicken:

8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into fourths

1 Tablespoon of Ground Ginger

2 Teaspoons of Tarragon

1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1 1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Cloves

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (you may substitute 3 minced garlic cloves if you like and use regular olive oil in place of the garlic infused olive oil.)

Directions for the Chicken: In a large oven safe skillet, add the olive oils over medium high heat, swirling to coat the pan. Then add the seasoned chicken when the olive oil is hot enough to sizzle. Cook the chicken four minutes on one side or until golden brown, then flip the cubes and brown the other side. When the chicken is brown but not cooked through, pour the reduced chicken sauce over the chicken in the skillet, and toss to coat evenly. Place the skillet into the oven and cook the chicken an additional five minutes, or until the chicken is done. Spoon the chicken into a bowl and pour the sauce from the pan and all the brown bits over the chicken.

Chicken Sauce:

1/4 Cup of Coconut Amminos

1/4 Cup of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

3 Tablespoons of Honey

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

Directions for Chicken Sauce:

Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Then, lower the temperature and simmer until the sauce is reduced by half. Set aside to prepare the chicken.

Ingredients for the Butternut Noodles:

1 Butternut Squash (Spiralized)

3 Cloves of Garlic (Omit for Low FodMap and Substitute Garlic Olive Oil for the Olive Oil)

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Aminos

1 Tablespoon of Honey

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Directions: Spiralize the solid end of the peeled butternut squash. (I use this one and love it.) In a large skillet, add the olive oil, salt and garlic and cook over medium high until fragrant, this happens very quickly. Add the spiralized butternut squash noodles. Toss and cook until al dente. Then, whisk together the coconut aminos and honey, and toss with the squash noodles to coat. Cook a few more minutes, then set aside until ready to serve.

Ingredients for the Bok Choy

6 Baby Bok Choy (Mine were pretty large, so you be the judge of how much you want.)

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder (Omit for Low FodMap and substitute 1 Tablespoon of Garlic Olive Oil in place of 1 of the tablespoons of Olive Oil above)

1 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1 Tablespoon of Coconut Aminos

1/2 Teaspoon of Fish Sauce

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375º degrees F. Wash and half the bok choy lengthwise (see photo). Lay on a rimmed sheet pan. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients, and brush evenly over the bok choy. Bake in your oven for 20 minutes.

To Serve:

Place a mound of noodles on your plate. Spoon Chinese chicken and sauce over the noodles add some bok choy on the side. Dig in!