Easy Thai-inspired dish has a slightly spicy edge

Here's a taste of Thai cuisine. Peanut-flavored sauce with a slight spicy edge coats chicken for this quick meal. Skewers are filled with the chicken and vegetables. All that's needed to complete this easy meal is to boil some noodles for a minute.

Leave about 1/4 inch between ingredients on the skewers. This helps the heat reach all sides of the food.

Helpful Hints:

_ Dried angel hair pasta can be used instead of fresh.

_ Satay sauce can be used instead of peanut sauce.

_ If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes.

Countdown:

_ Preheat broiler.

_ Place water for noodles on to boil.

_ Make Thai Chicken Kabobs.

_ Make noodles.

Shopping List:

To buy: 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 green bell pepper, 1 container cherry tomatoes, 1 bottle peanut sauce (or satay sauce), 1/2 pound fresh angel hair pasta and 1 bottle sesame oil.

Staples: salt and black peppercorns.

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THAI CHICKEN KABOBS

3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup green bell pepper, cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes

12 cherry tomatoes

4 metal or wooden skewers

1/2 cup bottle peanut sauce (or satay sauce)

Line a baking tray with foil. Cut chicken into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. Wash, seed and cut bell pepper into same size pieces. Thread chicken, green pepper and cherry tomatoes onto skewers, alternating as you go ending with a cherry tomato. Place skewers on baking tray and spoon about 1/4 cup of the sauce on top. Reserve remaining sauce for dipping.

Place skewers about 5 inches from heat and broil 5 minutes. Remove from oven, turn skewers over and broil another 2 minutes. Serve 2 skewers per person on a bed of noodles along with dipping sauce.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 345 calories (23% from fat), 8.9 g fat (1 g saturated, 1.2 g monounsaturated), 126 mg cholesterol, 44.3 g protein, 21.1 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 569 mg sodium.

NOODLES

1/4 pound fresh angel hair pasta

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons noodle water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium-size saucepan with 2 to 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat and add noodles. When water returns to a boil, cook noodles 1 minute, if using fresh, or according to package instructions if using dried. Mix 2 tablespoons of noodle water with sesame oil in a serving bowl. Drain noodles and toss in bowl. Make sure all of the noodles are coated with the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the kabobs.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 251 calories (19% from fat), 5.4 g fat (0.8 g saturated, 1.9 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 7.4 g protein, 42.6 g carbohydrates, 1.8 g fiber, 3 mg sodium.

Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, "The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook." Listen to Linda on www.WDNA.org and all major podcast sites. Email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.