Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup with Sesame and Green Onions

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into thin strips

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons dry Sherry

  • 2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)*

  • 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce

  • 4 cups chopped Napa cabbage (from 1 head)

  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced

  • 8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

  • 1 14-ounce package fresh yakisoba noodles or Chinese pan-fry noodles

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARATION:

  1. Stir chicken, soy sauce, Sherry, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in medium bowl to blend. Let stand 20 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

  2. Whisk garlic, tahini, ginger, sugar, vinegar, and chili sauce in small bowl.

  3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and green onions and sauté until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add chicken with marinade and tahini-garlic mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

  4. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add to soup in pot. Stir in half of cilantro. Season soup with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.