Mushroom & Noodle Stir Fry with Strawberries & Chicken {or Tofu!}

Yes, this noodle stir fry contains mushrooms AND strawberries.

And you're not going to believe how delicious it is. {with vegan options!}

Let me start by saying that I am not the first person to combine mushrooms and strawberries in a dish. I've seen spinach salad with mushrooms and strawberries on more than one restaurant menu over the years. And a quick google search pulls up a small handful of other recipes that dare to combine the two foods.

For me, the combination caught my interest while flipping through The Flavor Matrix by James Briscione. Briscione's book includes a large library of food pairing suggestions based on the commonality of flavor compounds in individual ingredients.

You know how certain flavors are just meant to go together? Like peanut butter and jelly, apples and cinnamon, chocolate and espresso, or caramel and vanilla? What's interesting about flavor pairings like these is that, in each pairing, the two foods taste nothing alike. And yet, when eaten together, they compliment each other perfectly.

That's what Briscione's book is about - discovering the foods that are likely to compliment each other because even if they don't taste like it individually, they share a high number of the same chemical flavor compounds.

One of the many surprising pairing suggestions in the book is strawberries and mushrooms. And, I know. At first glance it sounds suspicious and strange. But, people, let me tell you. It works.

The fact that strawberries and mushrooms go together so deliciously shouldn't surprise us too much.

It's not uncommon to add pineapple or mango salsa to tacos. Raisins, cranberries, or pears are delicious in savory stuffing. And who doesn't love pork chops cooked with apples? Sweet and savory combinations are everywhere because they are delicious. And, often they work best when the savory components in the dish is also a bit earthy or smoky.

In this recipe, crimini mushrooms are sautéed until caramelized to bring out as much of their earthy flavor as possible, tossed together with gluten free soba noodles, plenty of fresh herbs, sliced strawberries, some shredded chicken or crispy tofu, and coated with a sweet, sour, and slightly spicy sauce.

The combination of all that sweet, salty, savory, and spicy is kinda magical.

Chicken or tofu, or neither one? It's all good.

I'm not vegan or vegetarian but I care deeply about how animals are raised and the sustainability issues surrounding the world's current meat consumption. For me, this means not eating meat every day, and doing my best to only purchase meat and poultry from responsibly raised sources.

I also have several vegan friends. So, I really, really love recipes that can be easily adapted to not include meat. As you can see in the pictures, I used chicken in this dish on the day I snapped the photos. But, I've also made it with crispy fried tofu and it's equally delicious. It's also fabulous as a side dish without either chicken or tofu.

More delicious recipes you might like:

• Potato Salad with Creamy Green Sauce and Tuna
• Cauliflower and Chickpea Coconut Curry
• Couscous Salad with Veggies and Agrodolce
• Watermelon Salad with Chili and Lime
• Vegetarian Spaghetti Carbonara
• Miso Buttered Pasta and Salmon

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.

Mushroom & Noodle Stir Fry with Strawberries & Chicken {or tofu!}

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: RebeccaBlackwell
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings

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Description

Yes, this noodle stir fry contains mushrooms and strawberries. And you're not going to believe how delicious it is.

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Ingredients

• ½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1-3 tbsp chili garlic sauce (depending on how spicy you want this dish to be)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, divided
• 1 small red onion
• ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil
• 16 ounces crimini mushrooms, gently cleaned with a damp paper towel (Also called baby bella mushrooms. *See note.)
• 10 ounces lo-mein noodles
• 1 ½ lbs strawberries (about 2 ½ cups sliced)
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 small, fully cooked Roast Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken, at room temperature or slightly warm. (Can also use tofu - see note.) 

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Instructions

1. To make the sauce: Add the unseasoned rice vinegar, sugar, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar melts and dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the chili garlic sauce (start with 1 tbsp and then add more if you want it spicier), toasted sesame oil, lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Stir to combine and set aside to cool.
2. Peel the onion and slice off the very top and bottom. Cut the onion in half and slice it into very thin strips, no larger than ⅛-inch thick. Put the onion slices into a small bowl and pour the seasoned rice vinegar over the top. Toss the slices in the vinegar to coat and set aside. (Stir the onion around in the bowl once or twice as you work on finishing the dish.)
3. Cut the mushrooms into ¼-inch slices. Add the butter and extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil to a large skillet or sautéed pan and set it over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the sliced mushrooms. Toss the mushrooms in the butter and oil to coat and sprinkle with about 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are a deep golden brown. Scoop the mushrooms onto a plate, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice, and set aside to cool.
4. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and let boil for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice. Pour the noodles into a colander set in the sink and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking further. Let drain.
5. Wash the strawberries, remove the stems, and cut into ¼-inch slices.
6. Add the strawberries to a large bowl along with the noodles, mushrooms, sauce, onions, parsley and basil. Remove the chicken from the bones and shred into bite-size pieces and add it to the bowl. Toss all the ingredients together gently in the bowl, taste for seasoning, and serve. (*See recipe notes for instructions to make crispy tofu instead of chicken.)

Notes

• Crimini mushrooms, also called baby bella mushrooms, have a more intense flavor than white button mushrooms, which is why I like to use them in this dish. But you can also use portobello (also called portabella) mushrooms if you like. If neither of these options is available to you, white button mushrooms will also work.
• To use tofu instead of chicken: Cut the tofu into bites-size cubes. Season with salt then toss the tofu pieces with about 1 tbsp cornstarch. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil in a skillet until hot and shimmering. Add the tofu in a single layer, letting it cook on one side until it releases easily from the pan. Continue to turn and cook the tofu until all sides are golden brown and crispy. Top finished noodle stir fry (do not toss) with tofu right before serving to preserve crispness. 

Keywords: noodles, mushrooms, stir fry, easy stir fry, strawberries, dinner recipe, lunch recipe