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Better Than Takeout Dan Dan Noodles. For those nights when you’re craving spicy, warming, Chinese inspired noodles, but don’t want to wait for takeout. Crispy caramelized ground chicken in a sweet, spicy, and tangy mushroom sauce atop egg noodles in steaming, spicy broth. These quick vegetable-filled Chinese inspired noodles can be made and ready in just about 30 minutes. Not only are they a touch healthier, but these noodles taste so much better than your average takeout!
Tuesday night just got better with these yummy takeout noodles. Yep, switching things up again this week and swapping out my usual sweet recipes for something a bit more savory. Not typical of me, but I was way too excited to share these Dan Dan inspired noodles with you guys.
First things first. I want to put it out there that I’m very well aware that these noodles are not authentic Chinese. I do know this, and I don’t mean to offend anyone by sharing this recipe. This recipe is just my take on Chinese style Dan Dan noodles. My easier, much, much simpler, “short cut” take. These noodles are saucy, spicy, so very warming, and beyond delicious.
Quick and easy enough for a weeknight, but fun enough for a Saturday night Halloween movie marathon.
Some background.
If you’re not familiar with Dan Dan noodles, they are spicy Chinese noodles with a dark sauce that usually contains preserved vegetables, chili oil, minced pork (I’m using chicken), and green onions. From everything I’ve read, the meat is caramelized and made crispy, then served over noodles. You can serve the noodles either dry or in a spicy broth…
I went for the spicy broth, because it’s been snowing here and it’s cold. So spicy broth wins. Always.
Here are all the details on making these noodles.
As I said, these are not authentic Dan Dan noodles. I took some short-cuts to make the noodles weeknight-friendly, but still delicious.
Start with the chili. You can buy this of course, but I’ve yet to find a great chili oil I love. Plus it’s so easy to make. Simply simmer sesame oil with garlic and red pepper flakes until the garlic is fragrant. This takes only five minutes. Simple.
While that’s happening, make the sauce. It’s s a simple mix of hoisin sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and peanut butter or tahini. Hoisin is not traditional, but it adds so much flavor without having to add a million and one ingredients to the sauce.
Side Note: I’ve yet to find a great hoisin sauce that doesn’t contain tons of sugar…so I began making my own. If this interests you, the quick sauce mix-up is in the recipe notes!
Next, boil the egg noodles. You can really use any kind of noodle, but a good egg noodle is probably best. If you are gluten-free, use your favorite rice noodles. Those will be great too!
Drain the noodles, then add the broth and some of the sauce mix to that same pot. This is your “spicy broth” to mix the noodles with. Keep this on low while you brown the chicken.
The final step is to brown the chicken in a skillet with the remaining sauce and mushrooms. Finely chop the mushrooms, as they add not only a vegetable, but also flavor. You don’t even realize they’re there, but they add SO MUCH. Trust me.
Once the sauce coats the chicken, let the chicken get a little crisp in the skillet and begin to caramelize around the edges.
To assemble, ladle the spicy broth into bowls, add the noodles, and toss with the broth. Then top with that crispy caramelized meat, spoon over additional chili sauce, and add fresh green onions.
Find a spoon, find chopsticks. ENJOY.
A couple notes…
Be sure to serve the noodles as soon as you toss them with the broth. The broth is minimal and really thickens up once you toss it with the noodles.
If you want to make these noodles vegetarian, just double the mushrooms. I haven’t tested that, but I’m sure it would be so delicious.
And that is it…simple, quick, and easy. The ultimate cold-weather Chinese style noodles. Not really a soup, more like extra saucy noodles. AND SO GOOD!
If you make these better than takeout Dan Dan noodles, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Better Than Takeout Dan Dan Noodles.
Servings: 6 6
Calories Per Serving: 550 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or smashed
- 1-2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (make sure to use GF, if needed)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter or tahini
- 8 ounces Chinese style egg noodles, or rice noodles
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 pound ground chicken or pork
- 2 cups mixed mushrooms, chopped
- black pepper
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- 1. To make the chili oil. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 1/3 cup sesame oil, the garlic, and chili flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and very carefully transfer the oil to a heat proof bowl or glass jar. 2. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, vinegar, peanut butter/tahini, and 1/3 cup water in a bowl. 3. Cook the egg/rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. To the pot used to cook the noodles, add the broth and 1/2 of the soy sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stir in the spinach. Keep warm. 4. Place the skillet used to make the chili oil, over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and the chicken. Season with black pepper and brown all over, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and shallot, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in 1/2 of the soy sauce mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the chicken and the meat begins to caramelize and get crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2-4 tablespoons chili oil. Remove from the heat. 5. Ladle the broth into bowls. Add the noodles and toss combine. Spoon the meat over the noodles. Top with green onions and additional chili oil. Enjoy!
Notes
Homemade Hoisin: in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder, and a pinch of black pepper.
This post was originally published on October 22, 2019
Let me start by saying that I am not much of a chef. I love to bake, but my husband does most of the cooking in our house. I made these noodles, however, and felt like a pro! They were SO GOOD!! I couldn’t stop eating it 🙂 Thanks HBH! Another win!
Awh that is so amazing! I am so glad this turned out so well for the both of you, Lana! xTieghan
Probably the best recipe I’ve followed in 10 years! No kidding! AMAZING noodles! Will definitely be cooking this regularly!
Thank you so much Jennifer! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
Just made this after a beautiful Saturday with my family hiking through the woods. It was a perfect ending to a Fall, weekend day. Man is it tasty! I mean really, really good. I used pork vs. chicken and it was beyond delicious. I will be putting this dish in our normal rotation. Thank you for bringing such different flavors to the tables of Americans. I am a “seasoned at home cook” but I know I tend to lean towards more meat and potatoes type of dishes but after trying this recipe, I will be more experimental! Thank you!
YES! I am so glad this turned out so well for you Jenny! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I cannot get over how flavorful these were. So good!!!
I love that! Thank you so much Allie! xTieghan
This recipe is phenomenal! Both my boyfriend and I went back for seconds and I did double the amount of chicken called for and there are still barely any leftovers between the two of us lol. (I did reduce the amount of noodles I cooked). Love your recipes Tieghan. Thanks for another great one.
I am so glad you both loved this Lor!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This is an excellent dinner recipe! My family loved it and consumed it all. It was truly delicious and I encourage everyone to try it. Thank you for this exceptional recipe!
Thank you for trying it Catherine! xTieghan
This was so delicious! Takes some work, but worth it!
Very flavorful.
Thank you Krista! xTieghan
This recipe is SO GOOD. I made it with almond butter because I was out of tahini and we have a peanut allergy in the family, and it worked beautifully. The leftovers might have been even better than the fresh dish. This is definitely going into our meal rotation!
I am so glad you loved this Allison! Thank you! xTieghan
Never had Dan Dan noodles in the LONGEST time–I think I was around 11 or 12 years-old the last time we enjoyed authentic Chinese food this indulgent! Anyways, this recipe looks phenomenal. I’d love to try this with a different sweetener (could plain sugar work?) and rice noodles! SO YUMMY!
Hi!! Yes, both will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Hey Tigehan,
I have not made this yet but it looks delicious. I’ve got a couple questions for you. The recipe calls me for mushrooms which I can’t stand. What other veggies could I use?? I see you mentioned Broccoli and Cauliflower but I don’t like those either. Secondly, could use another oil in place of Sesame oil to make the Chili Oil?? I don’t like the flavor of Sesame oil at all. Do you think Olive oil would work instead?? I look forward to your thoughts thank you!!
Hey Mike, what vegetables do you like? Perhaps chopped bell peppers? Those will be great! Olive oil will be great!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
really nice dish, wow, thank you for this, love it!
Thank you so much Sabrina! xTieghan
I made this and it was delicious!! The flavors were great and my hubby and girl loved it too! The only thing is I made it with all the amounts in the recipe and only three of us were eating and it was not enough. Maybe 6 servings as an appetizer. I will certainly make it again because it is rare to find something all three of us like and is not too time consuming with minimal cleanup (thank you for the instructions on reusing pans) but I will def double next time 🙂
Hi Ginny! I am so glad you enjoyed this meal, and hope you try it again! Thank you! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Do you have any recommendations for a gluten free or low carb pasta substitute?
Hi there! This would be delicious with any cut rice noodle. Use your favorite variety! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
can you tell me the best way to make this ahead of time? Can I make the sauce, chicken and noodles and wait until the next day to combine? Thank you!
Hi there! Yes, you can make each separately, then combine the following day. That will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This was the most delicious bowl of comfort! I followed the recipe exactly, with the exception I added some broccoli to the broth for a couple minutes before serving. So so so good!!
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you Bee! xTieghan