27/09/2026
I made this for dinner the other night, and there was a lot going on in that bowl.
Rice noodles with ginger, lemongrass, coriander and shallots. Wok-fried vegetables in a warm coconut sauce. Potatoes, carrot, pumpkin and whole garlic cloves roasted on a separate tray.
Then I coated plant-based chicken strips with cornflour and sage, fried them until crisp, and spooned sticky red pad Thai sauce over the top.
The roasted vegetables gave it a lovely change of texture. And the leftovers? Even better for lunch the next day.
Sage-crispy plant chicken with coconut vegetables and fragrant herb noodles
A generous plant-based dinner: colourful wok-fried vegetables in a gently spiced coconut sauce, lemony herb rice noodles, smooth flour-coated chicken-style strips tossed in vegan pad Thai sauce, and a side of garlic-roasted vegetables.
Serves: 2 generously
Time: about 40–45 minutes, with the roasted vegetables cooking while you prepare the other parts
Ingredients
Coconut vegetables
- 1 carrot, cut into fine strips
- 1 small zucchini, cut into strips
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 150 g mushrooms, sliced
- 150 g baby broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small bok choy, stems and leaves separated and chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 120 ml coconut cream
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- A pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
- Black pepper and a little salt, to taste
Herb noodles
- 100 g dry rice noodles
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp finely chopped lemongrass (tender inner stalk only)
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1–2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp plant-based spread, such as Nuttelex (optional)
- 1 spring onion (shallot), very finely sliced, for serving
Crispy sage chicken-style pieces
- 1 × 250 g pack Made With Plants Meat-Free Chicken, or 250 g homemade seitan
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp dried sage, crumbled (or 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage)
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, or less to taste
- A pinch of chilli flakes and black pepper
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil for shallow frying (use only as much as needed)
- 2–3 tbsp vegan pad Thai sauce, to coat
Garlic-roasted vegetables
- 250 g potatoes, cut into small roastable pieces
- 200 g pumpkin, cut into similar-sized pieces
- 1 extra carrot, cut into chunky pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, left whole or lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Black pepper, to taste
To finish
- A few fine strips of red capsicum or fresh red chilli
- Extra coriander or a little finely curled spring onion, optional
Method
1. Roast the vegetables. Heat the oven to 210°C (190°C fan). Toss the potato, pumpkin, extra carrot and whole garlic cloves with 1 tbsp olive oil and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a tray. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning once, until coloured and tender. Other roast vegetables work well too; keep any leftovers for the next day.
2. Prepare the noodles. Cook the rice noodles according to their packet, just until tender. Drain. Add the ginger, lemongrass, coriander, lemon juice and optional plant-based spread. Toss gently, cover with a lid and keep warm.
3. Wok-fry the vegetables. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large wok. Add the onion, carrot and broccoli; stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, zucchini and bok choy stems. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, then add the bok choy leaves. Stop when the vegetables have the bite you like, from crisp to tender.
4. Make the coconut sauce. Turn down the heat. Stir in the coconut cream, turmeric, cayenne and pepper. Warm for 1–2 minutes, stirring, without boiling hard. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Keep warm.
5. Coat the chicken-style pieces. Cut the pieces into long, fairly smooth strips rather than shredding them into jagged fragments. Put the cornflour, sage, onion powder, cayenne, chilli flakes and black pepper in a lidded container. Add the strips and shake until lightly dusted with flour.
6. Crisp and glaze. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the coated strips, turning until crisp and heated through, about 4–6 minutes depending on their size. Their coating should look like a lightly floured, crisp chicken strip, with a fairly smooth interior. Drain briefly on kitchen paper if needed. Pour away excess oil, leaving only a light film in the pan. Return the strips, add the vegan pad Thai sauce and toss for 30–60 seconds until it reduces to a sticky, glossy coating that clings to the strips. Keep some crisp flour-coated edges visible. Add only a tiny splash of water if the sauce catches.
7. Serve. Use a wide, shallow red bowl. Put the fragrant noodles and creamy wok vegetables next to each other, with the crisp chicken-style strips on top or to one side. Add the roasted vegetables as a distinct section. Finish the noodles with sliced spring onion and add a few fine strips of red capsicum or chilli and extra coriander on top.
Peter’s way: Keep the roast vegetables distinct from the creamy wok vegetables for two different textures. Keep the chicken-style strips above the sauce so their lightly floured edges stay crisp.
Nutrition and ingredient benefits
Approximate per generous serving, including roast vegetables: 850–1,050 kcal and 38–48 g protein. This is a broad working estimate for half the recipe using 100 g dry noodles, 120 ml coconut cream, the quantities of roast vegetables above, about 3 tbsp oil across the whole dish and 2–3 tbsp sauce. The amount of oil absorbed, brands and portion sizes can change the numbers substantially; it is not a lab-tested nutrition panel. If the roast vegetables are served separately or saved for the next day, the meal will be lighter.
- The photographed Made With Plants Meat-Free Chicken pack lists 175 kcal, 28.6 g protein and 1,028 mg sodium per 125 g serving. Half the 250 g pack supplies that amount before the noodles, vegetables and sauce. Its wheat-flour base contains wheat/gluten; the pack says it may contain soybeans.
- Carrot and pumpkin contribute beta-carotene; broccoli and bok choy add vitamin C and other nutrients. Mushrooms, onion and zucchini add variety and texture. The roasted potato adds satisfying carbohydrates, and the roast tray gives a distinct texture alongside the creamy wok vegetables.
- Sage, ginger, lemongrass, coriander, turmeric and chilli add flavour. This dish is best described as colourful and satisfying rather than claiming the spices treat illness.
- Coconut cream gives richness and also adds saturated fat. For a lighter version, use less coconut cream or dilute it with water. The packaged chicken-style pieces already supply considerable sodium, and pad Thai sauce can add more, so taste before adding salt. Check that the sauce is vegan, as some pad Thai sauces contain fish sauce.
