Soba Noodles with Chicken and Cabbage
This quick and flavorful soba noodle dish channels the spirit of a classic stir-fry with minimal ingredients and maximum taste. Crispy oven-finished chicken thighs pair with tender-crisp cabbage sautéed in schmaltz, all tossed with a simple yet punchy oyster sauce and rice vinegar mixture. Served with nutty, quick-cooking soba noodles, it’s an easy, satisfying weeknight meal that honors the legacy of fast, delicious dinners.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp sesame oil divided
- 2 chicken thighs skin-on, bone-in
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 18 oz (about ½ of a small head) savoy or napa cabbage roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 7 oz (2 bundles) soba noodles
- optional fermented hot sauce (such as sriracha) for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
- While waiting for water to boil, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Place skin down in skillet and cook, undisturbed, until skin is well browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Place chicken skin-up on a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes, to internal temperature of 165°F.
- Meanwhile, without wiping out the skillet, add savoy cabbage. Cook, stirring infrequently, until cabbage was wilted and is browned/charred in places, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While cabbage and chicken are cooking, boil soba noodles per package directions. Drain and return to pot.
- When chicken is done, remove to a cutting board. Remove skins and bones and cut chicken meat into bite-size chunks.
- In a small bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, and 2 tbsp sesame oil.
- Combine chicken, cabbage, soba noodles, and sauce in the skillet. Toss together over low heat. Serve. Top with fermented hot sauce, if desired.