Best copycat ever! Tender chicken, colorful vegetables, stir-fried noodles, and the most luxurious teriyaki sauce on earth. Completely customizable and undeniably easy, you will adore this one. And so will everyone you share it with!

The inspiration for this dish can be summed-up in one word: Luke. My son Luke that is. He came to me and said, "I'm craving Samurai Sam's chicken teriyaki; do you think you can make a copycat?" As you may know, I'm always up for a "copycat challenge", so I went to work. 

First, I went to the Samurai Sam's website to read the ingredients in their teriyaki sauce. I've tasted the sauce before, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a key ingredient. I also looked at pictures to see what ingredients went into their Yakisoba bowls. And speaking of ingredients, I didn't plan to run to the store for this experiment. Luke was hungry, so I needed to use what I had on hand (I was only missing cabbage and zucchini, so that was cool). 

Then, I started cooking, which I did in stages. I stir-fried the noodles (I happened to have cooked spaghetti, so I cheated and used those). Then I stir-fried some chicken. Then I stir-fried my veggies (after I quickly blanched them). While all that stir-frying was going on, the teriyaki sauce was simmering one burner over. This may seem like a lot of work, but I used one pan to stir-fry everything and it was super easy to put together. 

Why did I cook everything in stages? Because it ensured that each element was perfectly cooked - the noodles were glossy, the vegetables were al dente, and the chicken was moist and cooked through. Remember, I only used one pan! 

About the vegetables: You can use any vegetables you have in this dish. I tried to get close to the Samurai Sam's medley of broccoli, carrots, zucchini, and cabbage, but anything (fresh or frozen) works! 

What type of noodles should you use? As I mentioned above, I had a batch of leftover spaghetti, so I used that. You can use any long noodle - from soba to ramen, to Chinese stir-fry noodles. 

How much sugar should you use in the sauce? That's a personal choice. We don't like overly sweet sauces in my house, so I used 3 tablespoons. And, according to Luke, it tasted exactly like Samurai Sam's. If you like sweeter sauces, use more. For a saltier sauce, use less. 

Chicken Teriyaki Yakisoba Bowls (Samurai Sam's Copycat)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons granulated sugar, or more/less to taste

2 teaspoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 

4 cups cooked noodles, such as Chinese egg noodles, soba, spaghetti, or any noodle of choice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces 

2 cups broccoli florets, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute if desired

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup sliced celery or green cabbage 

Instructions: 

In a small saucepan, combine the water, soy sauce, and sugar. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the noodles and cook until hot and starting to turn golden. Season the noodles with salt and pepper. Transfer the noodles to individual bowls or a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Set aside. 

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. 

Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, carrots, and celery/cabbage and cook for 3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pan and toss to combine. 

Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and add the mixture to the soy sauce mixture. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. 

Top the stir-fried noodles with the chicken and vegetables and spoon the teriyaki sauce over top. Serve extra teriyaki sauce on the side. 

Serves 4