What sets this one-pot meal apart from most noodle dishes is its Japanese Worcestershire-like sauce.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses (not blackstrap)
1 tablespoon mirin
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant dashi powder (optional)
8 to 10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 5 ounces)
6 leaves green cabbage
1 large carrot
1/2 small yellow onion
2 medium scallions
3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, such as canola oil, divided
16 ounces fresh yakisoba noodles
1/2 cup water, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Place 1 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon ketchup, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 tablespoon mirin, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi powder (if using) in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Cut 8 to 10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and stir to coat.
Trim the stems from 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, then thinly slice the caps. Stack 6 cabbage leaves and chop into 1-inch pieces (3 cups). Peel 1 large carrot. Cut crosswise into thirds, then cut each piece lengthwise into thin planks. Stack the planks and cut lengthwise into matchsticks. Thinly slice 1/2 small yellow onion. Thinly slice 2 medium scallions.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 16 ounces fresh yakisoba noodles. Carefully pour 1/4 cup of the water over the noodles. Cover and cook the noodles until they start to turn tender and loosen up,1 to 2 minutes. Gently break the noodles up with a wooden spoon to loosen them out of their square shape. Stir-fry until they start to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large plate.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until well-browned on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to the plate with noodles.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until starting to brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onion, and season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir-fry until cabbage begins to brown at the edges and the onions start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
Spread into an even layer, then return the noodles and chicken to the pan on top of the vegetables. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup water over everything. Cover and let cook until water has mostly evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sauce and toss to combine. Garnish with the scallions before serving.
