Chicken stir-fry with noodles

Cook dried noodles separately until just tender, then drain well before they go into the wok; overcooked noodles turn soft when stir-fried. Fresh ready-to-cook noodles usually only need loosening in hot water, so follow the packet instructions.

Cut it into even, thin strips and stir-fry in a hot wok, in batches if needed. Check the thickest piece reaches 70°C for 2 minutes, following Food Standards Agency cooking guidance.

Cool it quickly, ideally within 1–2 hours, and refrigerate in a covered container; eat it within 2 days. Reheat it only once, until steaming hot throughout, as advised by the Food Standards Agency.

Try sliced peppers, broccoli, carrots and spring onions: cut firmer vegetables thinly so they cook quickly, and add spring onions near the end. Garlic, ginger and soy sauce make a familiar base; add a splash of water if the noodles need loosening.

Yes. Soak or cook rice noodles as directed on the packet, then drain them well and add them at the end so they don’t break up as you toss the stir-fry.

The rice version has more carbohydrate: 16.8 g per 100 g, compared with 13 g in the noodle version. The noodle version has 149 kcal per 100 g, while the rice version has 156 kcal.